Acting
Sig Ruman
Born 1884-10-10
Hamburg, Germany
Department: Acting
Biography
Sig Ruman was a German-American actor known for his portrayals of pompous and often stereotypical Teutonic officials or villains. Ruman made his film debut in Lucky Boy (1929). He became a favorite of the Marx Brothers, appearing in A Night at the Opera, A Day at the Races, and A Night in Casablanca. His German accent and large stature kept him busy during World War II, playing sinister Nazi characters in a series of wartime thrillers. During this period, he also appeared in several films by director Ernst Lubitsch including Ninotchka and To Be or Not to Be. Ruman continued playing over-the-top German characters later in his career for Billy Wilder in The Emperor Waltz, Stalag 17, and The Fortune Cookie.
Known For
Prominent works featuring Sig Ruman
Movie
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To Be or Not to Be
1942
TMDB3.9
Movie
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Stalag 17
1953
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TV
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The Addams Family
1964
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Movie
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White Christmas
1954
TMDB3.6
Movie
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A Night at the Opera
1935
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Movie
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Ninotchka
1939
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TV
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Maverick
1957
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Movie
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One, Two, Three
1961
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Movie
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The Fortune Cookie
1966
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Movie
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Only Angels Have Wings
1939
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Filmography & Credits
Complete career catalog (124 titles)
| Poster | Title | Character / Role | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Hollywood: The Dream Factory | Self (archive footage) | Movie | 1972 |
 | Way... Way Out | Russian Delegate | Movie | 1966 |
 | The Fortune Cookie | Professor Winterhalter | Movie | 1966 |
 | The Last of the Secret Agents? | Prof. Werner von Koenig | Movie | 1966 |
 | Hank | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1965 |
 | 36 Hours | German Guard | Movie | 1964 |
 | Daniel Boone | Van Coot | TV Series | 1964 |
 | The Man from U.N.C.L.E. | Conductor Schultz | TV Series | 1964 |
 | The Addams Family | Eric Von Bissell | TV Series | 1964 |
 | Robin and the 7 Hoods | Hammacher (uncredited) | Movie | 1964 |
 | The Danny Kaye Show | Self | TV Series | 1963 |
 | Petticoat Junction | Professor Lieberschmit | TV Series | 1963 |
 | One, Two, Three | Count von Droste Schattenburg (voice) (uncredited) | Movie | 1961 |
 | The Errand Boy | Baron Elston Carteblanche | Movie | 1961 |
 | Pete and Gladys | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1960 |
 | Around the World with Nellie Bly | Tug Captain | Movie | 1960 |
 | The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis | Himelmayer | TV Series | 1959 |
 | Johnny Staccato | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1959 |
 | One Step Beyond | Franz Schuldorf | TV Series | 1959 |
 | Lawman | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1958 |
 | Maverick | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1957 |
| Maverick | Capt. Steeger | TV Series | 1957 |
 | The Wings of Eagles | Manager | Movie | 1957 |
 | The Dinah Shore Chevy Show | Self | TV Series | 1956 |
 | Spy Chasers | King Rinko | Movie | 1955 |
 | Many Rivers to Cross | Spectacle Man | Movie | 1955 |
 | Carolina Cannonball | Stefan | Movie | 1955 |
 | 3 Ring Circus | Fritz Schlitz | Movie | 1954 |
 | White Christmas | Landlord (uncredited) | Movie | 1954 |
 | Living It Up | Dr. Emile Egelhofer | Movie | 1954 |
 | The Glenn Miller Story | W. Kranz | Movie | 1954 |
 | The Girl on The Roof | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1953 |
 | Houdini | Schultz | Movie | 1953 |
 | Stalag 17 | Johann Schulz | Movie | 1953 |
 | General Electric Theater | Dr. Haegendorff | TV Series | 1953 |
 | Private Secretary | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1953 |
 | Ma and Pa Kettle on Vacation | Cyrus Kraft | Movie | 1952 |
 | The World in His Arms | General Ivan Vorashilov | Movie | 1952 |
 | O. Henry's Full House | Menkie (segment "The Gift of the Magi") (uncredited) | Movie | 1952 |
