"AMERICAN GRAFFITI" is one of the most iconic films ever produced.
It starred a cast of relative unknowns, many who would go on to SuperStardom: Harrison Ford, Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Cyndi Williams, Suzanne Sommers, Candy Clark, Bo Hopkins, Charles Martin Smith, Kathleen Quinlan, and, of course, the man who drove the infamous "John Milner Coupe": Paul LeMat.
It's Director/Co-Writer, George Lucas, was also on the verge of Stardom in that year of 1973 when the film was released, PLUS, its Producer, Francis Ford Coppola, had struck gold the previous year with "The Godfather".
A pivotal, behind-the-scenes-part of the movie concerns the cast "Crusin' " throughout the film while listening to the Legendary "Wolfman Jack" on their car radios.
Coppola urged Lucas to contact the "real" Wolfman Jack to do the part...rather than hire another actor to do it. Jack accepted the offer, and the phone calls that you hear in the film and on the soundtrack albums were authentic calls that Jack had taped from his show.
In this Interview, Paul LeMat tells how, even though the film was keyed so much around Jack and his Radio Show, Paul didn't even meet the Wolfman or Suzanne Sommers until the film's Premiere !
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PS: As some of you may already know, Wolfman Jack was a friend of mine. He was one of the most gracious, dynamic, consumate Professionals that I've ever had the pleasure to know and he is truly missed. His death on July 1, 1995 was a loss to our Industry.
In this brief excerpt of a call he made to me, I wanted to share his voice with you just one more time. R.I.P., my friend. JK
