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Albert S. Ruddy

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Albert S. Ruddy
Albert S. Ruddy in The 77th Annual Academy Awards 2005
Born
Albert Stotland Ruddy

(1930-03-28)March 28, 1930
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
DiedMay 25, 2024(2024-05-25) (aged 94)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of Southern California
OccupationFilm producer
Years active1965–2021
Spouse(s)Françoise Ruddy (divorced)
Wanda McDaniel
​
(m. 1981)​
Children2

Albert Stotland Ruddy (March 28, 1930 – May 25, 2024) was a Canadian-American film and television producer.[1] He produced The Godfather (1972) and Million Dollar Baby (2004), both of which won him the Academy Award for Best Picture, and co-created the CBS sitcom Hogan's Heroes (1965–1971).[2]

Early life

[edit]

Albert S. Ruddy was born to Ruth (née Rudnikoff) Hertz, a clothing designer, and Hy Stotland, who made uniforms,[3][4] Jewish parents[5] in Montreal, and raised in New York City and in Miami Beach, Florida, by his mother after his parents divorced when he was 6.[6][2] Ruddy attended Brooklyn Technical High School before earning a scholarship to allow him to study chemical engineering at City College of New York. In 1956, he graduated from the University of Southern California (USC) with a degree in architectural design.[7][4]

Career

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While he was at USC, he accompanied his then-girlfriend, who was employed on one of Roger Corman's first movies, to Palm Springs and wound up becoming the art director for The Beast with a Million Eyes (1955).[8] Ruddy also designed a monster for the film for $50.[8] Ruddy worked designing homes for a construction company, in Hackensack, New Jersey.[9] This eventually led to him meeting Warner Brothers studio chief Jack L. Warner, who offered him a job in Los Angeles after being impressed by Ruddy's knowledge and enthusiasm.[8][9]

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, hired him to produce Wild Seed (1965), which was produced by Brando Jr.'s Pennebaker Productions.[8][9]

With this film completed, Ruddy co-created Hogan's Heroes (CBS, 1965–1971),[10] which was a critical and commercial success and ran for six seasons, despite network doubts about the suitability of WWII Nazis as comedic characters.[2] As the sitcom wound down its run, Ruddy returned to films, producing two comedies: Little Fauss and Big Halsy (1970), about two motorcycle racers, and Making It (1971), about a sexually triumphant high school student who beds the gerontophobic wife of his gym teacher.[11]

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 even 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.[9][2] His numerous meetings with Anthony Colombo proved very productive in gaining trust from the League and the Colombo Family.[9] The film was a massive success both commercially and critically, and is regarded as one of the best films ever made, as well as a landmark of the gangster genre.[12] 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.[11][2] The film, which has been described as "the first successful modern sports movie",[13] was very successful financially and was subsequently remade twice with Ruddy as executive producer (as Mean Machine (2001) and as The Longest Yard (2005)).

The following year, Ruddy produced director and animator Ralph Bakshi's satirical film Coonskin (1975).[11] The film was extremely controversial and initially received negative reviews, but it would eventually earn critical acclaim. It is one of director Quentin Tarantino's favorite movies.[14]

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).[11]

For some time, Ruddy worked with writer-philosopher Ayn Rand to produce her 1957 epic novel Atlas Shrugged as a movie, the rights to which he purchased in the mid-1970s, but the movie never moved beyond the planning stages. Rand demanded unprecedented final script approval, which Ruddy agreed to. However, her friends pointed out that Ruddy could shoot the approved script but still leave all her speeches on the cutting room floor. Rand asked for final editing approval, which neither Ruddy nor the director had the power to give her, so she responded by withdrawing her support from the film and vowing to ensure that Ruddy was never involved in any adaptation of her novel.[1]

Ruddy then started to work with Hong Kong's Golden Harvest, producing The Cannonball Run (1981), his second picture with Burt Reynolds, a hugely successful film at the box office that received mixed reviews by critics.[2] Ruddy next produced two action films, Death Hunt (1981) starring Lee Marvin and Charles Bronson, and Megaforce (1982). Ruddy returned to produce Cannonball Run II (1984), which was another commercial success for the Rat-Pack-prominent cast, and featured a guest appearance by Frank Sinatra.[11][15] 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.[16][17] Among their productions was the 1990 release Impulse, directed by Sondra Locke.

