Tim Matheson. Jerod Harris/WireImage
Tim Matheson has spent seven-decades in Hollywood, and the multi-hyphenate is utilizing his new memoir to dissect all of the highs and lows of his profession — from trysts with Kirstie Alley to discovering his mentor in Lucille Ball.
Rattling Glad to Meet You: My Seven A long time within the Hollywood Trenches, which hit cabinets on Tuesday, November 12, particulars Matheson’s long-spanning time within the highlight, from his first job on Go away it to Beaver to his present gig as Vernon “Doc” Mullins in Netflix’s Virgin River.
“I began to write down a e-book concerning the making of Animal Home, after which my writer [Hachette Books ] responded to it, however mentioned, ‘Effectively, we’d love to listen to extra about your profession as nicely,’” he recalled completely to Us Weekly. “So I expanded it at that time to incorporate seminal occasions in my life and inform of a bigger story. That’s what began all of it.”
Whereas Matheson stepped on a set for the primary time on Go away it to Beaver, it was his function as Eric “Otter” Stratton in 1978’s Animal Home that actually made him a family title. Starring alongside performing giants like John Belushi, Donald Sutherland and Kevin Bacon, the movie centered round two school freshmen who, after being rejected by the Omega Theta Pi Home, decrease their fraternity requirements to pledge notoriously rowdy Delta Tau Chi Home — which is on the danger of getting their constitution revoked.
The Brat Pack might be reuniting to grace screens for the primary time for the reason that peak of their Hollywood reign. Andrew McCarthy, finest recognized for his starring roles in Fairly in Pink and St. Elmo’s Hearth, is bringing the famed group of actors again collectively for a Hulu documentary — aptly titled Brats — that […]
“This script was not like something I’d ever seen. It was a little bit of sketch comedy, but it surely had racist, sexist and chauvinist components,” Matheson admitted of the cult traditional movie, including that he nearly didn’t get the half. “They thought I used to be a cowboy or a surfer, not a preppy.”
Matheson, after all, did land the function — and his title just below Belushi’s within the credit — opening a gateway to a brand new stage of fame and friendship with a few of Hollywood’s most distinguished faces. Belushi, Lucille Ball, John Sweet, Chris Farley, Kirstie Alley and Dick Van Dyke are just some of the actors Matheson has crossed paths with through the years, every one serving as an intriguing anecdote in his wealthy life historical past.
Whereas a few of his costars served as long-term mentors, others have been tragically taken from him too quickly. When requested how he was in a position to sidestep the darker aspect of fame, Matheson credited by no means being “No. 1 or 2 on the decision sheet.”
“I all the time needed to hold reinventing myself. I knew I needed to work so laborious. I actually needed to work so laborious to perform what I wanted to do on the set that I couldn’t waste time on the set or on the brink of be on the set,” he advised Us. “There have been motion pictures the place I’d go to Las Vegas and have some enjoyable with some buddies and stuff. However usually talking, it by no means served me nicely.”
Reflecting on being “stoned” throughout performing class and getting a harsh get up name from the instructor, he added, “It simply didn’t improve something. It by no means helped me. It solely type of obtained in the best way. I made a decision early on that [it was] not one thing that’s a good suggestion for me.”
Rattling Glad to Meet You is on the market to buy now. For all of Matheson’s finest tales and largest title drops within the memoir, hold scrolling:
Lucille Ball
Ball turned certainly one of Matheson’s most influential mentors after they labored collectively on Yours, Mine and Ours, telling Us that she took a “real curiosity” in serving to him as a younger actor – however she all the time meant enterprise.
“She was a troublesome process grasp and labored tremendously laborious and by no means goofed round on the set, however took time between stakes to share with me her ideas on the enterprise and performing and careers and advise me on so many issues and ask me, you realize, how I used to be doing in my private life,” he shared. “However that was between takes on set at work. It was all the time robust — she didn’t care should you have been 6 or 60, know your strains and communicate louder.”
Matheson mentioned that when he teamed again up along with her to visitor star on her present Right here’s Lucy, she would typically communicate to him by way of the director. Whereas moments have been “embarrassing” for the actor, Ball’s costars comforted him about her techniques, and Matheson discovered that “enterprise is a full contact sport” from working alongside her.
“That era of performer all the time voiced their greatest fears. And I’ve seen skilled golfers enjoying round collectively, and they’re simply so imply to one another,” he continued with amusing. “They’re going, ‘Wow, you simply hit that sucker.’ I imply, they only say horrible issues to one another after which hit the ball completely, and it’s simply the stress is relieved in a humorous means between them. That’s what Lucy was doing. It taught me to be harder, not be so delicate, to not be so stiffy and simply man up. It was a giant lesson. One of many many who I discovered from her.”
John Belushi
Belushi starred in Animal Home as John “Bluto” Blutarsky of the Delta Tau Chi Home alongside Matheson, who referred to as the comic a “great” actor and pal.
