MovieChat Forums > National Lampoon's Animal House (1978) Discussion > Should Tim Matheson (Otter) have been a ...

Should Tim Matheson (Otter) have been a bigger star after Animal House?

posted 11 years ago by TMC-4
21 replies | jump to latest

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=16960322&postco unt=38

The other guy from Animal House that I was sure would make it big was Tim Matheson, who played Eric Stratton, they frat guy who seduced Dean Wermer's wife.

He had that easy Jack Lemmon (in his prime), cocktail-party, polo-shirt smooth manner. If Tim had come on the scene after Mad Men became popular, he probably would have made it big. Instead he wound up as the cheated-on husband in a bunch of Lifetime movies IIRC.

I loved it when he took Mrs. Wermer up to his room, and he loosened his tie in that James Bond way... and all he was wearing was a toga and a tie.

[–] Prismark10 10 years ago

I thought Matheson would go on to be a bigger star but it did not happen for him.

Its that man again!!

[–] jstang411 10 years ago

He did play Van Wilder's Dad. I liked that passing of the baton, although I wish they had had him make some reference like, "Van not like I didn't have some wild times back in my Faber college days too."

[–] wrs6565 10 years ago

He didn't go on to be a "big star," but he was a pretty reliable B-lister/character actor, if you ask me. He's been in tons of things...hell he was Jonny Quest, he had a career BEFORE Animal House too.....

[–] Piperson 10 years ago

He was supposed to have a big leading man career. The year after Animal House he was in 1941 which was a large-scale Hollywood Spielberg movie that was supposed to be epic and wasn't.

[–] therealman 10 years ago

He starred in "Up The Creek" with one of the hottest women ever, Jennifer Runyon.

[–] TMC-4 10 years ago

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=17858455&postco unt=13

Originally Posted by Little Nemo View Post
I've mentioned this one before. Back when I saw Animal House in 1978, I would have predicted Bruce McGill was going to be the breakout star.

McGill's worked steadily since then but he's never become a major star.
See, I think the exact opposite. When I look at Animal House I find it amazing that the most successful actor in the movie would turn out to by Bruce McGill, the guy who barely had a line. Belushi obviously would have been bigger had he lived. Tom Hulce won an Oscar but did not have much of a movie career. I think he does much more stage work. Tim Matheson has worked but never became a star. The others have worked too but none as much as McGill. He has always found his way on to TV shows and movies. And he always delivers. He currently has a big supporting role in Rizzoli and Isles. I purposely left out Kevin Bacon. His part was slightly bigger than an extra.

Tim Matheson has more acting credits but he started as a child actor. McGill has been more visible but Matheson has done steady work.
James Widdoes doesn't do much acting but I was surprised to see how much directing he does.
Tom Hulce does not have an IMDB credit after 2008.
Peter Reigert seemed to disappear for a while but has been doing more work that I have seen lately.
Karen Allen had some (obviously) huge movie roles but her career has been spotty.
Stephen Furst, Babylon 5 and St Elsewhere of course but spotty work in between.

So I would have to say Bruce McGill comes out on top.

[–] Piperson 10 years ago

Whenever I see Bruce McGill in something which, as you point out, is often, I chuckle to myself about his tag line "Whereabouts unknown" at the end.

[–] rex-sheldon 10 years ago

I really liked Bruce McGills character on Macgyver, and I loved Tim Matheson as the psychotic "Larry" on Burn Notice!

[–] Rockhound6165 9 years ago

One Tim Matheson role that made me chuckle that I saw him in was as a ship pilot on the EPCOT ride Body Wars. Of the entire cast, here is my take on who had the best career:

Tom Hulce(Pinto)-Had a decent career. Starred in the academy award winning film Amadeus as Mozart. He voiced Quasimodo on the animated film Hunchback of Notre Dame. He also had a supporting role in Parenthood. Other than that, he hasn't done much.

Stephen Furst(Flounder)-I only remember him in The Dream Team with Michael Keaton and he was a regular on St. Elsewhere. Other than that, not much.

Mark Metcalf(Neidermeyer)/Mary Louise Weller(Mandy)/Martha Smith(Babs)/James Daughton(Marmalard)-I lumped these 4 together as aside from this movie, I can't name a single thing they'e done.

