Albert S. Ruddy, who won the Oscar for Best Picture for producing 1972’s The Godfather and 2004’ Million Dollar Baby, died Saturday after a brief illness. His death comes two years after Paramount+ released The Offer, a 10-episode limited series that told the story of the making of Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather from Ruddy’s point of view with Teller as Ruddy. "Ruddy is one of nine producers ever to earn two or more Best Picture Oscars, and has the distinction of winning them with the largest interval in between — 32 years," says Erik Pederson in Ruddy's Deadline obituary, adding: “Before his big-screen success, Ruddy co-created with Bernie Fein Hogan’s Heroes, the decidedly iconoclastic sitcom about life for Allied prisoners in a Nazi PW camp. Starring Bob Crane and a memorable supporting cast, it ran for six seasons and remained popular in syndication. Ruddy had been developing a Hogan’s Heroes sequel series just before the Covid pandemic." Ruddy was also one of four co-creators of Walker, Texas Ranger, along with fellow Oscar winner Paul Haggis, and was also credited on The CW's recently canceled prequel series Walker. “It was an honor and a privilege to portray Al in The Offer," Teller said in a statement. "Al lived a life most could only dream of and all would envy.” The Offer director Dexter Fletcher added: “Al was truly one of the great Hollywood mavericks. One of the last Mohicans who created great movies which still influence and inspire to this day. From humble beginnings to the highest of Hollywood accolades. His was an incredible journey. Achieved through the sheer power of his determination, strong will, irrepressible energy and charm and a rarely matched love for the art of film.”
Al Ruddy dies: The Hogan’s Heroes and Walker, Texas Ranger co-creator...