In the early 1990s, he helped create the successful series Walker, Texas Ranger.[11][2] Also in 1992, he licensed the rights from Kevin McClory to make a James Bond television show, but Eon Productions blocked it, and winning the suit, ended any hopes of a television show.[18]

In 2004, he produced Million Dollar Baby,[19] 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.[2]

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.[20]

In 2021, his daughter Alexandra Ruddy became co-principal at Albert S. Ruddy Productions.[21]

Personal life

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Ruddy was married to and divorced from Francoise Ruddy,[22] who was also Jewish.[23][24] 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.[2]

Ruddy later married Wanda McDaniel, the mother of his two children Alexandra and John, and an executive vice president for the Italian designer Giorgio Armani, where she is credited with helping to make Armani successful.[25][2]

Ruddy was the subject of a 2013 documentary, Tough Ain't Enough: Conversations with Albert S. Ruddy.[26]

In the 2022 biographical drama miniseries The Offer, which dramatizes the making of The Godfather and is executive produced by Ruddy, he is played by Miles Teller.[27][11]

Ruddy died after a brief illness at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, on May 25, 2024, at the age of 94.[28]

Filmography

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Film

[edit]
Year Film Writer Producer Ref.
1965 Wild Seed No Yes [11]
1970 Little Fauss and Big Halsy No Yes [11]
1971 Making It No Yes [11]
1972 The Godfather No Yes [11]
1974 The Longest Yard Story Yes [11]
1975 Coonskin No Yes [11]
1978 Matilda Yes Yes [11]
1981 The Cannonball Run No Yes
[29]
1982 Megaforce Yes Yes [11]
1984 Lassiter No Yes [11]
Cannonball Run II Yes Yes [11]
1989 Farewell to the King No Yes [28]
1990 Impulse No Yes [28]
1992 Ladybugs No Yes [11]
1994 Bad Girls Story Yes [11]
The Scout No Yes [11]
1996 Heaven's Prisoners No Yes [11]
2004 Million Dollar Baby No Yes [11]
2006 Cloud 9 Yes Yes [11]
2008 Camille No Yes [11]
2019 A Gunman's Curse No Yes
2021 Cry Macho No Yes [11]

Executive Producer

Year Film Notes Ref.
1981 Death Hunt [11]
1989 Speed Zone [28]
2001 Mean Machine British remake of his film “The Longest Yard” [11]
2005 The Longest Yard Also based on a story written by him for the film “The Longest Yard” [28]
2014 Sabotage [11]

Other Credits

Year Title Role
1955 The Beast with a Million Eyes Art Director
1965 Wild Seed Lyrics: "That's Why"
2011 Blur Special thanks

Television

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Year Title Creator Writer Producer Notes Ref
1963 The Lloyd Bridges Show No Yes No TV Series
Wrote episode: "The Skippy Mannox Story"
1965−
1971		 Hogan's Heroes Yes Yes No TV series
Wrote episode "The Informer"
1971 Thunderguys No No Yes Television film
1976 How the West Was Won Developer No Yes TV Series
29 episodes; produced the pilot		 [11]
Revenge for a Rape No Story No Television film
1981 Stockers No No Yes
1993 Walker, Texas Ranger Yes No Executive TV Series
executive produced 3 episodes		 [11]
2005 Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial by Fire Yes No No Television film
TBA The Bellinis Yes Yes Executive Television pilot

Executive producer only

Year Title Notes Ref
1991 Miracle in the Wilderness Television film
1997 Married to a Stranger
1998 Martial Law TV Series
2 episodes		 [11]
2000 Running Mates Television film
2002 Georgetown [28]
Flatland TV Series
executive produced 1 episode
2022 The Offer TV miniseries
10 episodes; based on his experience of making 'The Godfather'

Other Credits

Year Title Role Notes
2000 Running Mates Actor: Fatcat Television film
2012 Hatfields & McCoys Special thanks TV Mini-series

Awards

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Year Work Award Category Result
1973 The Godfather Golden Globe Award Best Motion Picture – Drama Won
Academy Award Best Picture Won
David di Donatello Best Foreign Film Won
1975 The Longest Yard Golden Globe Award Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Won
1976 The Macahans Bronze Wrangler Fictional Television Drama Won
1983 Megaforce Golden Raspberry Award Worst Picture Nominated
1985 Cannonball Run II Golden Raspberry Award Nominated
Worst Screenplay Nominated
2004 Million Dollar Baby Phoenix Film Critics Society Award Best Film Nominated
2005 National Board of Review Award Best Film Nominated
Broadcast Film Critics Association Award Best Picture Nominated
Golden Globe Award Best Motion Picture – Drama Nominated
Producers Guild of America Award Best Theatrical Motion Picture Nominated
Billie Award Best Film Nominated
César Award Best Foreign Film Won
Academy Awards Best Picture Won
David di Donatello Best Foreign Film Won
ESPY Award Best Sports Movie Nominated

