Tim Matheson has portrayed a president and vice president. A police officer and military officer. And more than a few doctors. He’s worked with Lucille Ball, Henry Fonda, Jackie Gleason, Clint Eastwood, Kurt Russell and Steven Spielberg. He appeared in episodes of everything from “Leave to Beaver” and “My Three Sons” to “This is Us” and “CSI.”
The 76-year-old has hundreds of acting, directing and producing credits to his name over a career that began when John F. Kennedy was president. (Yes, Matheson played him on screen, too.)
Matheson transports readers to the sets of quite a few of his Hollywood gigs in the enjoyable and illuminating memoir, “Damn Glad to Meet You: My Seven Decades in the Hollywood Trenches.”
The book’s title is a nod to the recurring line Matheson delivers as Eric “Otter” Stratton, the Delta rush chairman in the all-time comedy, “Animal House.”
The section on the making of the classic 1978 film is almost worth the book’s purchase price alone. Spoiler alert: Some of the actors who played Delta House members got up to their own hijinks while on location at the University of Oregon, the stand-in for the fictional Faber College. The description of the cast’s visit to a real frat party in Eugene is a particular highlight.
“Damn Glad to Meet You” isn’t all fun and games, though. It features some helpful tips and tricks on acting/directing and navigating the Hollywood jungle as well as some poignant moments. Matheson recounts the time he spent with some actors/comedians who were taken too early, including John Candy, Chris Farley and Sam Kinison — plus, his “Animal House” co-star John Belushi.
“You came for some Belushi stories,” Matheson writes. “I know. He’s who I’m asked about more than anyone else I’ve ever worked with, and I’ve worked with almost everyone.”
These days, Matheson is working north of the border, where his hit Netflix show, “Virgin River,” is shot.
It’s just the latest in a very long line of roles the native Californian has taken on in his productive and lengthy career.
“I’ve been lucky. I know that,” Matheson writes. “I’ve always found a place to tell a story.”
And now, he’s telling us his stories. We should be damn glad he did.