Sig Ruman
Known for
Acting
Life
1884 – 1967 (aged 82)
Born in
Hamburg, Germany
Credits
View on IMDb120 acting credits
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
To Be or Not to Be
06 Mar 1942
Stalag 17
29 May 1953
White Christmas
14 Oct 1954
A Night at the Opera
15 Nov 1935
The Addams Family
18 Sep 1964
Ninotchka
16 Nov 1939
One, Two, Three
15 Dec 1961
The Fortune Cookie
19 Oct 1966
Photos
Filmography
1966
- Way... Way Outas Russian Delegate
- The Fortune Cookieas Professor Winterhalter
- The Last of the Secret Agents?as Prof. Werner von Koenig
- Doom of Draculaas The Burgomaster (archive footage)
1965
- Hank1 episode
1964
- 36 Hoursas German Guard
- Daniel Booneas Van Coot1 episode
- The Man from U.N.C.L.E.as Conductor Schultz1 episode
- The Addams Familyas Eric Von Bissell1 episode
- Robin and the 7 Hoodsas Hammacher (uncredited)
1963
- Petticoat Junctionas Professor Lieberschmit1 episode
1961
- One, Two, Threeas Count von Droste Schattenburg (voice) (uncredited)
- The Errand Boyas Baron Elston Carteblanche
1960
- Pete and Gladys2 episodes
- Around the World with Nellie Blyas Tug Captain
1959
- The Many Loves of Dobie Gillisas Himelmayer1 episode
- Johnny Staccato1 episode
- One Step Beyondas Franz Schuldorf1 episode
1958
- Lawman2 episodes
1957
- Maverickas Capt. Steeger1 episode
- The Wings of Eaglesas Manager
1955
- Spy Chasersas King Rinko
- Many Rivers to Crossas Spectacle Man
- Carolina Cannonballas Stefan
1954
- 3 Ring Circusas Fritz Schlitz
- White Christmasas Landlord (uncredited)
- Living It Upas Dr. Emile Egelhofer
- The Glenn Miller Storyas W. Kranz
1953
- The Girl on The Roof
- Houdinias Schultz
- Stalag 17as Johann Schulz
- General Electric Theateras Dr. Haegendorff1 episode
- Private Secretary1 episode
1952
- Ma and Pa Kettle on Vacationas Cyrus Kraft
- The World in His Armsas General Ivan Vorashilov
- O. Henry's Full Houseas Menkie (segment "The Gift of the Magi") (uncredited)
1951
- On the Rivieraas Gapeaux
1950
- Father Is a Bacheloras Jericho Schlosser
1949
- Border Incidentas Hugo Wolfgang Ulrich
1948
- The Emperor Waltzas Dr. Zwieback
- Give My Regards to Broadwayas Arthur Dinkel
- If You Knew Susieas Count Alexis
1947
- Mother Wore Tightsas Papa
1946
- Faithful in My Fashionas Professor Boris Riminoffsky
- Night and Dayas Wilowski
- A Night in Casablancaas Count Pfefferman
1945
- The Dolly Sistersas Ignatz Tsimmis
- She Went to the Racesas Dr. Gurke
- Men in Her Diaryas Mme. Irene
- A Royal Scandalas General Ronsky
1944
- House of Frankensteinas Burgomeister Hussman
- Summer Stormas Kuzma
- The Hitler Gangas General von Hindenburg
- It Happened Tomorrowas Mr. Beckstein
1943
- The Song of Bernadetteas Louis Bouriette
- Government Girlas Ambassador
- Sweet Rosie O'Gradyas Joe Flugelman
- They Came to Blow Up Americaas Dr. Herman Holger
- Tarzan Triumphsas Sergeant
1942
- China Girlas Jarubi
- Desperate Journeyas Preuss
- Berlin Correspondentas Dr. Dietrich
- Enemy Agents Meet Ellery Queenas Heinrich, Spy Leader
- Crossroadsas Dr. Alex Dubroc
- To Be or Not to Beas Col. Ehrhardt
- Remember Pearl Harboras Dirk Van Hoorten
1941
- This Woman Is Mineas John Jacob Astor
- World Premiereas Franz von Bushmaster
- Shining Victoryas Professor Herman Von Reiter
- Love Crazyas Dr. Wuthering
- The Wagons Roll at Nightas Hoffman the Great
- That Uncertain Feelingas Kafka (as Sig Rumann)
- The Man Who Lost Himselfas Dr. Simms (as Sig Rumann)
- So Ends Our Nightas Ammers
1940
- Victoryas Mr. Schomberg
- Comrade Xas Emil Von Hofer
- Bitter Sweetas Herr Schlick
- Four Sonsas Newmann
- I Was an Adventuressas Herr Protz
- Outside the Three-Mile Limitas Van Cleve
- Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bulletas Dr. Hans Wolfert
1939
- Remember?as Dr. Schmidt
- Ninotchkaas Comrade Iranoff
- Only Angels Have Wingsas Dutchy
- Confessions of a Nazi Spyas Krogman
- Never Say Dieas Poppa Ingleborg
- Honoluluas Psychiatrist
1938
- The Great Waltzas Wertheimer
- Suezas Sergeant Pellerin
- Girls on Probationas Roger Heath
- I'll Give a Millionas Anatole Primerose
- Paradise for Threeas Mr. Bold
- The Saint in New Yorkas Hutch Rellin
1937
- Thank You, Mr. Motoas Colonel Tchernov
- Nothing Sacredas Dr. Emil Eggelhoffer
- Heidias Police Captain
- Lancer Spyas Lt. Col. Gottfried Hollen
- Thin Iceas Prime Minister
- Love Under Fireas General Montero
- Think Fast, Mr. Motoas Nicolas Marloff
- A Day at the Racesas Dr. Leopold X. Steinberg
- This Is My Affairas Gus
- The Great Hospital Mysteryas Dr. Taggert
- Midnight Taxias John B. Rudd
- Maytimeas Fanchon (as Sig Rumann)
- Seventh Heavenas Durand (as Sig Rumann)
- On the Avenueas Herr Hanfstangel
1936
- The Bold Caballeroas Commandante Sebastian Golle
- The Princess Comes Acrossas Steindorf
1935
- East of Javaas Hans Muller
- A Night at the Operaas Gottlieb
- The Farmer Takes a Wifeas Blacksmith
- Spring Tonicas Matt Conklin
- The Wedding Nightas Mr. Jan Novak
- Under Pressureas Doctor
1934
- Marie Galanteas Brogard
- Servants' Entranceas Hans Hansen (as Siegfried Rumann)
- The World Moves Onas Baron von Gerhardt (as Siegfried Rumann)
1929
- Die Königslogeas Bailiff
- Lucky Boyas Bridge player (Unbilled)