References

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  1. ^ a b McConnell, Scott (2010). 100 Voices:An Oral History of Ayn Rand. New York: New American Library. p. 427. ISBN 978-0-451-23130-7. OCLC 555642813.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Gilbey, Ryan (June 7, 2024). "Albert Ruddy obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  3. ^ Riggs, Thomas, ed. (2009). "Albert S. Ruddy". Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television. 90. Gale In Context: Biography. ISBN 9781414457109. OCLC 733291253. Gale K1609025124.
  4. ^ a b "Ruddy, Albert S. 1934- (Al Ruddy)". Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  5. ^ Rieber, Robert W. (November 18, 2013). Film, Television and the Psychology of the Social Dream. Springer. p. 94. ISBN 978-1461471745.
  6. ^
  7. ^ Seal, Mark. Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli. ISBN 9781982158590. Wikidata Q112190722.
  8. ^ a b c d Barnes, Mike (May 28, 2024). "Al Ruddy, Oscar-Winning Producer of 'The Godfather' and 'Million Dollar Baby,' Dies at 94". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  9. ^ a b c d e Pileggi, Nicholas (August 15, 1971). "The Making of "The Godfather"—Sort of a Home Movie". The New York Times Magazine. The Stacks Reader. ISSN 0028-7822. Archived from the original (Archive) on December 11, 2020. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  10. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (March 15, 2013). "'Hogan's Heroes' Rights Won Back By Creators Al Ruddy And Bernard Fein; They're Plotting New Movie". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 30, 2014. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae Barnes, Mike (May 28, 2024). "Al Ruddy, Oscar-Winning Producer of 'The Godfather' and 'Million Dollar Baby,' Dies at 94". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  12. ^ Gambino, Megan (January 31, 2012). "What is The Godfather Effect?". Smithsonian. Archived from the original on September 10, 2018. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  13. ^ Simmons, Bill. "Sports Guy's Top Sports Movies: No. 3". ESPN. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
  14. ^ Spitz, Mark (November 6, 2015). "They don't make them like Ralph Bakshi anymore: "Now, animators don't have ideas. They just like to move things around"". Salon. Salon.com, LLC. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  15. ^ Kilday, Gregg (May 15, 2008). "Film vets Ruddy, Grodnik, Hamilton hang Crazy Max shingle". Hollywood Reporter. Vol. 404, no. 43. p. 11. ISSN 0018-3660. The Oscar-winning Ruddy (Million Dollar Baby) is no stranger to action films, also having produced The Cannonball Run and its sequel.
  16. ^ Frook, John Evan (November 19, 1993). "Ruddy/Morgan team to lens 'Americal' pic". Variety. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  17. ^ "Ruddy-Morgan Has Three Pix For '87 From Diverse Coin". Variety. February 25, 1987. p. 293.
  18. ^ "Films: The Nineties". www.liner-notes.com. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
  19. ^ Mirch, Jason. "Monday Motivation: Two Oscars Stories You Never Heard". Stage 32. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  20. ^ Cieply, Michael (November 1, 2015). "Producer of 'The Godfather' Lands Rights to 'Atlas Shrugged' Novel". The New York Times. eISSN 1553-8095. ISSN 0362-4331. OCLC 1645522. Retrieved January 16, 2016.
  21. ^ "California Business Search" (Corporation - Statement of Information). California Secretary of State. February 3, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2022. The California Business Search provides access to available information for corporations, limited liability companies and limited partnerships of record with the California Secretary of State, with free PDF copies of over 17 million imaged business entity documents, including the most recent imaged Statements of Information filed for Corporations and Limited Liability Companies.
  22. ^ Zaitz, Les (April 14, 2011). "25 years after Rajneeshee commune collapsed, truth spills out - Part 1 of 5". The Oregonian. Retrieved August 6, 2022.
  23. ^ "Obituaries". Jewish Journal. October 29, 2014. Retrieved August 6, 2022.
  24. ^ "Osho World: Ma Prem Hasya". August 19, 2014. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved December 19, 2015.
  25. ^ Spindler, Amy M. (August 29, 1995). "Fashion Hitches a Ride With Hollywood's Shining Stars". The New York Times. eISSN 1553-8095. ISSN 0362-4331. OCLC 1645522. Retrieved August 6, 2022.
  26. ^ Runnells, Charles. "Fort Myers Beach Film Fest celebrates 10 years". The News-Press. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  27. ^ Horton, Adrian (April 27, 2022). "The Offer review -- the making of The Godfather makes for hit-and-miss TV". The Guardian.
  28. ^ a b c d e f Pedersen, Erik (May 28, 2024). "Al Ruddy Dies: Oscar-Winning 'The Godfather' & 'Million Dollar Baby' Producer Was 94". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  29. ^ Canby, Vincent (June 20, 1981). "Movie Review: The Cannonball Run". The New York Times. eISSN 1553-8095. ISSN 0362-4331. OCLC 1645522. Archived from the original on May 24, 2015. Retrieved January 30, 2012.
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