The Godfather’s Oscar-winning producer Al Ruddy has died at the age of 94 after a brief illness, it was shared Tuesday.
His work had recently come to light in the hit series The Offer, where Miles Teller played Ruddy while editing Francis Ford Coppola’s 1972 gangster epic The Godfather.
Ruddy also worked on Clint Eastwood’s Oscar-winning film Million Dollar Baby, starring Hilary Swank in 2004.
And long before his film success, Al co-created the television classic Hogan’s Heroes, which ran for six seasons.
Ruddy died May 25 at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles after a brief illness, a family spokesperson said.
Clint Eastwood, Al Pacino, Miles Teller and Hilary Swank have shared tributes.
The Godfather’s Oscar-winning producer Al Ruddy has died after a brief illness at the age of 94, it was shared Tuesday. Seen in 1979
Ruddy (left) and actor Marlon Brando on the set of The Godfather, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, in Little Italy, New York, 1972
From left, James Caan, Brando, Francis Ford Coppola, Al Pacino and John Cazale in The Godfather
“He was a great friend of mine and I will miss him deeply,” Eastwood said in a statement Tuesday.
Swank added: “It was the best time working with (Al). He will always be a legend in my book and everyone’s.”
Al Pacino reflected: ‘Al Ruddy was absolutely beautiful to me the entire time in The Godfather; Even when they didn’t love me, he loved me. He gave me the gift of encouragement when he needed it most and I will never forget it.”
He won two Oscars for Best Picture for producing The Godfather and Million Dollar Baby.
Ruddy’s life story was explored in The Offer.
“Al was truly one of Hollywood’s great mavericks,” The Offer director Dexter Fletcher said in a statement.
‘One of the last of the Mohicans who created great films that still influence and inspire to this day. From humble beginnings to Hollywood’s highest accolades. Theirs was an incredible journey. He achieved it thanks to the sheer power of his determination, strong will, irrepressible energy and charm and a love rarely equaled for the art of cinema.’
Teller said in a statement: “It was an honor and a privilege to play Al on The Offer. Al lived a life that most could only dream of and that everyone would envy.
“He was a great friend of mine and I will miss him deeply,” Eastwood said in a statement Tuesday. Seen in 2005
Clint, far left, held by Barbra Streisand after winning for Million Dollar Baby along with his producer Al, far right.
Eastwood, Morgan Freeman and Hilary Swank in Million Dollar Baby in 2004
Arnold Schwarzenegger said: “Al Ruddy was a Hollywood legend. He was an absolute icon and a visionary who made some of the greatest movies of all time. That’s the Al Ruddy that everyone knows. I want to talk about the Al Ruddy that I know. I met him more than 40 years ago, when he was already an icon and I was just beginning my film career. He became a dear friend and mentor.
‘He was always there to give me advice and guide me in the right direction. People like Al are the reason I refuse to be called a self-made man. Where would I be without him? My life wouldn’t be what it is without fantastic people like him, who have been there every step of the way. I was inspired by how he worked hard while he was always there for his family. Al showed that you really can have it all.
‘He loved his family and they loved him. He also might have been one of the world’s greatest storytellers. Whether he was talking about being threatened by real mob heavyweights while he was making The Godfather or telling a story about his kids, it didn’t matter. When Al spoke, everyone listened.
As the sole producer of The Godfather, Ruddy took home the Oscar for Best Picture at the 45th Academy Awards.
Clint Eastwood presented him with the award.
Three decades later, Ruddy and Eastwood won Best Picture together for producing Million Dollar Baby.
Ruddy was good friends with Burt Reynolds. Together they made the films The Longest Yard and The Cannonball Run.
Ruddy was married for 43 years to Giorgio Armani fashion executive Wanda McDaniel. Along with his wife, Al Ruddy is survived by his son, John; daughter, Alexandra; and that of his son-in-law Abdullah Saeed, screenwriter.
Respecting Ruddy’s wishes, no public funeral will be held. Memorial services are pending.
Miles Teller, who played Al on The Offer, said in a statement: “It was an honor and a privilege to play Al on The Offer. Al lived a life that most could only dream of and that everyone would envy.
Arnold Schwarzenegger said: “Al Ruddy was a Hollywood legend. He was an absolute icon and a visionary who made some of the greatest films of all time.
The producer seen with Adam Sandler at the premiere of the film The Longest Yard in 2005 in Los Angeles.
And here Ruddy put his arm around Terry Crewes at the premiere of The Longest Yard.
Ruddy was married for 43 years to Giorgio Armani fashion executive Wanda McDaniel. Along with his wife, Al Ruddy is survived by his son, John; daughter, Alexandra; and his son-in-law Abdullah Saeed, screenwriter
This comes after Oscar-winning producer and casting director Fred Roos died at age 89, just four days before his 90th birthday.
Francis Ford Coppola, who worked with Roos on the Godfather films, led the tributes, as did actress Aubrey Plaza, who stars in Coppola’s latest film, Megalopolis.
“Fred Roos possessed a casting instinct that was almost infallible: so beautifully demonstrated in AMERICAN GRAFFITTI and THE OUTSIDERS,” Coppola, 85, wrote in her tribute, along with a photo of the couple together.
And he added: “He was a great friend and lifelong collaborator and, above all, a true love for cinema.
“I remember once telling him that we needed to find more female directors, but that we should look for them among the kids who played with 8mm film equipment instead of among dolls, and he came up with a girl named Martha Coolidge and Susan Seidelman.
Oscar-winning producer Fred Roos has died at age 89, just four days before his 90th birthday.
Francis Ford Coppola, who worked with Fred Roos (right) on The Godfather Part II, led tributes to the producer on Tuesday.
“He was a unique talent and will certainly be missed,” Coppola added.
Plaza, 39, shared a photo of Roos on her Instagram Story. “Thank you Fred,” she wrote. ‘It was an honor to meet you…’
Shia LaBeouf, who also stars in Megalopolis, wrote in x (previously Twitter, ‘The nights burn with fire. As you travel through life straight to the perfect laugh. Fred Roos: I loved you so much.’
Author SE Hinton paid tribute to Roos after he and Coppola worked on the 1983 film adaptation of his book The Outsiders.
“I just lost a good friend and fan of mine, Fred Roos, the legendary casting director,” he wrote in a mail. ‘It would have been 90 today. Working until the end. I will miss it.’
Rob Lowe, who played Sodapop Curtis on The Outsiders, also thanked Roos for giving the actor his big break.
‘I am saddened to hear of the passing of Fred Roos. Every movie lover should know his name,” he wrote in x.
“He was a casting genius and responsible for the careers of: Harrison Ford, Al Pacino, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Diane Keaton, Robert Duvall, Laurence Fishburne, Tom Cruise and the rest of the cast of The Outsiders (including me), and many others,” added Lowe, 60. “Thank you, Fred, and good luck.”
Roos was born on May 22, 1934 in Santa Monica, California, where he majored in theater arts and film at UCLA.