Trigger Warning: This article contains mention of death
The Oscar-winning producer of the Hollywood industry, Albert S. Ruddy, passed away on Saturday at the age of 94. Ruddy was known for movies like The Godfather and Million Dollar Baby. The producer has many iconic movies and TV shows to his name. Ruddy took his last breath at the UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles after being admitted for the treatment of a brief illness.
His family announced the unfortunate news through his publicist. According to a spokesperson, Ruddy’s last words were, “The game is over, but we won the game.”
Al Ruddy’s credited work in Hollywood industry
Al Ruddy has some major credits to his name, such as the CBS sitcom Hogan Heroes, which he co-created. The producer is also known for the long-running CBS drama Walker and Texas Ranger, along with Ruddy’s hit project, The Longest Yard. Burt Reynolds and the producer, after The Longest Yard, reunited in The Cannonball Run and its sequel in 1984.
For the movies, the Ruddy family revealed a list of films that are credited to the producer’s name. It includes Bad Girls, the baseball comedy; The Scout (1994), starring Albert Brooks and Brendan Fraser; and Matilda (1978), featuring Elliot Gould.
At the beginning of his career, Ruddy met with Bernard Fein. The duo together came up with a sitcom about a prisoner who oversmarted their warden to escape the jail. However, when Ruddy and Fein learned about NBC working on a similar idea, they changed their minds and worked around the idea of a German POW. CBS came in to house the show.
Al Ruddy’s Oscar moment
On March 27, 1973, Al Ruddy ran onstage to pick up the Oscar for The Godfather, alongside Al Pacino, after the movie won in the category of Best Picture. Clint Eastwood handed over the award to Ruddy, and Al Pacino said the words of appreciation. The actor said, “The American dream and what we all want, for me at least, is represented by this [holding up the Oscar]. It’s there for everybody if we want to work, dream and try to get it.”
It was like a moment of full circle for Eastwood, as Ruddy offered to direct the 2004 movie, Million Dollar Baby.
A few years later, The Offer, hailed by Paramount+, was released that showcased the making of The Godfather, in which Miler Teller portrayed the role of Al Ruddy.
Al Ruddy had quite a successful career in films. Tributes pour in for the producer from across the film fraternity.
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