To all my H.A.M.B. friends...3 cool stories from "the man himself": YOU KNOW HIM AS "JOHN MILNER" one of the Stars of the ultra-classic "AMERICAN GRAFITTI", but the real-life exploits of PAUL LeMAT have often outshone what you've seen on the Screen. Paul's had a truly exciting life, traveled around the World, and is not only a decorated Vietnam Vet, but was a winning Welterweight Boxer ! Paul is ALWAYS fun to share time with, and at one of our KKOA Lead Sled Interviews in Salina, we covered not one, not two, but THREE stories at one time ! After you listen to what he has to say, you'll come away with a whole new image of this Award Winning TV & Film Pro, and the amazing life that he's had ! Clicking-on right here starts it all for you ! Hope you are all safe, dry, and snowless ! Jonnie www.legends.thewwbc.net
pretty interesting, Jonnie....I remember once at Paso when buying a shirt from him,he asked what I wanted signed on it...Paul LeMat or John Milner...I replied with tongue in cheek,"Who's Paul LeMat?"...whereupon he threw the shirt on the ground...We had a good laugh over that one..
RDR... Paul's got a cool sense of humour...and loves to work with friends just like you mentioned. Really a mild mannered guy and a super-pro. With a background that's unbelievable ! terryr... Yes, that's why it looks so real ! And listening to him tell the story is priceless. Cool dude all the way around. Jonnie www.legends.thewwbc.net
Why do people think that the HAMB = American Graffiti? There were a lot of other contributions to our car culture. Maybe I'm too young to understand. End of rant.
Because for many the movie is there first step into our world, for those people the HAMB is the inevitable next step on there way to anarchy. Doc.
I agree with mac 55. My mom actually rented that movie for me when i was in about third grade cause I had to stay home sick for a few days from school. I watched it over and over. That was the starting point to my passion for all things automotive. All those cars just burned into my brain. There are many other contributions to car culture true, but for me, that started it all.
Because it is one of those "must do" things. No matter what your age there are things like AG, Henry Gregor Felson Books Hot Wheels in every room etc... that every car guy should have or at least watched/read. If you have kids these items should be within arms reach of a toddler at all times. That is how the gospell is spread. Here endith the lesson.
WOW Johnny, thanx for the thread. I'm going to have to listen to the whole list. Yeah, I've met Paul a few times and he's the genuine article. I even liked "Aloha Bobby and Rose". In high school I had a '55 Chevy, and couldn't stand all the Muscle cars. After that movie I saw Camaro's in a new light.
NTAPHSE, If watching the rear end get ripped out of a sneaky patrol car in slow motion multiple times doesn't make you thankful for modern tech. maybe you are too young. Seriously, it is a movie about one night that represents hundreds. It was a happy time for the most part. And most people who are here probably find it a comfort that such a period of time is archived for others to live a part of one of those nights. I would bet that John Milner's attitude, car, persona, etc. could be found in just about everyone on the HAMB in various amounts.
In the 1980s I knew a woman who ran a casting agency. She asked me if I wanted a 100 bucks to be in a TV show. Sure. So it's October at night and we're pretending it's a warm summer at the carnival, freezing our butts off. So I turn to my left and Paul Lemat is standing right beside me. So I go "heeey Milner!" and everybodys butts pucker up because you weren't supposed to call him that, I suppose. But he was okay and between takes we talked about Santa Monica, where I vacationed several times. I think the show was Ray Bradburys The Jar. Never saw it. [my job was to make out all night with this girl I didn't know! And I got paid! But only 50. That woman ripped me off for half.]
Reflections on all of the above Posts: RIGHT ON ! For those of us "who were there at the time" (and EARLIER !), AG was a part of our personal R&C background. It depended on your own geographic area, and was done in different ways, but it all lead to the same thing & is reflected in your reading this at the H.A.M.B. right now: A LIFELONG PASSION FOR AMERICAN IRON, AND OUR OWN WAY OF MAKING IT INTO OUR PERSONAL RIDE AND SHARING THAT WITH ONE OF THE STRONGEST BROTHERHOODS YOU COULD EVER IMAGINE ! I began Crusin' in 1957 here in St. Louis, and one of my Crusin' spots is still there: CHUCK-A-BURGER. But, in the mid-60's I was living in SoCal (Pasadena/Hollywood) so I knew that scene well too. Many of us were first weened - in films - by "Rebel Without A Cause" with James Dean, and the many, many Hot Rod flicks that followed. (Actually the very first real Hot Rod-inspired film was released in 1950, a couple of years after Felsen's book of the same name, and starred James Lydon. It was called, simply, "Hot Rod".) And, some like myself, had actually pre-dated our love of R&C before that...for me it was 1953 & a Pioneer Rod & Custom builder named Don Ferrara. (See my Tribute to Don here: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=490963 Ironically, Don called me just last nite and is just getting over a case of pneumonia. He's 84 and still Crusin'...was at the GNRS again this year !) But, back to "American Grafitti". This film continues to inspire Hot Rodding in new generations around the world, and, as Paul talks about in the Interview, he's setting his sites on traveling to another spot he's not been to yet...a place where AG & American Iron are revered by many. Here's the Link that will get you to the story if you've missed it: http://www.legends.thewwbc.net/gpage150.html You can never watch AG too many times ! You learn something new, and see something you missed, with every viewing. And Paul LeMat, like many others in that cast, has gone on to have a long, long career & be in many other fine productions...but with AG he always gets back to the "roots" and loves to share his time & experiences with all of those he meets. And, my humble thanks to all of you for letting me share his, and all of the other Legends stories, with you here at the H.A.M.B...I'm honored. Jonnie King www.legends.thewwbc.net
Thank YOU, louie ! Hope that you and everyone reading this today wasn't hit TOO hard by the wind, storms, snow, hail that barreled through this entire area last night. I'm hoping that you, your family & friends are safe. Some tornados, lots of high wind, trees/powerlines downed. My electric & comp were knocked-out...back online now. Jonnie www.legends.thewwbc.net
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