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Sig Ruman

Actor

Sig Ruman

Born October 10, 1884 in Hamburg, GermanyDied February 14, 1967106 films

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).

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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.

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The best way into Sig Ruman's work
To Be or Not to Be posterFirst watchTo Be or Not to Be19427.8as Col. EhrhardtDuring the Nazi occupation of Poland, an acting troupe becomes embroiled in a Polish soldier's efforts to track down a German spy.View film

Essential films

Ranked by acclaim and reach
Stalag 17 poster7.7Stalag 171953A Night at the Opera poster7.4A Night at the Opera1935Ninotchka poster7.5Ninotchka1939White Christmas poster7.2White Christmas1954One, Two, Three poster7.5One, Two, Three1961The Fortune Cookie poster7.2The Fortune Cookie1966Only Angels Have Wings poster7.3Only Angels Have Wings1939A Day at the Races poster7.1A Day at the Races1937

Filmography

106 films as actor
  1. 1966Way... Way OutRussian Delegate
  2. 1966The Fortune CookieProfessor Winterhalter
  3. 1966The Last of the Secret Agents?Prof. Werner von Koenig
  4. 196436 HoursGerman Guard
  5. 1964Robin and the 7 HoodsHammacher (uncredited)
  6. 1961One, Two, ThreeCount von Droste Schattenburg (voice) (uncredited)
  7. 1961The Errand BoyBaron Elston Carteblanche
  8. 1960Around the World with Nellie BlyTug Captain
  9. 1957The Wings of EaglesManager
  10. 1955Spy ChasersKing Rinko
  11. 1955Many Rivers to CrossSpectacle Man
  12. 1955Carolina CannonballStefan
  13. 19543 Ring CircusFritz Schlitz
  14. 1954White ChristmasLandlord (uncredited)
  15. 1954Living It UpDr. Emile Egelhofer
  16. 1954The Glenn Miller StoryW. Kranz
  17. 1953The Girl on The Roof
  18. 1953HoudiniSchultz
  19. 1953Stalag 17Johann Schulz
  20. 1952Ma and Pa Kettle on VacationCyrus Kraft
  21. 1952The World in His ArmsGeneral Ivan Vorashilov
  22. 1952O. Henry's Full HouseMenkie (segment "The Gift of the Magi") (uncredited)
  23. 1951On the RivieraGapeaux
  24. 1950Father Is a BachelorJericho Schlosser
  25. 1949Border IncidentHugo Wolfgang Ulrich
  26. 1948The Emperor WaltzDr. Zwieback
  27. 1948Give My Regards to BroadwayArthur Dinkel
  28. 1948If You Knew SusieCount Alexis
  29. 1947Mother Wore TightsPapa
  30. 1946Faithful in My FashionProfessor Boris Riminoffsky
  31. 1946Night and DayWilowski
  32. 1946A Night in CasablancaCount Pfefferman / Heinrich Stubel
  33. 1945The Dolly SistersIgnatz Tsimmis
  34. 1945She Went to the RacesDr. Gurke
  35. 1945Men in Her DiaryMme. Irene
  36. 1945A Royal ScandalGeneral Ronsky
  37. 1944House of FrankensteinBurgomeister Hussman
  38. 1944Summer StormKuzma
  39. 1944The Hitler GangGeneral von Hindenburg
  40. 1944It Happened TomorrowMr. Beckstein
  41. 1943The Song of BernadetteLouis Bouriette
  42. 1943Government GirlAmbassador
  43. 1943Sweet Rosie O'GradyJoe Flugelman
  44. 1943They Came to Blow Up AmericaDr. Herman Holger
  45. 1943Tarzan TriumphsSergeant
  46. 1942China GirlJarubi
  47. 1942Desperate JourneyPreuss
  48. 1942Berlin CorrespondentDr. Dietrich
  49. 1942Enemy Agents Meet Ellery QueenHeinrich, Spy Leader
  50. 1942CrossroadsDr. Alex Dubroc
  51. 1942To Be or Not to BeCol. Ehrhardt
  52. 1942Remember Pearl HarborDirk Van Hoorten
  53. 1941This Woman Is MineJohn Jacob Astor
  54. 1941World PremiereFranz von Bushmaster
  55. 1941Shining VictoryProfessor Herman Von Reiter
  56. 1941Love CrazyDr. Wuthering
  57. 1941The Wagons Roll at NightHoffman the Great
  58. 1941That Uncertain FeelingKafka (as Sig Rumann)
  59. 1941The Man Who Lost HimselfDr. Simms (as Sig Rumann)
  60. 1941So Ends Our NightAmmers
  61. 1940VictoryMr. Schomberg
  62. 1940Comrade XEmil Von Hofer
  63. 1940Bitter SweetHerr Schlick
  64. 1940Four SonsNewmann
  65. 1940I Was an AdventuressHerr Protz
  66. 1940Outside the Three-Mile LimitVan Cleve
  67. 1940Dr. Ehrlich's Magic BulletDr. Hans Wolfert
  68. 1939Remember?Dr. Schmidt
  69. 1939NinotchkaComrade Iranoff
  70. 1939Only Angels Have WingsDutchy
  71. 1939Confessions of a Nazi SpyKrogman
  72. 1939Never Say DiePoppa Ingleborg
  73. 1939HonoluluPsychiatrist
  74. 1938The Great WaltzWertheimer
  75. 1938SuezSergeant Pellerin
  76. 1938Girls on ProbationRoger Heath
  77. 1938I'll Give a MillionAnatole Primerose
  78. 1938Paradise for ThreeMr. Bold
  79. 1938The Saint in New YorkHutch Rellin
  80. 1937Thank You, Mr. MotoColonel Tchernov
  81. 1937Nothing SacredDr. Emil Eggelhoffer
  82. 1937HeidiPolice Captain
  83. 1937Lancer SpyLt. Col. Gottfried Hollen
  84. 1937Thin IcePrime Minister
  85. 1937Love Under FireGeneral Montero
  86. 1937Think Fast, Mr. MotoNicolas Marloff
  87. 1937A Day at the RacesDr. Leopold X. Steinberg
  88. 1937This Is My AffairGus
  89. 1937The Great Hospital MysteryDr. Taggert
  90. 1937Midnight TaxiJohn B. Rudd
  91. 1937MaytimeFanchon
  92. 1937Seventh HeavenDurand (as Sig Rumann)
  93. 1937On the AvenueHerr Hanfstangel
  94. 1936The Bold CaballeroCommandante Sebastian Golle
  95. 1936The Princess Comes AcrossSteindorf
  96. 1935East of JavaHans Muller
  97. 1935A Night at the OperaGottlieb
  98. 1935The Farmer Takes a WifeBlacksmith
  99. 1935Spring TonicMatt Conklin
  100. 1935The Wedding NightMr. Jan Novak
  101. 1935Under PressureDoctor
  102. 1934Marie GalanteBrogard
  103. 1934Servants' EntranceHans Hansen (as Siegfried Rumann)
  104. 1934The World Moves OnBaron von Gerhardt (as Siegfried Rumann)
  105. 1929Die KönigslogeBailiff
  106. 1929Lucky BoyBridge player (Unbilled)