A beefy, laconic leading man of the 1970s, Le Mat is best known for his performances in George Lucas' "American Graffiti" (1973) and especially as Melvin Dummar, an aimless blue-collar worker who enjoys a fortunate encounter with millionaire Howard Hughes, in Jonathan Demme's engaging, off-beat "Melvin and Howard" (1980). He has also worked frequently in TV, notably as Farrah Fawcett's abusive husband in "The Burning Bed" (NBC, 1984) and as newspaperman Josiah Peale on the syndicated series "Lonesome Dove: The Outlaw Years" (1994-96).