Otis and Otter Reunite for "Animal House" 40th Anniversary Bash

UNCASVILLE, CT — Toga-clad revelers turned back the clock 40 years Saturday night in the Uncas Ballroom at Mohegan Sun, celebrating the four-decade anniversary of the release of a classic film that itself had taken moviegoers back in time to a prior generation.

On July 28, 1978, National Lampoon's Animal House was released by Universal Pictures, and became the third highest-grossing film of that year at just over $120 million, trailing only the blockbusters Grease and Superman. With Saturday Night Live wildman John Belushi heading a cast of relatively unknown talent, the movie followed the 1962 exploits of misfit party animals from the Delta Tau Chi fraternity, who clashed with the dean of fictional Faber College as well as the rival neighboring fraternity, Omega Theta Pi.

Tim Matheson, who portrayed Eric "Otter" Stratton in the movie, was on hand Saturday as part of Mohegan Sun's Signings & Sightings series, taking photos with fans and greeting many with Otter's signature line, "Eric Stratton, rush chairman, damn glad to meet ya!"

In the Uncas Ballroom, movie fans were already dancing to hits from the early 1960s spun by a disc jockey prior to the on-stage appearance of Otis Day & the Knights, a fictional band prominently featured in the film in two classic scenes, at the Delta toga party and at the Dexter Lake Club.

Fronted by charismatic actor DeWayne Jessie, who will be forever known as Otis Day, and his niece, vocalist Amelia Jessie, the popular party band performed an eclectic set list, including hits by Don Henley, the Rolling Stones, Sly and the Family Stone and the Beatles. The highlights were songs performed in the movie, including the title track, "Shama Lama Ding Dong" and show-closer "Shout." In the middle of the show, Matheson joined the band on stage for a reunion with Jessie and a dance number.

The film was projected, without sound, on opposite walls of the ballroom, with numerous guests reciting the dialogue. As expected, once the band took the stage, there were shouts of "Otis, my man!" and "Wait'll Otis sees us, he loves us!" from the milling throng.

The stage backdrop was exactly as depicted in the toga party in the film; other visual effects included a replica of the infamous cake from the parade scene, which encased the DJ booth in front of the stage, and the "Deathmobile" which emerged from the cake and destroyed the viewing stand at the film's conclusion.

Otis Day and Tim Matheson photos courtesy of Mohegan Sun
"Deathmobile" photo credit: Tim Jensen

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