Canadian production giant Ian McDougall died last week as a result of an unexpected heart failure, aged 65 years.

McDougall was traveling in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania when he suffered his mortal injuries, his family announced Friday.

He had just completed producing the first season of the new crime drama Shattered for Entertainment One and CanWest Global Communications Corp.

Born in 1945, McDougall began his career in professional theatre in England before going on to become deputy director and head of English language production for the Canadian Film Development Corporation, now Telefilm Canada, between 1980 and 1982.

There he supervised around 150 feature films and TV shows produced across the country.

McDougall then worked as a freelance producer from 1982 to 1996, where his credits included Anne of Green Gables, Clearcut and Johnny Mnemonic.

He leaves behind his wife Karen Laurence, and children Amy and Claire.