{{Short description|English actress (born 1935)}} {{Use British English|date=November 2012}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}} {{Infobox person | name = Wanda Ventham | image = Wanda Ventham in The Blood Beast Terror (1968).png | caption = Ventham in ''[[The Blood Beast Terror]]'' (1968) | birth_place = [[Brighton]], Sussex, England | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1935|8|5|df=y}} | alma_mater = [[Central School of Speech and Drama]] | occupation = Actress | years_active = 1956–present | spouse = {{plainlist| * {{marriage|James Tabernacle|1957|1974|end = divorced}} * {{marriage|[[Timothy Carlton]]<br>|1976}} }} | children = 2, including [[Benedict Cumberbatch]] | relatives = [[Sophie Hunter]] (daughter-in-law) }}

'''Wanda Ventham''' (born 5 August 1935) is an English actress with many roles on British television since beginning her career in the 1950s.

Ventham played Colonel Virginia Lake in the 1970s science-fiction television series ''[[UFO (British TV series)|UFO]]'' and had a recurring role as Cassandra Trotter's mother Pamela Parry in the sitcom ''[[Only Fools and Horses]]'' between 1989 and 1992. Her many other television appearances include ''[[Danger Man]]'', ''[[The Rag Trade]]'', ''[[The Sweeney]]'', ''[[The Avengers (TV programme)|The Avengers]]'', ''[[The Saint (TV series)|The Saint]]'', ''[[Doctor Who]]'', ''[[The Gentle Touch]]'', ''[[Minder (TV series)|Minder]]'', ''[[Heartbeat (British TV series)|Heartbeat]]'' and ''[[Holby City]]'', and she appeared in two ''[[Carry On (franchise)|Carry On]]'' films.

In April 2014, ''[[People (magazine)|People]]'' magazine featured her in its "Most Beautiful People in the World" edition.<ref>{{cite journal |url = https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BmB8oqcCEAAHvpZ.jpg |title = Stars & Their Hot Moms |journal = People |page = 139 |date = 5 May 2014 |access-date = 19 June 2015 }}</ref>

==Early life== Ventham was born in [[Brighton]] on 5 August 1935, the daughter of Gladys Frances (née Holtham) and Frederick Howard Ventham.<ref name="E&W Birth">Ancestry.com. England & Wales, Birth Index: 1916–2005 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008. Original data: General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration Indexes. London, England: General Register Office.</ref><ref name="E&W FreeBMD Birth">FreeBMD. England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837–1915 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006. Original data: General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration Indexes. London, England: General Register Office.</ref> Originally aspiring to become an artist, she attended art school for a year whilst working as a scenic painter for the [[Connaught Theatre]] in [[Worthing, West Sussex]], during her school holidays. The exposure to professional theatre prompted her to leave art school and pursue a career in acting.<ref name="UFO commentary">Ventham, Wanda. Audio commentary for "Timelash". In: ''The Complete UFO Megaset'' (DVD). A&E Home Entertainment. 2003.</ref> She trained at the [[Central School of Speech and Drama]], as a contemporary of [[Judi Dench]],<ref>Martin, Annie (19 September 2014) "Benedict Cumberbatch is 'a true gentleman,' says Judi Dench". UPI Entertainment.</ref> graduating in 1956.<ref name="central newsletter">''Central School of Speech and Drama Alumni Newsletter'', July 2012, issue 19, pg. 19</ref>

==Career== Ventham's first film role was in ''[[My Teenage Daughter]]'' (1956), with Dame [[Anna Neagle]] and [[Sylvia Syms]]. She also appeared as a debutante in 1962 with a ten-second talking role in the Norman Wisdom film ''On the Beat'' and in 1963 as a nurse in the Norman Wisdom film ''A Stitch in Time'' – both were uncredited.

She also appeared in ''[[Carry On Cleo]]'' (1964) and ''[[Carry On Up the Khyber]]'' (1968). She starred alongside [[Mark Burns (actor)|Mark Burns]] in the mystery film ''[[Death Is a Woman]]'' (1966). Her best-known role was on television as Col. Virginia Lake, second-in-command to Commander Ed Straker ([[Ed Bishop]]), in the cult series ''[[UFO (British TV series)|UFO]]''.

