Paul D'Amato (October 2, 1949 – February 19, 2024) was an American actor best known for his appearance as the lead antagonist in the hockey film Slap Shot.

[4][5] D'Amato's combination of acting and ice hockey experience put him in contention for a role in the 1977 film Slap Shot, in which he played the main antagonist, Tim "Dr. Hook" McCracken.

[6] In the 1980s, D'Amato was typically cast as a thug or henchman; in a 1983 pilot for the TV series Murder Ink, his character assaulted a character played by Ellen Barkin, and in the 1987 film Suspect, he "held a razor to Cher's throat... and stabbed [Dennis Quaid]".

In November 2010, D'Amato dropped the ceremonial first puck at a hockey game between the Danbury Whalers and the Broome County Barons.

[11] In August 2017, he participated in a reunion of members of the Slap Shot cast in Winnipeg for a golf tournament commemorating the 40th anniversary of the film.