Virgin River star Tim Matheson looks unrecognisable in a never seen before throwback snap.

Tim Matheson landed his first Hollywood stint back in 1961, before starring in many other popular hits.

More recently, the actor has reprised the role of Doctor Vernon Mullins in the much-loved romantic drama

Virgin River after its debut in 2019. Fans are used to seeing Doc suited and booted, that was until a snap got resurfaced this week, showing a hunky Matheson back in his prime.

A never-seen-before picture of Matheson has been unearthed from 1970, showing the actor’s toned physique.

The star has been pictured carrying a volleyball in a duffel bag as he walked through a crowded field on a seemingly warm summer’s day.

Sporting only a small pair of shorts and a cap, the star looked amazing as he charmingly smiled into the camera.

The photo would have been captured around the time the actor featured on the shows Yours, Mine and Ours and How To Commit Marriage.

It’s not the first time the Doc actor has starred as a character who specialises in the medical field.

During his early career, Matheson actually played a doctor in the television film The Littlest Victims, which aired on CBS in 1989.

The actor has a long-running history of playing medical professionals within his acting career.

He portrayed Dr. Harry McCrae in Little White Lies in 1989, and in 2003 he played Dr. Aaron Morrison in Without A Trace. He played Dr. Brick Breeland in Hart of Dixie between the years of 2011 and 2015.

Matheson previously discussed the fascinating coincidence with Survived The Shows.

He recalled: “In my life I’ve played a lot of doctors. I mean, when, I think the first television series I starred in after Bonanza & The Virginian.

“And when I did a Western with Kurt Russell called the Quest and we did, I think, 13 episodes, 15 episodes and I was a doctor.

“And I think it might have been the first time I played a doctor and then subsequently in so many different movies and films, even in Animal House.”

The star then touched on his less “light-spirited” role of Doctor Vernon Mullins who he plays in Netflix’s Virgin River.

Matheson explained: “We’re now more, especially in Virgin River, we spend more time making sure that’s exactly right.

“And it’s a bigger part of the show and we’re not as comedic and light-spirited as that.

“Virgin river’s much more earnest and about the relationships between the people.”

Recent episodes of Virgin River have been rather tense for the Doc, as his estranged grandson Denny (Kai Bradbury) turned up on his doorstep.

The unexpected arrival brought up many questions for the Doc especially after Denny started acting very suspiciously.

Although Denny revealed he had an illness called Huntington’s Disease, it did not provide a reason for him taking photos of Mel’s medical files and also stealing medication.