Sig Ruman

Sig Ruman

1884-10-10 – 1967-02-14 (age 82) Hamburg, Germany
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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.

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Known For

White Christmas
White Christmas

1954

as Landlord (uncredited)

Stalag 17
Stalag 17

1953

as Sgt. Johann Sebastian Schulz

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

The Glenn Miller Story
The Glenn Miller Story

1954

as W. Kranz

Ninotchka
Ninotchka

1939

as Comrade Iranoff

Night and Day
Night and Day

1946

as Wilowski

Heidi
Heidi

1937

as Police Captain

36 Hours
36 Hours

1964

as German Guard

Robin and the 7 Hoods
Robin and the 7 Hoods

1964

as Hammacher (uncredited)

A Night at the Opera
A Night at the Opera

1935

as Gottlieb

The World in His Arms
The World in His Arms

1952

as General Ivan Vorashilov

The Fortune Cookie
The Fortune Cookie

1966

as Professor Winterhalter

China Girl
China Girl

1942

as Jarubi

Living It Up
Living It Up

1954

as Dr. Emile Egelhofer

That Uncertain Feeling
That Uncertain Feeling

1941

as Kafka (as Sig Rumann)

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

1952

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

Only Angels Have Wings
Remember?
Remember?

1939

as Dr. Schmidt

The Song of Bernadette
The Song of Bernadette

1943

as Louis Bouriette