When John Belushi first stepped onto the set of ‘National Lampoon’s Animal House,’ Tim Matheson anticipated encountering a ‘colossal coked-up prima donna.’ ‘Many believed he would be like his ‘Saturday Night Live’ persona—big, bold, and outrageous,’ Matheson recounted to Fox News Digital. ‘Others thought he’d be full of himself, given that ‘Saturday Night Live’ was the most groundbreaking show on TV and a massive success, with Belushi as its brightest star.’ However, Matheson found Belushi and his wife Judy to be incredibly gracious and down-to-earth.
‘He wasn’t trying to be funny or upstage anyone,’ Matheson recalled. ‘He genuinely listened, was respectful to all, and remained so throughout the entire shoot. He became very supportive of me.’ Matheson, who played Eric ‘Otter’ Stratton in the 1978 comedy, has penned a new memoir, ‘Damn Glad to Meet You: My Seven Decades in the Hollywood Trenches,’ where he delves into his friendship with Belushi, who passed away in 1982 at age 33 from a drug overdose.
‘‘Animal House’ was my first comedy,’ Matheson shared. ‘I was terrified, but Belushi was very kind. He never looked down on anyone and was always supportive. He let me know if he liked what I was doing, which I greatly appreciated.’ In his book, Matheson insists that Belushi was drug-free during the filming of ‘Animal House.’ ‘Belushi, for the record, was clean on set,’ he wrote. ‘If he did anything, it was away from the rest of us, and he never showed any signs of it.’ Director John Landis had warned Belushi to behave and ensured a drug-free set.
Despite this, Matheson noted that off-camera, Belushi ‘was always on the edge.’ ‘‘Animal House’ was a massive hit,’ Matheson said. ‘I had to go to Chicago to promote the film… John showed me around. He was beloved in Chicago. But I remember the next morning after our first Friday night there, John didn’t answer the door. They had to force it open, and he was passed out from partying until 4:30 in the morning.’
In his book, Matheson wrote that Belushi ‘didn’t have a prayer,’ noting his two enormous bodyguards whose main job was to keep drugs away from him. Matheson still remembers the last time he saw Belushi in 1980-1981, noting a more somber, sober moment as Belushi focused on directing and choosing diverse roles.
On March 5, 1982, Belushi died from a speedball overdose at the Château Marmont. Matheson wrote that he was ‘filled with sadness but not surprised.’ ‘There were so many whose lives were ravaged by drugs,’ he said. ‘When ‘Animal House’ came out, we thought cocaine wasn’t harmful. But it taught us about our mortality.’
Matheson experienced déjà vu in 1996 while filming ‘Black Sheep’ with Chris Farley, who idolized Belushi. ‘I was fortunate that Chris was sober during ‘Black Sheep,’ Matheson said. ‘But he was compulsive, drinking 30 iced coffees a day and smoking constantly. I could see his addictions forming.’ When Matheson last saw Farley at the ‘Beverly Hills Ninja’ premiere, the comic ‘was a bit worse for wear.’ Farley died in 1997 at age 33 from a drug overdose.
Matheson is grateful to have survived Hollywood’s temptations. ‘I’m so lucky,’ he said. ‘I started acting early and worked with people who aren’t known today. Their training and rigor stayed with me.’
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