For most of my life, I’ve considered myself to be a big fan of actor Tim Matheson. The main reason for that is that he starred in two of my all-time favorite comedy films: National Lampoon’s Animal House and Fletch. I’ve also watched and enjoyed him in several other film and television productions over the years, including his great recurring role in The West Wing television series and his currently ongoing role in the Netflix series Virgin River.
When I learned that he had written an autobiography, I instantly knew I wanted to read it. After all, the ‘Damned Glad To Meet You’ part of the book’s title is a direct quote of a famous line that Tim Matheson’s character Otter said multiple times in Animal House.
I loved the book from the start to the end. Not only was it fun for me to learn about his experiences while making the movies and shows I already mentioned, but I also had a great time learning about many other productions he was a part of – including things I didn’t know about, such as the multiple appearances he made as a child on the classic TV sitcom Leave It To Beaver. In addition to enjoying learning about his acting jobs, I also loved learning about his other career as a very prolific director of television series and made-for-television movies.
One of the things I liked most about this book is that Tim Matheson didn’t seem to hold back much on sharing his experiences – both good and bad. A lot of autobiographies of celebrities seem to focus only on the good parts of the writer’s life. As a result, they often feel sort of fake.
Matheson’s book isn’t like that. Yes, he shares his happiest times as an actor, director, son, husband, and father, but he also shares several times that were incredibly difficult for him. I feel that with this book I got a very well-rounded and honest look at the personal and professional lives of the author.
If you’ve ever been a fan of Tim Matheson, or you’d simply just like to learn more about him, I highly recommend this very entertaining autobiography to you.
NOTE: I received an advanced reading copy of this book from the publisher.
Image source for the book cover seen above: Grand Central Publishing
Buddy Gott 