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 Johann Schulz

One, Two, Three
One, Two, Three

1961

as Count von Droste Schattenburg (voice) (uncredited)

Ninotchka
Ninotchka

1939

as Comrade Iranoff

Robin and the 7 Hoods
Robin and the 7 Hoods

1964

as Hammacher (uncredited)

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

1942

as Col. Ehrhardt

China Girl
China Girl

1942

as Jarubi

Berlin Correspondent
Berlin Correspondent

1942

as Dr. Dietrich

Only Angels Have Wings
Heidi
Heidi

1937

as Police Captain

A Night at the Opera
A Night at the Opera

1935

as Gottlieb

The Fortune Cookie
The Fortune Cookie

1966

as Professor Winterhalter

The Glenn Miller Story
The Glenn Miller Story

1954

as W. Kranz

Houdini
Houdini

1953

as Schultz

Confessions of a Nazi Spy
O. Henry's Full House
O. Henry's Full House

1952

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

Night and Day
Night and Day

1946

as Wilowski

The World in His Arms
The World in His Arms

1952

as General Ivan Vorashilov

Many Rivers to Cross
Many Rivers to Cross

1955

as Spectacle Man

A Royal Scandal
A Royal Scandal

1945

as General Ronsky