Ventham's numerous other TV credits include regular roles in ''[[Heartbeat (British TV series)|Heartbeat]]'' as Fiona Weston, ''[[Hetty Wainthropp Investigates]]'' as Margaret Balshaw, and in Series 2 and 3 of ''[[The Rag Trade]]'' as Shirley. She also played a love interest for [[Arthur Daley]] in ''[[Minder (TV series)|Minder]]'', Susan's mother in ''[[Coupling (British TV series)|Coupling]]'', and Deborah's mother in ''[[Men Behaving Badly]]''. She starred opposite [[Ian Hendry]] in the 15-part BBC series ''[[The Lotus Eaters (TV series)|The Lotus Eaters]]'' (1972–73), had a recurring role in the final series of ''[[The Troubleshooters (British TV series)|The Troubleshooters]]'', and made a guest appearance in the fifth episode of the first season of the [[BBC Two]] sketch show ''[[Rutland Weekend Television]]''. She was in an episode of ''[[Danger Man]]'', and the series Patrick McGoohan completed immediately afterwards&nbsp;– the allegorical spy series ''[[The Prisoner]]''&nbsp;– as well as the sitcoms ''[[Executive Stress]]'' and ''[[Next of Kin (TV series)|Next of Kin]]'', and the sketch show ''[[The Two Ronnies]]''.

She has appeared in ''[[Doctor Who]]'' on three occasions over three decades; as Jean Rock in ''[[The Faceless Ones]]'' (1967), as Thea Ransome in ''[[Image of the Fendahl]]'' (1977) and as Faroon in ''[[Time and the Rani]]'' (1987). Her appearance in ''Image of the Fendahl'' was opposite [[Denis Lill]], with whom she would later act when they were cast as Pamela and Alan Parry in the sitcom ''[[Only Fools and Horses]]'' (1989–1992).

In 2014, she and her husband [[Timothy Carlton]] appeared in the BBC adaptation of ''[[Sherlock (TV series)|Sherlock]]'' as the parents of [[Sherlock Holmes]], who is played by their son [[Benedict Cumberbatch]].<ref name="So proud">{{cite news |title = Benedict Cumberbatch 'so proud' of parents |work = [[The Daily Telegraph]] |date = 2 January 2014 |url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/10546727/Sherlock-Benedict-Cumberbatch-so-proud-of-parents.html |access-date = 4 January 2014 }}</ref> Ventham appeared in ''[[Holby City]]'' as Sheilagh Chiltern, the grandmother of [[Lofty Chiltern]].<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2014-10-14/benedict-mumberbatch-wanda-ventham-to-appear-on-holby-city |title = Benedict Mumberbatch! Wanda Ventham to appear on Holby City |last = Lazarus |first = Susanna |date = 14 October 2014 |work = [[Radio Times]] |access-date = 1 October 2014 }}</ref>

==Personal life== Ventham married her first husband James Tabernacle in 1957<ref name="E&W Marriage" /><ref name="TV Times article 1979">{{cite journal |last = Knowles |first = Stewart |title = Timothy, Wanda... and the rose that changed her mind about marriage |journal = TV Times |date = 28 July 1979 |pages = 14–15 }}</ref> and they had one daughter, Tracy. They divorced on 12 November 1974.<ref>{{cite news |title = TV star Wanda's friendly divorce |newspaper = Daily Mirror |date = 13 November 1974 |pages = 9 }}</ref> She met actor [[Timothy Carlton]] in 1970 while filming sequences for the drama series ''[[A Family at War]]''<ref name="UFO commentary" /><ref name="TV Times article 1975">{{cite journal |last = Passingham |first = Kenneth |title = It's good news to know I'm still fanciable |journal = [[TV Times]] |date = 22 March 1975 |pages = 21–22 }}</ref> and they have been married since April 1976.<ref name="E&W Marriage">Ancestry.com. England & Wales, Marriage Index: 1916–2005 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008. Original data: General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration Indexes. London, England: General Register Office.</ref> The couple appeared together in the second series of BBC drama [[The Lotus Eaters (TV series)|''The Lotus Eaters'']] in 1973, and in the third and fourth series of BBC's ''[[Sherlock (TV series)|Sherlock]]'' in 2014 and 2017, where they played the title character's parents, with their son, actor [[Benedict Cumberbatch]] starring in the title role of Holmes.<ref name="So proud"/>

