Albert Ruddy, Canadian Oscar-winning producer of 'The Godfather' and 'Million Dollar Baby,' dies at 94
CTV
Albert S. Ruddy, a colourful, Canadian-born producer and writer who won Oscars for 'The Godfather' and 'Million Dollar Baby,' developed the raucous prison-sports comedy 'The Longest Yard' and helped create the hit sitcom "Hogan's Heroes," has died at age 94.
Albert S. Ruddy, a colourful, Canadian-born producer and writer who won Oscars for "The Godfather" and "Million Dollar Baby," developed the raucous prison-sports comedy "The Longest Yard" and helped create the hit sitcom "Hogan's Heroes," has died at age 94.
Ruddy died “peacefully” Saturday at the UCLA Medical Center, according to a spokesperson, who added that among his final words were, “The game is over, but we won the game.”
Tall and muscular, with a raspy voice and a city kid's swagger, Ruddy produced more than 30 movies and was on hand for the very top and very bottom, from the “Godfather” and “Million Dollar Baby” to "Cannonball Run II" and "Megaforce," nominees for Golden Raspberry awards for worst movie of the year.
Otherwise, he had a mix of successes such as "The Longest Yard," which he produced and created the story for, and such flops as the Arnold Schwarzenegger thriller "Sabotage." He worked often with Burt Reynolds, starting with "The Longest Yard" and continuing with two "Cannonball Run" comedies and "Cloud Nine." Besides "Hogan's Heroes," his television credits include the movies "Married to a Stranger" and "Running Mates."
Nothing looks better on your resume than "The Godfather," but producing it endangered Ruddy's job, reputation and his very life. Frank Sinatra and other Italian Americans were infuriated by the project, which they feared would harden stereotypes of Italians as criminals, and real-life mobsters let Ruddy know he was being watched. One night he heard gunfire outside his home and the sound of his car's windows being shot out.
On his dashboard was a warning that he should close the production, immediately.
Ruddy saved himself, and the film, through diplomacy; he met with crime boss Joseph Colombo and a couple of henchmen to discuss the script.
Plenty of people loved Hugh Grant's character in the 1999 rom-com 'Notting Hill,' but Grant is not one of them. He talked about playing William Thacker, opposite Julia Roberts as Anna Scott, during a conversation for Vanity Fair’s 'Scene Selection.'
The lawyer for a former cast member of the 'Real Housewives of New York' told a federal judge Thursday that the First Amendment cannot shield the show’s creators from a lawsuit alleging that the show’s participants were subjected to a “rotted workplace culture.”
Taylor Swift is in Toronto to perform her first of six sold-out shows at the Rogers Centre tonight.
Legendary musician, composer and producer Quincy Jones died from pancreatic cancer, according to his death certificate.
Dave Coulier, an actor and comedian who found fame as Uncle Joey on "Full House," has revealed he has been diagnosed with stage 3 non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a blood cancer.
British actor Timothy West, who played wartime leader Winston Churchill on three occasions and the classic titular Shakespeare roles of Hamlet, King Lear and Macbeth, has died, He was 90.
Canada's major film and TV unions are pressuring Telefilm to only fund productions that sign collective agreements.
Eminem, Boy George, George Clinton, Sheryl Crow, Janet Jackson, the Doobie Brothers, N.W.A. and Alanis Morissette are among the nominees for the 2025 class at the Songwriters Hall of Fame, an eclectic group of rap, rock, hip-hop and pop pioneers.
Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly are expecting to grow their family. Fox announced her pregnancy in a social media post Monday.
Taylor Swift came out on top at the 2024 MTV EMAs on Sunday, walking away with best artist, best U.S. act, best live act and best video for “Fortnight” (featuring Post Malone).
Chu shared on his Instagram Stories that he and his wife Kristin Hodge welcomed their fifth child on Saturday, writing that he “can’t believe this happened while the movie is premiering.”