Whereas Belushi died in 1982 as a result of a drug overdose, Matheson mentioned the comic was “clear on set” whereas filming.. “If he did something, it was away from the remainder of us, and he by no means gave any indicators he was as much as something,” Matheson wrote in his e-book, noting that director John Landis made certain it was a “drug-free” environment.
“We anticipated a colossal coked-up prima donna to reach from New York to guide the Deltas. The precise reverse is what we obtained,” Matheson shared. “All people was in awe of the man, and but he proved so regular. Approachable. Genuinely pleasant.”
Matheson and Belushi continued on as mates within the following years, with the Virgin River star serving as Belushi’s “largely clear pal” who proved to be a “protected” area for the SNL star. “John couldn’t have been extra gracious and beneficiant, so enjoyable, so sensible,” Matheson wrote in his e-book. “However strolling on the sting on a regular basis.”
When Matheson and Belushi teamed up once more in 1979 for Steven Spielberg’s 1941, “fame and way of life had taken their toll” on Belushi. “He wasn’t the identical John,” Matheson claimed, however identified that he was nonetheless in a position to “shine” when Spielberg referred to as “motion.”
“There was nothing, I believed then, I might do to save lots of my pal,” Matheson recalled.
Rob Lowe
One among Matheson’s most hilarious tales comes on account of his historical past with Lowe, who he jokingly accused of “stealing” his and ex-wife Megan’s nanny. The duo — who labored collectively on Aaron Sorkin’s The West Wing — have been each dwelling in a Montecito, California neighborhood when Matheson’s childcare skilled needed to stop. Two weeks later, Matheson claimed he obtained a name from Lowe asking for her quantity, with Lowe promising the job would solely be for “two weeks.”
Matheson discovered every week later she had been employed by Lowe and his household — and he or she remained with them for 5 years. Whereas he had no proof, Matheson jokingly hypothesized that the Brat Pack actor “stole” the nanny earlier than even contacting him to name her.
When requested if Lowe would agree he swiped his nanny, Matheson advised Us, “You’re going to must ask Rob!”
“I despatched him a replica of the e-book. I requested him, ‘Would you write me a suggestion should you get an opportunity to learn it?’ AndI thought, if I used to be Rob Lowe and I learn this, my suggestion can be, ‘Tim, I preferred your e-book. No, I didn’t steal your nanny,’” Matheson mentioned with amusing, earlier than noting that Lowe hasn’t been in communication. “I hoped he’d write one thing like that, however I’ve not heard again from him. But when he didn’t [steal her], it was an attention-grabbing coincidence.”
Jackie Gleason
Matheson labored with Gleason on the 1969 movie Find out how to Get Away With Marriage, writing in his e-book that it was the primary time he noticed an actor who had their “personal private assistant.”
“‘Child,’” Matheson recalled Gleason saying to him on set someday. ““You and I are the one ones right here who know what we’re doing. Let’s get this present on the street and get outta right here.’ … “It was such an honor,” Matheson recalled.
Van Johnson
Matheson labored with Ball and Johnson on the movie Yours, Mine and Ours, the place he mentioned Johnson would typically spend his time “berating” a “bunch of children in entrance of the entire crew.”
“Study your rattling strains!” Matheson remembered Johnson yelling. Whereas he and the others have been hoping Ball would swoop in to save lots of them, she by no means did. “She let the scolding and the tantrum proceed. Younger actors have been being taught a lesson,” he mentioned. “Somebody had blown the road, and it had value a hundred-plus individuals, particularly Van, an additional quarter-hour.”
Dick Van Dyke
In each his e-book and in his interview with Us, Matheson praised his Divorce American Model costar Van Dyke by way of and thru.
“He all the time made you’re feeling comfy,” he advised Us. “He all the time was very human. … He all the time was telling jokes and protecting it gentle and enjoyable and relieving any rigidity.” Matheson recalled enjoying “ping pong at lunch” with castmate Debbie Reynolds whereas Van Dyke would “stand round and throw jokes” at everybody.
“It was like a household. I imply, they, in their very own means, have been creating the household that we have been enjoying within the present,” Matheson continued. “And I simply so appreciated them. It was my first film, and it was simply superb.”
Matheson referred to as Van Dyke “effortlessly humorous,” noting that he cherished watching him do “takes and scenes” as a result of he was the “grasp at underplaying” and bodily comedy. “I adored working with Dick,” he mentioned.
Daniel Stern
Matheson did a play, titled Time West, with Stern, writing in his e-book that the Dwelling Alone star “tried to homicide” him on stage. The off-Broadway manufacturing, which facilities round a sibling rivalry between two estranged brothers who’ve reconnected, required the duo to get into a number of quarrels and fights. Nonetheless, what was meant to be performing became actuality, in response to Matheson.
