Albert S. Ruddy

Albert Stotland Ruddy (March 28, 1930 – May 25, 2024) was a Canadian-born American producer and screenwriter of film and television. He was known for producing the films The Godfather and Million Dollar Baby (2004), both of which won him the Academy Award for Best Picture. He also co-created the CBS sitcom Hogan's Heroes (1965–71), and the action series Walker, Texas Ranger (1993–2001).

Early life and education Albert S. Ruddy was born to Ruth (née Rudnikoff) Hertz, a clothing designer, and Hy Stotland, who made uniforms, Jewish parents in Montreal, and raised in New York City and in Miami Beach, Florida, by his mother after his parents divorced when he was 6.

After a short stint at Warner Brothers, Ruddy moved on to become a programmer trainee at the RAND Corporation in Santa Monica, California. Returning to entertainment, Ruddy became a television writer at Universal Studios, but left when Marlon Brando Sr., father of the actor Marlon Brando, hired him to produce Wild Seed (1965), which was produced by Brando Jr.'s Pennebaker Productions.

In 1972, he produced The Godfather, an adaptation of Mario Puzo's novel. During the development of The Godfather, Ruddy held secret meetings with Joseph Colombo, Colombo's son, and 1,500 delegates of the Italian-American Civil Rights League, which led to him gaining trust that the film would not stereotype or defame Italians. The film was nominated for eleven Academy Awards and won three – including Ruddy's first of two Oscars for Best Picture.

In 1974, Ruddy produced an adaptation of his own story treatment as The Longest Yard.

The following year, Ruddy produced director and animator Ralph Bakshi's satirical film Coonskin (1975).

In 1976, he produced a western made-for-TV movie called The Macahans, which was subsequently developed into the series How the West Was Won (1977–1979). The film also features a rare on-screen cameo by Ruddy in a scene spoofing his film The Godfather, and including Godfather supporting actors Alex Rocco and Abe Vigoda.

In 1985, after leaving Golden Harvest, Ruddy and Andre Morgan set up the Ruddy Morgan Organization which produced films budgeted for the $8.5-16 million range, and arranged the financing and developing of "high-visibility" pictures the company placed up. Among their productions was the 1990 release Impulse, directed by Sondra Locke.

In the early 1990s, with Leslie Greif, Paul Haggis and Christopher Canaan, he co-created the successful series Walker, Texas Ranger.

In 2004, Ruddy produced Million Dollar Baby, which earned him his second Oscar for Best Picture. He shared the award with fellow producers Paul Haggis, Tom Rosenberg, and Clint Eastwood. Eastwood had presented Ruddy with the Best Picture Oscar for The Godfather over 30 years earlier.

In late 2015, it was announced that he had acquired the rights to Rand's Atlas Shrugged and would be making a movie for worldwide release.

In 2021, his daughter Alexandra Ruddy became co-principal at Albert S. Ruddy Productions.

Personal life Ruddy was married to and divorced from Francoise Ruddy, who was also Jewish. This was prior to her name change to Ma Prem Hasya as part of the Rajneeshpuram Commune in Central Oregon. Francoise saw him through the production of The Godfather, even lending her name to the production company title. His second marriage, to the actor Kaye Farrington, also ended in divorce.

Death Ruddy died at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles on May 25, 2024, at the age of 94, after a brief illness.

In popular culture In the 2022 biographical drama miniseries The Offer, which dramatizes the making of The Godfather and was executive produced by Ruddy, he is played by Miles Teller.

Filmography

Film

Television

TV films and miniseries

Awards and honors