Albert Stotland Ruddy, better known as Al Ruddy and the Oscar-winning producer of 'The Godfather' and 'Million Dollar Baby,' has passed away at the age of 94.
A publicist on behalf of Ruddy's family announced the famed producer died Saturday following a brief illness at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, according to Hollywood Reporter.
Ruddy is credited as co-creator of the long-running CBS police drama 'Walker, Texas Ranger,' and the WWII prison camp sitcom 'Hogan's Heroes.'
After the award-nominated film 'The Godfather' in 1972, Ruddy produced another box-office hit with the original The Longest Yard (1974), the prison-set football movie that starred Burn Reynolds.
Ruddy, who had "a penchant for four-letter words," his family said, also produced such films as 'Bad Girls', 'The Scout', and 'Matilda.'
He's also the producer who famously negotiated with the Italian-American Civil Rights League, which led to the agreement that the words "mafia" and "cosa nostra" would not be uttered in 'The Godfather.'
Al Pacino, who played Michael Corleone in the film for the first of his nine career Oscar nominations, revealed in a statement,
"Ruddy was absolutely beautiful to me the whole time on 'The Godfather'; even when they didn't want me, he wanted me. He gave me the gift of encouragement when I needed it most, and I'll never forget it."
On March 27, 1973, Ruddy accepted the Academy Award for best picture.
He said at the time, "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."
Ruddy is survived by his wife, Wanda McDaniel; his children, John and Alexandra; his producing partner and principal at Albert S. Ruddy Productions; and his son-in-law, screenwriter Abdullah Saeed.
"To his contemporaries in the business, Ruddy is best remembered for his easy-going nature, his undeniable comedic sense, and his undying interest in people and the stories we tell," his family said.
Among his last words were, "The game is over, but we won the game."
