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

Heidi
Heidi

1937

as Police Captain

Ninotchka
Ninotchka

1939

as Comrade Iranoff

One, Two, Three
One, Two, Three

1961

as Count von Droste Schattenburg (voice) (uncredited)

36 Hours
36 Hours

1964

as German Guard

Stalag 17
Stalag 17

1953

as Sgt. Johann Sebastian Schulz

A Night at the Opera
A Night at the Opera

1935

as Gottlieb

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

1942

as Col. Ehrhardt

Houdini
Houdini

1953

as Schultz

Summer Storm
Summer Storm

1944

as Kuzma

Only Angels Have Wings
Tarzan Triumphs
Tarzan Triumphs

1943

as Sergeant

Night and Day
Night and Day

1946

as Wilowski

White Christmas
White Christmas

1954

as Landlord (uncredited)

Marie Galante
Marie Galante

1934

as Brogard

The Glenn Miller Story
The Glenn Miller Story

1954

as W. Kranz

Lancer Spy
Lancer Spy

1937

as Lt. Col. Gottfried Hollen

Border Incident
Border Incident

1949

as Hugo Wolfgang Ulrich

Robin and the 7 Hoods
Robin and the 7 Hoods

1964

as Hammacher (uncredited)

The Song of Bernadette
The Song of Bernadette

1943

as Louis Bouriette

Comrade X
Comrade X

1940

as Emil Von Hofer