Melvin Dummar, the man who inspired Jonathan Demme’s 1980 dramedy Melvin and Howard, died December 9 in hospice care in Nevada. He was 74.
Dummar was known as the man who argued that Howard Hughes bequeathed him over $150 million after he rescued him on a deserted road and drove him to Las Vegas in 1967. In the alleged hand-written “Mormon will”, the Hughes estate also left The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a beneficiary of the inheritance. Dummar battled cancer for years and quit referring to the document after losing the legal battle nearly a decade ago. Jurors and judges decided that Dummar lied and a U.S. appeals court in 2008 signed off on the decision that a Nevada state court jury 30 years ago said that the will was fake.
The story was the inspiration for Demme’s Melvin and Howard in 1980. The movie starred Paul Le Mat, Jason Robards,...
Dummar was known as the man who argued that Howard Hughes bequeathed him over $150 million after he rescued him on a deserted road and drove him to Las Vegas in 1967. In the alleged hand-written “Mormon will”, the Hughes estate also left The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a beneficiary of the inheritance. Dummar battled cancer for years and quit referring to the document after losing the legal battle nearly a decade ago. Jurors and judges decided that Dummar lied and a U.S. appeals court in 2008 signed off on the decision that a Nevada state court jury 30 years ago said that the will was fake.
The story was the inspiration for Demme’s Melvin and Howard in 1980. The movie starred Paul Le Mat, Jason Robards,...
- 12/11/2018
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
“No one seems to love or understand me. Oh what hard luck stories they all hand me”
Melvin And Howard screens Friday, June 16th at Webster University’s Moore Auditorium (470 East Lockwood). This is the third film in their ‘Tribute to Jonathan Demme’ The movie starts at 8:00pm.
Paul Le Mat is an average Joe named Melvin E. Dummar in Melvin And Howard (1980) an effective combination of drama and comedy from director Jonathan Demme. Melvin often finds it difficult to make ends meet, no matter what line of work he’s in. Then, one day, it seems as if his luck might change. A stranger leaves on his desk a will proclaiming Melvin to be one of 16 heirs to the fortune of reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes. Once upon a time, Melvin had given a lift to an aged, decrepit looking individual (Jason Robards) who claimed to be Hughes. The...
Melvin And Howard screens Friday, June 16th at Webster University’s Moore Auditorium (470 East Lockwood). This is the third film in their ‘Tribute to Jonathan Demme’ The movie starts at 8:00pm.
Paul Le Mat is an average Joe named Melvin E. Dummar in Melvin And Howard (1980) an effective combination of drama and comedy from director Jonathan Demme. Melvin often finds it difficult to make ends meet, no matter what line of work he’s in. Then, one day, it seems as if his luck might change. A stranger leaves on his desk a will proclaiming Melvin to be one of 16 heirs to the fortune of reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes. Once upon a time, Melvin had given a lift to an aged, decrepit looking individual (Jason Robards) who claimed to be Hughes. The...
- 6/12/2017
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
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