“He wasn’t on medicine or something; he simply couldn’t flip off his pure look-at-me-everyone rowdiness,” Matheson wrote of being beat up by Stern each night time. “Every efficiency, it obtained extra violent. We had tender, protected props to throw, however some nights, I used to be getting hit with actual glass, toasters, and furnishings.”
Though he promised it “wouldn’t occur once more,” Matheson claimed the on-stage fights continued till he finally fought again. After Matheson obtained a “tad carried away” one night time when he strangled Stern with a phone wire a “tad” an excessive amount of throughout a scene, he insisted that his costar be fired for good or he would stop. Whereas Stern was let go, they compelled Matheson to complete the following few exhibits with him, which means he took “beatings from a disgruntled, already-fired Daniel Stern” for one more week.
John Sweet
Matheson and Sweet labored collectively twice: in 1979’s 1941 and 1989’s Velocity Zone. Matheson mentioned out of all of the actors in Spielberg’s 1941, Sweet made him really feel “probably the most welcome” and in the end turned a “surrogate” for Belushi after Matheson realized Belushi had “modified.”
In his e-book, Matheson recalled touchdown on a “routine” with Sweet, who would lovingly poke enjoyable at him and referred to as him “Tim Matheson’s Faculty for Actors,” typically doing a number of voices and characters for the bit.
Sweet died from a coronary heart assault at age 43 in 1994. “Like many comedians, I feel, he’d fallen into the Oliver Hardy lure of connecting his measurement and form to the comedy,” Matheson wrote. “He smoked a pack a day, and in response to these near him, binge consuming had change into his response to any skilled setback — which, for working actors, occurs typically.”
Chris Farley
Matheson referred to as Farley “beneficiant and type,” crediting his half in Animal Home for the late comic’s tender spot towards him. He additionally famous that on the set of their 1996 comedy Black Sheep, Farley “smoked extra cigarettes and drank extra cups of espresso than anybody I’ve ever seen.” He claimed the SNL alum would drink a full iced espresso earlier than “nearly each take,” equally “20 to 30 cups every single day.”
Farley died on December 18, 1997 of a drug overdose. He was 33.
Penny Marshall
Matheson claimed in Rattling Glad to Meet You that he shared a pal group with Marshall for some time, and that someday she let or not it’s recognized she was ”taken with turning into greater than mates.” Whereas the Hart of Dixie alum thought Marshall was an “superb, superb girl,” he merely “wasn’t drawn to her” — however didn’t need to upset the steadiness of issues, so he “dodged” her actual life relationship request for weeks.
“She finally cornered me on the concept, however I hadn’t but discovered to inform the reality. To be direct. As I had performed most of my life, from my mother and my sister to my grownup relationships, I had fastidiously honed the ability of enjoying peacemaker,” he wrote in his e-book. “And I used to be nonetheless enjoying peacemaker—at any value.”
Finally, he advised her he was “in love with anyone else,” and whereas Marshall accepted his reasoning, the pair’s friendship was by no means fairly the identical.
Wanting again, Matheson advised Us, “I might’ve dealt with it higher, maybe.”
Kirstie Alley
Matheson claimed in his e-book that he and Alley — who was in her “enjoyable Wichita-gal-now-in-L.A. partying part” on the time — slept collectively one night time after she had been out with a “bunch of cellphone a——.” Matheson, in the meantime, had simply slept with two different ladies earlier that night time, however nonetheless invited her over. After “having fun with some postcoital dialog” whereas each laid bare in mattress, Matheson mentioned his out of city girlfriend walked in on them.
“Days later, Kirstie would inform me that she’d ‘willed herself’ to change into invisible,” Matheson wrote of the awkward second. Matheson then shepherded his girlfriend out of the residence, who confessed she flew to see him on his birthday. The pair cut up on the spot. Alley, in the meantime, has “slinked out of the principle home like she’d by no means been there.”
Alley died on December 5, 2022 after a brief battle with colon most cancers. She was 71.
The Seashore Boys
After Seashore Boys cofounder Mike Love wrote “most” of the soundtrack for Nearly Summer time, a 1978 movie starring Matheson, Lee Purcell and Bruno Kirby, Matheson took off with the band on tour to assist promote? the film.
Matheson lamented in his e-book about time on the street with the group, noting that “medicine have been in every single place: drugs of each colour, coke, booze” in addition to “groupies” that have been alway surrounding them.
Dennis Wilson, Matheson claimed, was significantly “crazed,” writing that the drummer’s “urge for food for all the pieces was insatiable” as he was somebody who would “screw a snake if he might get it to lie lengthy sufficient.”
After two weeks of journey, Matheson mentioned he felt like he “already wanted to get to rehab,” pointing to a “bloated” physique and “blurry” imaginative and prescient.
“I used to be working on fumes whereas the consultants have been simply getting revved up,” he recalled, including that Love’s “transcendental meditation” saved him. “I used to be toying with meditation on the time myself, and he and I’d meditate collectively every single day. Getting these few moments within the day of restoration is the one means I survived.”