==Filmography==

===Film=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- | 1956 | ''[[My Teenage Daughter]]'' | Gina | |- | 1959 | ''[[The Navy Lark (film)|The Navy Lark]]'' | Mabel | |- |1961 |''[[We Joined the Navy]]'' |The "Initiative test" girl | |- |1962 |[[Solo for Sparrow|''Solo for Sparrow'']] |Waitress | |- | 1963 | ''[[The Cracksman]]'' | Sandra | |- | 1964 | ''[[Carry On Cleo]]'' | Pretty Bidder | Uncredited |- | rowspan="2" | 1965 | ''[[The Big Job (film)|The Big Job]]'' | Dot Franklin | |- | ''[[The Knack ...and How to Get It]]'' | Gym Mistress | Uncredited |- | rowspan="2" | 1966 | ''[[Death Is a Woman]]'' | Priscilla Blunstone-Smythe | |- | ''[[The Spy with a Cold Nose]]'' | Mrs. Winters | |- | 1967 | ''[[Mister Ten Per Cent]]'' | Kathy | |- | rowspan="2" | 1968 | ''[[The Blood Beast Terror]]'' | Clare Mallinger | Ventham also provided stunt work for the film and appeared in costume as the giant moth monster. |- | ''[[Carry On Up the Khyber]]'' | Khasi's First Wife | |- | rowspan="2" | 1974 | ''[[UFO (British TV series)|Invasion: UFO]]'' | Col. Virginia Lake | |- | ''[[Captain Kronos&nbsp;– Vampire Hunter]]'' | Lady Durward | |- | 2002 | ''[[Mrs Caldicot's Cabbage War]]'' | Victoria | |- | 2005 | ''[[Asylum (2005 film)|Asylum]]'' | Bridie Straffen | |- | 2012 | ''[[Run for Your Wife (2012 film)|Run for Your Wife]]'' | Lady on Bus | rowspan="2" | Cameo |- | 2016 | ''[[Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie]]'' | Violet |}

