Ruddy died “peacefully” on Saturday at the UCLA Medical Centre, according to a spokesperson, who added that among his final words were: “The game is over, but we won the game.” Tall and muscular, with a raspy voice and a city kid’s swagger, Ruddy produced more than 30 films and was on hand for the very top and very bottom, from The Godfather and Million Dollar Baby to Cannonball Run II and Megaforce, nominees for Golden Raspberry awards for worst movie of the year. Otherwise, he had a mix of successes such as The Longest Yard, which he produced and created the story for, and such flops as the Arnold Schwarzenegger thriller Sabotage.
He worked often with Burt Reynolds, starting with The Longest Yard and continuing with two Cannonball Run comedies and Cloud Nine. Besides Hogan’s Heroes, his television credits include the movies Married To A Stranger and Running Mates. Nothing looks better on your resume than The Godfather, but producing it endangered Ruddy’s job, reputation and his life.
Frank Sinatra and other Italian Americans were infuriated by the project, which they feared would harden stereotypes of Italians as criminals, and real-life mobsters let Ruddy know he was being watched. One night he heard gunfire outside his home and the sound of his car’s windows being shot out. On his dashboard was a warning that he should close the production, immediately.
Ruddy saved himself, and the film, through diplomacy; he met with crime boss Joseph Colombo and a couple.
