It’s hard to believe that Tim Matheson, the actor who brought smooth-talking Otter to life in 1978’s Animal House, nearly didn’t get the part. “They wouldn’t let me audition,” Tim, who at the time was best known for his roles on Bonanza and Three for the Road, exclusively tells Closer. “They said, ‘He’s a cowboy or a surfer. He’s no preppy.’”
Determined to prove them wrong, Tim learned improv with The Groundlings, which helped him secure a last-minute audition. “We had the director and producers in hysterics,” recalls the actor, 77, who was cast by the end of the day. “It was a low-budget movie, but I knew it could change my career — and it did.”
Now, Tim stars as Doc Mullins in Netflix’s Virgin River, which recently returned for its sixth season. He’s also released a memoir, Damn Glad to Meet You: My Seven Decades in the Hollywood Trenches. In it, he reflects on his career and the lessons he’s learned along the way. “I was lucky to work with legends like Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda,” he says. “I wanted to share what they taught me, not just about acting, but about life.”
Why was this the right time for you to write a memoir?
I just realized I was in the right place at the right time to see some very special people and to share the lessons I learned from them. Lucille Ball, Henry Fonda, Jackie Gleason, Debbie Reynolds — a generation of people who came up in vaudeville. These were really special people and I didn’t want their lessons to be lost. I think I owe it to people to pass them on.
How did you decide to become an actor?
My parents were going through a divorce. I think I sort of blamed myself on some deep level. It caused me to be really angry at other kids who had a good, healthy family life. In sixth grade, I got into acting. I could let go of being angry and just have fun doing it. So, I knew what I wanted to do in sixth grade, and I was fortunate enough to make it happen.
One of your earliest films was Yours, Mine and Ours with Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda. What were they like?
Lucy was extremely supportive, generous and helpful to me. She was just tough as nails. She was trying to teach me not only how to do comedy but how to prepare for a scene. On a deeper level, she was trying to teach me that it’s a tough business and you can’t be a baby about it.
How about Henry?
Henry was one of the great Hollywood actors. Simple, honest. He found the character that he was playing in himself, and then just revealed that through the scene. Many other actors I’ve worked with have that skill, like Clint Eastwood. There wasn’t a lot of talk, you just make the characters real. Don’t get caught acting it.
Was it hard making the transition from child star to adult actor?
I was never really a child star, fortunately, because when you grow out of that phase, your career is over. You have to start again, like Jay North of Dennis the Menace. At 15, I got into voice acting. Then from 19 to 25, I was a cowboy actor. I had to adopt new skill sets to keep my career relevant.
Animal House is one of the great comedies of the 1970s. Did you have any idea it would become a classic?
I didn’t know. This was basically John Belushi’s first movie and the script was so outrageous. We flirted with sexism, racism, and misogyny and all of those things, crossing the line many times intentionally to make fun of the prejudices inherent in our culture at the time.
What was John Belushi like on the set?
He couldn’t have been more open, supportive and friendly or less of a prima donna. He grounded everything. The director [John Landis] wanted real actors around Belushi. He thought that would help the comedy play better and he was absolutely right.
Who are some of your other favorite former costars?
Anne Bancroft and Mel Brooks in To Be or Not to Be. That was a dream come true. Anne was one of the great actresses, and Mel is a legend. Also Jennifer Jason Lee and I did a movie called Buried Alive, which was a horror film and wonderful. Cynthia Nixon and I played Ronald Reagan and his wife, Nancy, in Killing Reagan. Another great experience. I’ve been very fortunate to get some great roles with some top talent.
You’ve also done a lot of directing. Do you enjoy it? Will you be doing more?
I love it. It’s fun to be the manager of the team. I directed four episodes over the first two seasons of Virgin River. But it got so draining because of the way the schedule works. So now I’ve just begged off. I’m happier if I could just act.
So you’re happy where you are today?
Yes. I like mixing it up but I’ve turned another corner in my career. For the last eight or 10 years, I played the elder statesman on Hart of Dixie and Virgin River. I love the part on Virgin River and I’ll do it as long as they keep making it. I love the cast, the crew and the writers. We have a fantastic time.
What are you proudest of?
The most important part of my life is my family and my children. Once you start having a family, you have to build your career around that and it’s been my greatest achievement. I look at my kids and I’m pleased with who they are and their values. I have two grandchildren and I try to stay close with them. That’s a really rewarding part of my life.
H2: You’ve been married since 2018. What’s your secret for a happy marriage?
I’m still looking for the secret. We just try and stay open and honest with each other and have fun. It’s teamwork and you’ve got to be a good partner. You’ve also got to keep laughing.
Have you learned anything from the mistakes you’ve made in your life?
There were times in my life I got carried away with my ego, but it usually led to some kind of a comeuppance. I’ve recounted that in the book. Life is a team sport. And so is work and so is family. Any one person’s not all that important. It takes a village.