===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- |1959-1962 |''[[ITV Television Playhouse]]'' |Penny/Morya | rowspan="2" |2 episodes |- |1961-1966 |''[[No Hiding Place]]'' |Janet Farley/Liz Forster |- |1962 |''[[The Edgar Wallace Mystery Theater]]'' |Waitress |Episode: "Solo for Sparrow" |- | 1962–1963 | ''[[The Rag Trade]]'' | Shirley | Seasons 2-3 |- |1963 |''[[BBC Sunday-Night Play]]'' |Julie |Episode: "Two by the Sea #2: Wedding Bells" |- | rowspan="2" |1964 |[[The Human Jungle (TV series)|''The Human Jungle'']] |Nurse |Episode: "Success Machine" |- | ''[[Thorndyke (TV series)|Thorndyke]]'' |Maud | Episode: "A Case of Premeditation" |- | 1964–1965 | ''[[Danger Man]]'' | Stella Dorset<br>Penny | rowspan="2" | 2 episodes |- | 1964–1966 | ''[[The Saint (TV series)|The Saint]]'' | Laura Stride/Penny Pearson |- | rowspan="3" |1965 |[[The Worker (TV series)|''The Worker'']] |Sandra |Episode: "No Automation Without Representation" |- | ''[[The Likely Lads]]'' | Angela | Episode: "Last of the Big Spenders" |- | ''[[The Avengers (TV series)|The Avengers]]'' | Nurse Spray |Episode: "[[The Gravediggers (The Avengers)|The Gravediggers]]" |- | rowspan="7" |1966 |[[Two of a Kind (British TV series)|''Two of a Kind'']] |Auntie Yum Yum/Ern's Wife | rowspan="2" |2 episodes |- |''[[The Rat Catchers]]'' |Kjellin/Gerde |- |''[[Hugh and I]]'' | |Episode: "Tooting Footlights" |- |''[[Armchair Theatre]]'' |Julie/Milly Craddock |2 episodes |- |''[[Mrs Thursday]]'' |Rowena Grant |Episode: "Hunter's Moon" |- |[[Watch the Birdies (TV series)|''Watch the Birdies'']] |Irene Grant |Miniseries |- |''[[Out of the Unknown]]'' |Josephine |Episode: "The Eye" |- | rowspan="2" |1967 |''[[ITV Play of the Week]]'' |Erica |Episode: "Dr. De Waldo's Therapy" |- | ''[[The Prisoner]]'' | Computer Attendant | Episode: "[[It's Your Funeral]]" |- | rowspan="3" |1968 |''[[City '68]]'' |Alison |Episode: "Love Thy Neighbour" |- | ''[[The Caesars (TV series)|The Caesars]]'' | [[Ennia]] | Episode: "Caligula" |- |[[Love Story (British TV series)|''Love Story'']] |Birgit |Episode: "The Vast Horizons of the Mind" |- | 1967–1971 | ''[[The Troubleshooters (British TV series)|The Troubleshooters]]'' | Moira Hart | 4 episodes |- | 1967<br>1977<br>1987 | ''[[Doctor Who]]'' | Jean Rock<br>Thea Ransome/Fendahl Core<br>Faroon | Serials: "[[The Faceless Ones]]", "[[Image of the Fendahl]]" and "[[Time and the Rani]]" |- | rowspan="3" | 1969 | ''[[The Gold Robbers]]'' | Dee Latter | Episode: "An Oddly Honest Man" |- | ''[[Department S (TV series)|Department S]]'' | Leila Rankin |Episode: "The Man from 'X'" |- |''[[Dixon of Dock Green]]'' |Debbie Franklin |Episode: "Bobby" |- | 1970 | ''[[Z-Cars]]'' | Mrs. Owen |Episode: "By Bread Alone Part One" |- | rowspan="2" | 1970–1971 | ''[[A Family At War]]'' | Jenny Graham | 3 episodes |- | ''[[UFO (British TV series)|UFO]]'' | Col. Virginia Lake | 9 episodes |- | 1970 | ''[[Doctor at Large (TV series)|Doctor at Large]]'' | Maggie Weston | Episode: "Mr. Moon" |- | rowspan="2" |1971 | ''[[Thirty-Minute Theatre]]'' | Jasmine |Episode: "Walt, King of the Dumper"<ref>IMDB</ref> |- |''[[The Fenn Street Gang]]'' |Elinor |Episode: "Change Partners" |- | 1972–1973 | ''[[The Lotus Eaters (TV series)|The Lotus Eaters]]'' | Ann Shepherd | Miniseries |- | rowspan="3" | 1975 | ''[[The Sweeney]]'' | Brenda | Episode: "Abduction" |- |''[[Softly, Softly: Task Force]]'' |Julie Brent |Episode: "The Talking Doll" |- | ''[[Rutland Weekend Television]]'' | Various characters | 2 episodes |- | 1976 | ''[[Emmerdale Farm]]'' | Heather Bannerman | 6 episodes |- | 1977 | ''[[Crown Court (TV series)|Crown Court]]'' | Sybil Halstead | 2 serials |- | 1978–1979 | ''[[Fallen Hero (TV series)|Fallen Hero]]'' | Dorothy Hopkins | Lead role; 11 episodes |- | 1980 | ''[[The Two Ronnies]]'' | Jack | 2 episodes |- | rowspan="4" | 1982 | ''[[Minder (TV series)|Minder]]'' | Beryl Murdoch | Episode: "Dreamhouse" |- | ''[[Union Castle]]'' | Ursula, Lady Thaxted | 7 episodes |- |''[[The Further Adventures of Lucky Jim]]'' |Veronica Allen | Episode: "A Foot in the Door" |- |''[[The Brack Report]]'' |Kate Randall |Chapter 7 |- |1982 |''[[Only When I Laugh (TV series)|Only When I Laugh]]'' |Fiona |Episode: "Conduct Unbecoming" |- | 1984 | ''[[Killer (TV series)|Killer Contract]]'' |Dorothy Routledge | TV film |- | 1986–1987 | ''[[Executive Stress]]'' | Sylvia | Recurring; 4 episodes |- | 1988 | ''[[All Creatures Great and Small (1978 TV series)|All Creatures Great and Small]]'' | Mrs. Ridge | Episode: "The Jackpot" |- | rowspan="2" | 1989 | ''[[Capstick's Law]]'' | Madge Capstick | 6 episodes |- |''[[Boon (TV series)|Boon]]'' |Marion Kershaw |Episode: "Of Meissen Men" |- | 1989–1992 | ''[[Only Fools and Horses]]'' | Pamela Parry (Cassandra's Mum) | 4 episodes |- |1993 |[[Just a Gigolo (TV series)|''Just a Gigolo'']] |Marge Payne |3 episodes |- | 1995–1996 | ''[[Next of Kin (TV series)|Next of Kin]]'' | Rosie | 6 episodes |- | 1996–1997 | ''[[Heartbeat (British TV series)|Heartbeat]]'' | Fiona Weston | 4 episodes |- | rowspan="2" |1997 |''[[Alas Smith and Jones]]'' | |Episode: "Cookery" |- | ''[[Men Behaving Badly]]'' | Penny (Deborah's Mum) | Episode: "Ten" |- | rowspan="3" |1998 |''[[The Vanishing Man]]'' |Mrs. Braithwaite |Episode: "Nothing Up My Sleeve" |- |''[[Hetty Wainthropp Investigates]]'' |Margaret Balshaw |2 episodes |- |[[Casualty (TV series)|''Casualty'']] |Mrs. Seabrook |Episode: "Everlasting Love" |- |2000 |[[Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) (2000 TV series)|''Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased)'']] |Alice Fullcup |Episode: "Mental Apparition Disorder" |- | 2001 | ''[[Coupling (British TV series)|Coupling]]'' | Edna (Susan's Mum) |Episode: "My Dinner in Hell" |- | 2005 | ''[[Midsomer Murders]]'' | Romany Rose |Episode: "Second Sight" |- | 2007 | ''[[Lewis (TV series)|Lewis]]'' | Eleanor Mallory |Episode: "Expiation" |- | 2014–2017 | ''[[Sherlock (TV series)|Sherlock]]'' | Mrs. Holmes (Sherlock Holmes' mother) | Episodes: "[[The Empty Hearse]]", "[[His Last Vow]]" and "[[The Final Problem (Sherlock)|The Final Problem]]" |- | 2014–2018 | ''[[Holby City]]'' | Sheilagh Chiltern | Recurring; 10 episodes |- | 2018 | ''[[Father Brown (2013 TV series)|Father Brown]]'' | Ellen Jennings | Episode: "The Angel of Mercy" |- | 2019 | ''[[Departure (TV series)|Departure]]'' | Wendy | 2 episodes |- | 2020 | ''[[Penance (2020 miniseries)|Penance]]'' | Fay | 3 episodes |}

