Following in father’s footsteps
Marion McMullen looks at a starry Father’s Day
DO you have a clue who this little guy is? It’s elementary. The son of real-life actors Tim Carlton – born Timothy Carlton Congdon Cumberbatch – and Wanda Ventham grew up to be the star of BBC drama Sherlock and the mysterious Doctor Strange in the Avengers’ movies.
Benedict Cumberbatch made his entrance at Queen Charlotte’s Hospital in London on July 19, 1976, weighing nine pounds and two ounces. It was soon evident he had inherited the family acting gene and one of his first roles was playing Titania, Queen of the Fairies, in Shakespeare’s comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream when he was 13.
Benedict remembers his father reading The Hobbit to him when he was little and says he initially used his father’s stage name of Carlton at the start of his career.
“I just assumed I couldn’t be Benedict Cumberbatch,” he said, “but then one day I told someone in the business what I was really called and they said ‘That’s great. That’s something you can use to stand out’”. His parents have even appeared in Sherlock playing the down-to-earth mum and dad of the super-sleuth.
David Bowie wrote the song from his 1971 album Kooks when his son was born. He was named Zowie, but is now better known as Moon and Source Code film director Duncan Jones. He was best man at his father’s marriage to model Iman in 1992 and remembers growing up on film sets around the world.
“I got to do odd jobs on films like Labyrinth and others. I seemed destined to make films,” he said.
“My Dad and I used to shoot little one-stop animations on an old 8mm film camera when I was no more than seven or eight and, when he was away at work, I would keep shooting nonsensical short animated films using Star Wars figures or Smurfs.”
Rafe Spall has also followed his father Timothy into acting and has said: “As a man, the most important thing my Dad taught me was to be kind and, as an actor – aside from the masterclass I got from watching him shouting at the telly when I was growing up – it was to work hard and to always give an honest performance.
“When I analyse what people love about my Dad, it’s to do with that honesty and a kind of humility. He’s like Andrew Flintoff who, despite his brilliance, looks like he just pitched up from the pub.”
Game of Thrones actor Alfie Allen was pictured singing karaoke with his dad Keith at the Glastonbury Festival in 1999. He said: “I’ve always known my dad is a one-off and his own person, but I feel that underneath he has always loved me.”
James Bond film star Sean Connery’s son Jason followed him into acting to appear in ITV series Robin Hood and played 007 creator Ian Fleming in the 1990 TV drama The Secret Life of Ian Fleming.
Jason, who also directs and produces, says he is used to comparisons.
“I get it all the time,” he said. “You know ‘Will he look like him, will he talk like him?’ that sort of thing.”
Underworld film star Kate Beckinsale was just five when her comedy actor father Richard died from a heart attack in 1973. The Porridge and Rising Damp TV favourite was just 31 and Kate unveiled a mural in his memory in his home time of Nottingham two years ago saying “Touching people with love and laughs was my father’s absolute purpose”.