He kept his identity incognito during his bootcamp experience so as not to stick out as the “Hollywood” type in his platoon. Shortly after that experience, Matheson enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve and went to bootcamp at MCRD San Diego. Matheson with his co-star in Remember When. I had to walk from where I had lunch over to the studio, where someone yelled, ‘Hey Marine!’ I didn’t know what to do.” Then I am wearing a Marine uniform (for the scene), I remember walking and didn’t know any of the etiquette or anything, I just knew I felt really strange wearing a uniform. Passed it of course and became 1A, which means I am available to be drafted. It was the day I actually had a draft physical. I think I was 18 and the day I was to shoot that scene. My character had a draft physical and then enlisted in the Marines. It was based on a real story about this family.
#Tim matheson leave it to beaver movie#
It was like my first big movie and it was a big part with Henry Fonda, and he played a Naval Officer. The most interesting show I did was Yours, Mine, and Ours with Lucille Ball. I sort of got the hang of it and it evolved into me learning my craft. I’d get a day job here and a day job there.
I took classes when I was younger, but most of it was OJT. Matheson described coming up in the industry as: “I learned on the job as an actor. Matheson voiced the title character “Jonny” (right-kneeling) in Jonny Quest.