===Theatre=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Venue |- | 1960 | ''[[Watch It, Sailor!]]'' | Daphne Pink | [[Apollo Theatre]], [[London]] |- | 1979 | ''[[Julius Caesar (play)|Julius Caesar]]'' | Portia | [[Chichester Festival Theatre]], [[Chichester]] |- | 1990 | ''Out of Order'' | Pamela | [[Shaftesbury Theatre]], [[London]] |- | 1992 | ''It Runs in the Family'' | Rosemary Mortimore | [[Playhouse Theatre]], [[London]] |- | 2002 | ''One for the Pot'' | Amy Hardcastle | [[Theatre Royal, Windsor|Theatre Royal]], [[Windsor, Berkshire|Windsor]] |- | 2012 | ''[[Quartet (Harwood)|Quartet]]'' | Cissy | rowspan="2" | Theatre-on-the-Bay, [[Cape Town]] |- | 2014 | ''[[Entertaining Angels (play)|Entertaining Angels]]'' | Ruth |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{IMDb name|893243}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ventham, Wanda}} [[Category:1935 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:20th-century English actresses]] [[Category:21st-century English actresses]] [[Category:Actresses from Brighton]] [[Category:Alumni of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama]] [[Category:Cumberbatch family]] [[Category:English film actresses]] [[Category:English stage actresses]] [[Category:English television actresses]]