Albert Ruddy, Oscar-winning producer of The Godfather, dies aged 94

Producer Albert S Ruddy appears backstage after his film Million Dollar Baby won best picture at the 77th Academy Awards on February 27 2005 in Los Angeles (Reed Saxon/AP)

Albert S Ruddy, a colourful, Canadian-born producer and writer who won Oscars for The Godfather and Million Dollar Baby, developed the raucous prison-sports comedy The Longest Yard and helped create the hit sitcom Hogan’s Heroes, has died aged 94.

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.”