Paul Le Mat Net Worth

What Is Paul Le Mat’s Net Worth?

Paul Le Mat is an American actor and author who has a net worth of $50 thousand.

Paul Le Mat starred as Josiah Peale on the television series “Lonesome Dove: The Series” from 1994 to 1995 and “Lonesome Dove: The Outlaw Years” from 1995 to 1996. One of his best known roles is John Milner in the 1973 movie “American Graffiti,” which earned him a Golden Globe. Le Mat has more than 40 acting credits to his name, including the films “Aloha, Bobby and Rose” (1975), “Melvin and Howard” (1980), “Death Valley” (1982), “Strange Invaders” (1983), “Puppet Master” (1989), and “American History X” (1998), the TV movies “The Burning Bed” (1984), “The Night They Saved Christmas” (1984), “Blind Witness” (1989), and “The Long Shot” (2004), and the miniseries “On Wings of Eagles” (1986). Paul has also published several books, such as “Blue Malibu” (2010), “Hasten Down the Wind” (2010), “Aracely and Other Stories” (2010), “Don’t Get Me Started” (2010), and “The Further Adventures of Stanley Larson” (2019).

Financial Problems

In 2022, a GoFundMe campaign was launched to ask for financial help for Le Mat. CR Cochrane, who organized the fundraiser, wrote:

“For the last 20 years, Paul has been ill & quietly living in a rented condo in the San Fernando Valley. However, the owner has sold the condo, and contrary to social media stats, Paul is struggling financially and he only had a few weeks to vacate. He has moved into a small apartment, however, he still needs our help financially. This is a difficult time for everyone and like Paul, no baby-boomers, Veterans nor actors are exempt from the pandemic’s plight. Due to Paul’s illness, he has not been able to perform in an arena he loves so much.“

As of August 2024, the campaign had raised more than $22,000.

Early Life

Paul Le Mat was born on September 22, 1945, in Rahway, New Jersey. He is the son of Elizabeth and Matthew LeMat. Matthew died in 1963, and Elizabeth passed away in 2016 at the age of 99. The family moved to California when Paul was 5 years old, and he later attended Newport Harbor High School, graduating in 1963. After high school, Le Mat studied at San Diego City College, Chapman College, and Cypress Junior College before transferring to Los Angeles Valley College, where he earned an Associate of Arts degree. During the Vietnam War, Paul served in the U.S. Navy in a maritime patrol squadron on an SP-5B Marlin seaplane.

Career

In 1973 Le Mat starred in the “Firehouse” pilot and gave a Golden Globe-winning performance as John Milner in the coming-of-age film “American Graffiti” alongside Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, and Harrison Ford. The film was directed and co-written by George Lucas and produced by Francis Ford Coppola, and it grossed $140 million at the box office. “American Graffiti” earned five Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, and in 1995, it was preserved in the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry for being “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.” Paul reprised his role in 1979’s “More American Graffiti.” After getting his big break in “American Graffiti,” Le Mat appeared in the films “Aloha, Bobby and Rose” (1975) and “Handle with Care” (1977) and starred as Melvin Dummar in 1980’s “Melvin and Howard,” which earned him a Golden Globe nomination. He followed those with roles in the films “Death Valley” (1982), “Jimmy the Kid” (1982), “Strange Invaders” (1983), “P.K. and the Kid” (1987), “The Hanoi Hilton” (1987), “P.I. Private Investigations” (1987), “Easy Wheels” (1989), “Puppet Master” (1989), “Grave Secrets” (1989), and “Veiled Threat” (1989).

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In the ’80s, Paul also appeared in the TV movies “The Gift of Life” (1982), “The Burning Bed” (1984), “The Night They Saved Christmas” (1984), “Long Time Gone” (1986), “Into the Homeland” (1987), “Secret Witness” (1988), and “Blind Witness” (1989) and the miniseries “On Wings of Eagles” (1986), and he guest-starred on “Deadly Nightmares” (1987), “Murder, She Wrote” (1988), and “The Twilight Zone” (1988). He won a Golden Globe for “The Burning Bed.” In 1992, Le Mat guest-starred on “The Ray Bradbury Theater” and appeared in the films “Wishman” and “Deuce Coupe” and the TV movies “In the Line of Duty: Siege at Marion” and “Woman with a Past.” Next, he appeared in 1994’s “Caroline at Midnight” and “Sensation” and 1995’s “Deep Down” and guest-starred on a 1995 episode of “Grace Under Fire.” Around this time, Paul starred as Josiah Peale on “Lonesome Dove: The Series” (1994–1995) and “Lonesome Dove: The Outlaw Years” (1995–1996). In 1998, he co-starred with Edward Norton and Edward Furlong in the crime drama “American History X,” then he appeared in the films “The Outfitters” (1999), “Big Bad Love” (2001), and “Stateside” (2004). Le Mat also guest-starred on “Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction” (2000) and appeared in the Hallmark Channel movie “The Long Shot” (2004). As of this writing, his most recent acting role came in the 2009 film “Chrome Angels.” A year earlier, Paul served as a co-executive producer and cinematographer on the documentary “Hot Rods Across America: Part 2.”

Personal Life

Paul married Suzanne de Passe on July 14, 1978. They welcomed three children before divorcing in 1994.

Awards and Nominations

Le Mat has earned three Golden Globe nominations, winning for Most Promising Newcomer – Male for “American Graffiti” in 1974 and Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television for “The Burning Bed” in 1985. His other nomination was for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical for “Melvin and Howard” in 1981.