Kevin Bacon(Chip)-Little did we know that while he was screaming "all is well" while getting flattened by a stampeding mob that all was going to be well with him. This was his first role and it really spring boarded him. Not only was he in this iconic movie, he was also in the first Friday the 13th and then Footloose as well as countless roles on TV and on the big screen. By far the most successful of this cast.

John Belushi(Bluto)-Aside from SNL, this movie shot him into stardom. He was the only saving grace in 1941 then he, along with Dan Akroyd, became the Blues Brothers and made another smash hit. Sadly, his own demons brought him down as he died from a cocaine overdose leaving us to wonder what if.

Karen Allen(Katie)-She was able to find steady work most notably in 2 of the 4 Indiana Jones movies. She's still working today(and she's aged very well and looks great).

James Widdoes(Hoover)-I don't know anything he did after this.

Tim Matheson(Otter)-Already discussed.

Peter Reigert(Boone)-I've seen him in roles here and there(The Mask for one) but nothing big.

Bruce McGill(D-Day)-As was said, has had a very solid career. Other than Kevin Bacon I believe he's been the most successful.

Sarah Holcomb(Clorette)-Got to star in another iconic movie of the time as Maggie in Caddyshack. Sadly, her demons got the best of her as she didn't do anything past Caddyshack.

That pretty much summarizes the main cast(students only as Donald Sutherland was already a huge star by the time this came out). Kevin Bacon by far has had the most successful career.

[–] pooka5472 9 years ago

James Widdoes is currently working behind the scenes as a director and previously played Stan Pembroke on Charles in Charge. Also, Martha Smith later went on to play Francine Desmond on Scarecrow and Mrs. King.

[–] TMC-4 (20130) 4 years ago

James Widdoes was recently on The Goldbergs with Tim Matheson reprising their Animal House roles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-baysvwU6jc

https://tvline.com/2019/10/02/the-goldbergs-photos-animal-house-reunion-otter-hoover/

[–] jekoch21 9 years ago

Neidermeyer played The Maestro on Seinfeld aka Bob Cobb.

[–] jekoch21 (9) 8 years ago

Metcalf played Bob Cobb on Seinfeld...I mean The Maestro!

[–] YakkityNYC 9 years ago

Matheson was big before Animal House. I remember a tv series in which he and Kurt Russell played reunited Western brothers: one raised by Native Americans, the other by Whites.

IIRC Matheson did a lot of Disney projects as a child/teen.

--------
You know it was a good day if you did not have to bite anyone.
Gus B., mini dachshund

[–] vicky_lc2001-1 9 years ago

That sounds interesting, what film was that?

Global Warming, it's a personal decision innit? - Nigel Tufnel

[–] ecarle (14979) 7 years ago

Matheson was big before Animal House. I remember a tv series in which he and Kurt Russell played reunited Western brothers: one raised by Native Americans, the other by Whites.

--

Tim Matheson and Kurt Russell started out as child stars, kept going as teen stars(with Russell lucking into a few leads in Disney B movies) and...struck me as "two sides of the same coin." That TV show pegged it: one of them was blond, one of tthem was brunette, but they were pretty much the same strong-jawed All-American guy.

Matheson got the huge comedy hit of "Animal House" to re-work himself into a suave comedy star; two years later, Russell got the lesser comedy hit of "Used Cars" to prove that HE had great cool comedy chops, too.

But ultimately as the 80s rolled out, I think Kurt Russell came out ahead because he could be one way that Tim Matheson could not:

Macho. For John Carpenter mainly -- Elvis, Escape from New York, The Thing. And then, in a "serious macho mode" for Mike Nichols with Meryl Streep in Silkwood.

Its my theory that of Tim Matheson and Kurt Russell , only one could get the star ring...and it was Russell. And even that was "second tier stardom."

Too bad...and clearly after all these years, Tim Matheson is really the star of Animal House. Belushi zips in and out of it as a comic force, but Matheson holds it all together as the Cool Mean Guy with a Heart of Gold.

And one of my favorite lines in movies:

"You f'ed up....you trusted us."

[–] mrshaffer2003 9 years ago

I loved him in "A Very Brady Sequel". He's hilarious as Carol's imposter ex-husband. "I can't believe I'm tripping with the Bradys".