Paul Le Mat (born September 22, 1946) is an actor who first came to prominence in the 1973 film American Graffiti . He starred in Floyd Mutrux's 1975 crime spree film "Aloha Boby and Rose." In 1977, he starred in Jonathan Demme's acclaimed comedy, Handle With Care, which was later re-titled Citizens Band. In 1979, he reprised his role of John Milner in More American Graffiti. Le Mat teamed up again with Jonathan Demme to play Melvin Dummar in Melvin and Howard. Based upon the true story of a gas station attendant who claimed to be an heir of eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes, "Melvin and Howard" won two Academy Awards, and received rave reviews from Pauline Kael and other top film critics. Le Mat also appeared in 1982's Death Valley, and played an abusive husband in the TV-movie "The Burning Bed." He was Omar's speaking voice in the animated film Rock and Rule, and later had a role in American History X. He portrayed Yale Professor Alex Whitaker in Puppet Master, and starred in the 1984 holiday flop The Night They Saved Christmas. He won Golden Globe awards for his work in American Graffiti and The Burning Bed.
