Tim Matheson

Tim Matheson (born Timothy Lewis Matthieson; December 31, 1947) is an American actor, director and producer. He is perhaps best known for his portrayal of the smooth-talking Eric "Otter" Stratton in the 1978 comedy National Lampoon's Animal House and the bitter Vice President John Hoynes in the NBC drama, The West Wing, and has had a variety of other well-known roles, including providing the voice of the lead character in the cartoon TV program Jonny Quest. --- At the age of 13, Matheson appeared as Roddy Miller in Robert Young's CBS nostalgia comedy series Window on Main Street during the 1961-1962 television season. In 1964, he provided the voice of the lead character in the cartoon program Jonny Quest. He was also the voice of Jace in the original animated series of Space Ghost. In addition, he played the role of the oldest son, Mike Beardsley, in the film Yours, Mine and Ours, which also starred Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda. In 1969, he joined the cast of NBC's The Virginian western series in the eighth season, as Jim Horn. He had a guest role in the 14th episode of the second season of Night Gallery, in the story "Logoda’s Heads". In the final season of the television western Bonanza in 1972-1973, Matheson played Griff King, a parolee who tries to reform his life as a worker at the Ponderosa Ranch under Ben Cartwright's watch. He portrayed a young motorcycle cop, Phil Sweet, in the 1973 film Magnum Force. Matheson also appeared earlier in the ABC television comedy series My Three Sons and Leave It to Beaver. In 1975, he guest starred in CBS's short-lived family drama, Three for the Road. In the fall of 1976, Matheson appeared with Kurt Russell in the 15-episode NBC series The Quest, the story of two young men in the American West seeking the whereabouts of their sister, a captive of the Cheyenne. In 1978, he co-starred in National Lampoon's Animal House opposite John Belushi; the following year, he appeared opposite Belushi again in Steven Spielberg's 1941. Matheson starred in the 1984 comedy movie Up the Creek and the comedy Fletch. --- Matheson was born in Glendale, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. In 2010, he was divorced from Megan Murphy Matheson after a 25-year marriage and three children. He was previously married to actress Jennifer Leak, whom he met on the set of Yours, Mine, and Ours.