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Tim Matheson had to relearn how to be an actor
"I didn't start working at the craft at an early age," said the actor.
They say that honesty is the best policy, but it's not only true when dealing with others. It's also important to be honest when dealing with yourself.
If you never take an honest look in the mirror and remain realistic about your strengths and shortcomings, you might never grow into a better person.
Audiences might remember Tim Matheson for roles like Griff King in Bonanza, or Eric Stratton in National Lampoon's Animal House. However during an interview with the Des Moines Tribune, Matheson explained that at some point in his career, he made a commitment to study performing in order to improve himself.
"You see, I had always been playing a kid, playing myself," said Matheson. "I didn't start working at the craft at an early age. That's bad from an acting point of view because you get into a lot of bad habits. Intuitively, you work as best you can, and it may come to you easily. But you have to study, as I found out when I started working every day. I got a chance to see what my deficiencies were."
As a trained actor who knew the ins and outs of his craft, Matheson was able to devote himself to becoming the sort of performer he wanted to be.
"A skillful actor makes it look easy, effortless," said Matheson. "He does what he does with a certain economy. He knows what choices he has to make, and he just cuts right to it. Someone else will act away, act and act and act, and it gets very boring. He throws in a lot of extraneous stuff that doesn't mean anything."
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