Benedict Cumberbatch's parents, Timothy Carlton and Wanda Ventham, have a long history in showbiz, with performances dating all the way back to the 1950s.

Ventham has been in the spotlight since 1956, and first starred in the drama "Teenage Bad Girl," before appearing in a 1965 episode of "The Avengers."

Other notable projects of Ventham’s include several episodes of "Doctor Who," and the British sci-fi series "UFO," along with its 1974 film adaptation, "Invasion: UFO."

Carlton has a similarly stacked resume, known for his roles in such projects as "Parting Shots," "High Road to China," "Downton Abbey," and "Next of Kin."

Ventham and Carlton even starred alongside each other in a 1970 episode of "A Family At War" and several episodes of 1973's "The Lotus Eaters."

The pair have also worked alongside their son in the Season 3 premiere of the BBC mystery series "Sherlock," where they played the world-famous detective's mother and father.

Cumberbatch told the Independent that they were "brilliant" and "fantastic." His parents reprised their roles in two later episodes in Seasons 3 and 4.