Book ~ "Damn Glad to Meet You: My Seven Decades in the Hollywood Trenches" (2024) Tim Matheson

From Goodreads ~ For the past seven decades, Tim Matheson has been an on-screen favorite in Hollywood. In his debut memoir, Tim takes fans behind-the-scenes of his illustrious career, and reveals what it was like to learn from and work alongside the greats, including Lucille Ball, Dick Van Dyke, Steven Spielberg, and Aaron Sorkin. Tim also talks about how he transitioned from acting to directing, the role in The West Wing that nabbed him two Emmy nominations–and so much more.

Filled to the brim with both riveting stories of the ever-changing entertainment industry and illuminating insight via “film school boot camp” sidebars, readers everywhere are going to be “damn glad” they read this fascinating memoir.

I know Tim Matheson as Otter in Animal House, a movie I've seen about a million times, and the older sad dude in the Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. I like reading bios/memoirs and getting the behind-the-scenes scoops. I wasn't sure how interesting I would find this book or Matheson's life since I don't have a lot of exposure to him. Surprisingly I enjoyed it than I thought I would.

Matheson starts off in the beginning with his childhood (alcoholic parents, broken family and discovering acting at a young age) and brings us up-to-date with what he's doing today (happily married for the third time and in a Netflix series). He's been in many movies and shows, which I didn't know as they aren't shows I watch or have watched. 

I liked the writing style ... it was conversational as if he was telling his story to you in person over a cup of coffee or glass of wine. It's fairly high level with just enough detail. I liked his honesty and humor ... he doesn't shy away from the fact that it sounds like he was a slimy dog when he was younger (his second marriage and becoming a father seemed to have settled him down) but I still found him likeable (he sounds like a nice guy). It was interesting to read about his relationships with others in and out of show business and how he always had to keep reinventing himself. I wish there had been photos scattered throughout the book. As a head's up, there is swearing.