Sig Ruman

Sig Ruman

1884-10-10 – 1967-02-14 (age 82) Hamburg, Germany
View on IMDb ↗

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.

Photos

Known For

Robin and the 7 Hoods
Robin and the 7 Hoods

1964

as Hammacher (uncredited)

Ninotchka
Ninotchka

1939

as Comrade Iranoff

The Glenn Miller Story
The Glenn Miller Story

1954

as W. Kranz

White Christmas
White Christmas

1954

as Landlord (uncredited)

One, Two, Three
One, Two, Three

1961

as Count von Droste Schattenburg (voice) (uncredited)

To Be or Not to Be
To Be or Not to Be

1942

as Col. Ehrhardt

A Day at the Races
A Day at the Races

1937

as Dr. Leopold X. Steinberg

Stalag 17
Stalag 17

1953

as Johann Schulz

The Song of Bernadette
The Song of Bernadette

1943

as Louis Bouriette

Houdini
Houdini

1953

as Schultz

The Fortune Cookie
The Fortune Cookie

1966

as Professor Winterhalter

A Night in Casablanca
A Night in Casablanca

1946

as Count Pfefferman / Heinrich Stubel

Only Angels Have Wings
China Girl
China Girl

1942

as Jarubi

A Night at the Opera
A Night at the Opera

1935

as Gottlieb

House of Frankenstein
House of Frankenstein

1944

as Burgomeister Hussman

36 Hours
36 Hours

1964

as German Guard

The Wings of Eagles
The Wings of Eagles

1957

as Manager

Nothing Sacred
Nothing Sacred

1937

as Dr. Emil Eggelhoffer

O. Henry's Full House
O. Henry's Full House

1952

as Menkie (segment "The Gift of the Magi") (uncredited)