Paul L. Smith (born February 5, 1939) is an American character actor. Burly, bearded, and imposing, he has appeared in films and occasionally on TV since the 1970s, generally playing "heavies" and bad guys. His most notable roles include Hamidou, the vicious prison warden in Midnight Express (1978), Bluto in Robert Altman's Popeye (1980) and the Beast Rabban in David Lynch's Dune (1984). He is sometimes credited as Paul Smith or Paul Lawrence Smith.

Paul L. Smith attended Miami Senior High School, Miami, FL, graduating in 1954. He later attended Rice University on a football scholarship leaving before completing his four years.

Paul L. Smith's first acting role was in the 1960 film Exodus which was filmed in Israel. This was his first visit to the country. He returned to Israel in 1967 as a Mahal volunteer in the Six-Day War and stayed there until 1973. In that time he participated in five productions filmed in Israel. He also met Eve, and the two lived in Tel Aviv. They later moved to Italy, and then to Hollywood in 1977.