 | On the Riviera | Gapeaux | Movie | 1951 |
 | Father Is a Bachelor | Jericho Schlosser | Movie | 1950 |
 | Border Incident | Hugo Wolfgang Ulrich | Movie | 1949 |
 | The Emperor Waltz | Dr. Zwieback | Movie | 1948 |
 | Give My Regards to Broadway | Arthur Dinkel | Movie | 1948 |
 | If You Knew Susie | Count Alexis | Movie | 1948 |
 | Mother Wore Tights | Papa | Movie | 1947 |
 | Faithful in My Fashion | Professor Boris Riminoffsky | Movie | 1946 |
 | Night and Day | Wilowski | Movie | 1946 |
 | A Night in Casablanca | Count Pfefferman / Heinrich Stubel | Movie | 1946 |
 | The Dolly Sisters | Ignatz Tsimmis | Movie | 1945 |
 | She Went to the Races | Dr. Gurke | Movie | 1945 |
 | Men in Her Diary | Mme. Irene | Movie | 1945 |
 | A Royal Scandal | General Ronsky | Movie | 1945 |
 | House of Frankenstein | Burgomeister Hussman | Movie | 1944 |
 | Summer Storm | Kuzma | Movie | 1944 |
 | The Hitler Gang | General von Hindenburg | Movie | 1944 |
 | It Happened Tomorrow | Mr. Beckstein | Movie | 1944 |
 | The Song of Bernadette | Louis Bouriette | Movie | 1943 |
 | Government Girl | Ambassador | Movie | 1943 |
 | Sweet Rosie O'Grady | Joe Flugelman | Movie | 1943 |
 | They Came to Blow Up America | Dr. Herman Holger | Movie | 1943 |
 | Tarzan Triumphs | Sergeant | Movie | 1943 |
 | China Girl | Jarubi | Movie | 1942 |
 | Desperate Journey | Preuss | Movie | 1942 |
 | Berlin Correspondent | Dr. Dietrich | Movie | 1942 |
 | Enemy Agents Meet Ellery Queen | Heinrich, Spy Leader | Movie | 1942 |
 | Crossroads | Dr. Alex Dubroc | Movie | 1942 |
 | To Be or Not to Be | Col. Ehrhardt | Movie | 1942 |
 | Remember Pearl Harbor | Dirk Van Hoorten | Movie | 1942 |
 | Breakdowns of 1941 | Self (archive footage) (uncredited) | Movie | 1941 |
 | This Woman Is Mine | John Jacob Astor | Movie | 1941 |
 | World Premiere | Franz von Bushmaster | Movie | 1941 |
 | Shining Victory | Professor Herman Von Reiter | Movie | 1941 |
 | Love Crazy | Dr. Wuthering | Movie | 1941 |
 | The Wagons Roll at Night | Hoffman the Great | Movie | 1941 |
 | That Uncertain Feeling | Kafka (as Sig Rumann) | Movie | 1941 |
 | The Man Who Lost Himself | Dr. Simms (as Sig Rumann) | Movie | 1941 |
 | So Ends Our Night | Ammers | Movie | 1941 |
 | Victory | Mr. Schomberg | Movie | 1940 |
 | Comrade X | Emil Von Hofer | Movie | 1940 |
 | Bitter Sweet | Herr Schlick | Movie | 1940 |
 | Four Sons | Newmann | Movie | 1940 |
 | I Was an Adventuress | Herr Protz | Movie | 1940 |
 | Outside the Three-Mile Limit | Van Cleve | Movie | 1940 |
 | Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet | Dr. Hans Wolfert | Movie | 1940 |
 | Remember? | Dr. Schmidt | Movie | 1939 |
 | Ninotchka | Comrade Iranoff | Movie | 1939 |
 | Only Angels Have Wings | Dutchy | Movie | 1939 |
 | Confessions of a Nazi Spy | Krogman | Movie | 1939 |
 | Never Say Die | Poppa Ingleborg | Movie | 1939 |
 | Honolulu | Psychiatrist | Movie | 1939 |
 | The Great Waltz | Wertheimer | Movie | 1938 |
 | Suez | Sergeant Pellerin | Movie | 1938 |
 | Girls on Probation | Roger Heath | Movie | 1938 |
 | I'll Give a Million | Anatole Primerose | Movie | 1938 |
 | Paradise for Three | Mr. Bold | Movie | 1938 |
 | The Saint in New York | Hutch Rellin | Movie | 1938 |
 | Thank You, Mr. Moto | Colonel Tchernov | Movie | 1937 |
 | Nothing Sacred | Dr. Emil Eggelhoffer | Movie | 1937 |
 | Heidi | Police Captain | Movie | 1937 |
 | Lancer Spy | Lt. Col. Gottfried Hollen | Movie | 1937 |
 | Thin Ice | Prime Minister | Movie | 1937 |
 | Love Under Fire | General Montero | Movie | 1937 |
 | Think Fast, Mr. Moto | Nicolas Marloff | Movie | 1937 |
 | A Day at the Races | Dr. Leopold X. Steinberg | Movie | 1937 |
 | This Is My Affair | Gus | Movie | 1937 |
 | The Great Hospital Mystery | Dr. Taggert | Movie | 1937 |
 | Midnight Taxi | John B. Rudd | Movie | 1937 |
 | Maytime | Fanchon (as Sig Rumann) | Movie | 1937 |
 | Seventh Heaven | Durand (as Sig Rumann) | Movie | 1937 |
 | On the Avenue | Herr Hanfstangel | Movie | 1937 |
 | The Bold Caballero | Commandante Sebastian Golle | Movie | 1936 |
 | The Princess Comes Across | Steindorf | Movie | 1936 |
 | East of Java | Hans Muller | Movie | 1935 |
 | A Night at the Opera | Gottlieb | Movie | 1935 |
 | The Farmer Takes a Wife | Blacksmith | Movie | 1935 |
 | Spring Tonic | Matt Conklin | Movie | 1935 |
 | The Wedding Night | Mr. Jan Novak | Movie | 1935 |
 | Under Pressure | Doctor | Movie | 1935 |
 | Marie Galante | Brogard | Movie | 1934 |
 | Servants' Entrance | Hans Hansen (as Siegfried Rumann) | Movie | 1934 |
 | The World Moves On | Baron von Gerhardt (as Siegfried Rumann) | Movie | 1934 |
 | Die Königsloge | Bailiff | Movie | 1929 |
 | Lucky Boy | Bridge player (Unbilled) | Movie | 1929 |