Sig Ruman
Born
October 10, 1884 (age 82)
Died
February 14, 1967
Birthplace
Hamburg, Germany

Sig Ruman

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.

Movies

Way... Way Out
Way... Way Out
1966 ★ 5.7
Russian Delegate
The Fortune Cookie
The Fortune Cookie
1966 ★ 7.1
Professor Winterhalter
The Last of the Secret Agents?
The Last of the Secret Agents?
1966 ★ 3.3
Prof. Werner von Koenig
Doom of Dracula
Doom of Dracula
1966
The Burgomaster (archive footage)
36 Hours
36 Hours
1964 ★ 7.0
German Guard
Robin and the 7 Hoods
Robin and the 7 Hoods
1964 ★ 6.1
Hammacher (uncredited)
One, Two, Three
One, Two, Three
1961 ★ 7.5
Count von Droste Schattenburg (voice) (uncredited)
The Errand Boy
The Errand Boy
1961 ★ 6.1
Baron Elston Carteblanche
Around the World with Nellie Bly
Around the World with Nellie Bly
1960
Tug Captain
The Wings of Eagles
The Wings of Eagles
1957 ★ 6.2
Manager
Spy Chasers
Spy Chasers
1955 ★ 7.0
King Rinko
Many Rivers to Cross
Many Rivers to Cross
1955 ★ 6.2
Spectacle Man
Carolina Cannonball
Carolina Cannonball
1955
Stefan
3 Ring Circus
3 Ring Circus
1954 ★ 5.5
Fritz Schlitz
White Christmas
White Christmas
1954 ★ 7.2
Landlord (uncredited)
Living It Up
Living It Up
1954 ★ 6.4
Dr. Emile Egelhofer
The Glenn Miller Story
The Glenn Miller Story
1954 ★ 6.9
W. Kranz
The Girl on The Roof
The Girl on The Roof
1953 ★ 4.4
Houdini
Houdini
1953 ★ 6.5
Schultz
Stalag 17
Stalag 17
1953 ★ 7.7
Sgt. Johann Sebastian Schulz
Ma and Pa Kettle on Vacation
Ma and Pa Kettle on Vacation
1952 ★ 7.2
Cyrus Kraft
The World in His Arms
The World in His Arms
1952 ★ 6.5
General Ivan Vorashilov
O. Henry's Full House
O. Henry's Full House
1952 ★ 6.7
Menkie (segment "The Gift of the Magi") (uncredited)
On the Riviera
On the Riviera
1951 ★ 5.9
Gapeaux
Father Is a Bachelor
Father Is a Bachelor
1950 ★ 7.4
Jericho Schlosser
Border Incident
Border Incident
1949 ★ 6.9
Hugo Wolfgang Ulrich
The Emperor Waltz
The Emperor Waltz
1948 ★ 6.0
Dr. Zwieback
Give My Regards to Broadway
Give My Regards to Broadway
1948 ★ 7.0
Arthur Dinkel
If You Knew Susie
If You Knew Susie
1948 ★ 7.5
Count Alexis
Mother Wore Tights
Mother Wore Tights
1947 ★ 5.3
Papa
Faithful in My Fashion
Faithful in My Fashion
1946 ★ 6.3
Professor Boris Riminoffsky
Night and Day
Night and Day
1946 ★ 5.9
Wilowski
A Night in Casablanca
A Night in Casablanca
1946 ★ 6.8
Count Pfefferman / Heinrich Stubel
The Dolly Sisters
The Dolly Sisters
1945 ★ 5.2
Ignatz Tsimmis
She Went to the Races
She Went to the Races
1945 ★ 5.5
Dr. Gurke
Men in Her Diary
Men in Her Diary
1945
Mme. Irene
A Royal Scandal
A Royal Scandal
1945 ★ 6.9
General Ronsky
House of Frankenstein
House of Frankenstein
1944 ★ 6.0
Burgomeister Hussman
Summer Storm
Summer Storm
1944 ★ 5.3
Kuzma
The Hitler Gang
The Hitler Gang
1944 ★ 6.0
General von Hindenburg
It Happened Tomorrow
It Happened Tomorrow
1944 ★ 6.7
Mr. Beckstein
The Song of Bernadette
The Song of Bernadette
1943 ★ 7.0
Louis Bouriette
Government Girl
Government Girl
1943 ★ 5.2
Ambassador
Sweet Rosie O'Grady
Sweet Rosie O'Grady
1943 ★ 6.0
Joe Flugelman
They Came to Blow Up America
They Came to Blow Up America
1943 ★ 6.2
Dr. Herman Holger
Tarzan Triumphs
Tarzan Triumphs
1943 ★ 6.1
Sergeant
China Girl
China Girl
1942 ★ 5.3
Jarubi
Desperate Journey
Desperate Journey
1942 ★ 6.0
Preuss
Berlin Correspondent
Berlin Correspondent
1942 ★ 5.9
Dr. Dietrich
Enemy Agents Meet Ellery Queen
Enemy Agents Meet Ellery Queen
1942 ★ 5.5
Heinrich, Spy Leader
Crossroads
Crossroads
1942 ★ 5.8
Dr. Alex Dubroc
To Be or Not to Be
To Be or Not to Be
1942 ★ 7.8
Col. Ehrhardt
Remember Pearl Harbor
Remember Pearl Harbor
1942 ★ 6.0
Dirk Van Hoorten
This Woman Is Mine
This Woman Is Mine
1941 ★ 4.0
John Jacob Astor
World Premiere
World Premiere
1941 ★ 5.0
Franz von Bushmaster
Shining Victory
Shining Victory
1941 ★ 5.9
Professor Herman Von Reiter
Love Crazy
Love Crazy
1941 ★ 6.7
Dr. Wuthering
The Wagons Roll at Night
The Wagons Roll at Night
1941 ★ 6.5
Hoffman the Great
That Uncertain Feeling
That Uncertain Feeling
1941 ★ 6.6
Kafka (as Sig Rumann)
The Man Who Lost Himself
The Man Who Lost Himself
1941 ★ 4.3
Dr. Simms (as Sig Rumann)
So Ends Our Night
So Ends Our Night
1941 ★ 6.2
Ammers
Victory
Victory
1940
Mr. Schomberg
Comrade X
Comrade X
1940 ★ 6.0
Emil Von Hofer
Bitter Sweet
Bitter Sweet
1940 ★ 5.8
Herr Schlick
Four Sons
Four Sons
1940 ★ 7.0
Newmann
I Was an Adventuress
I Was an Adventuress
1940 ★ 6.3
Herr Protz
Outside the Three-Mile Limit
Outside the Three-Mile Limit
1940 ★ 4.0
Van Cleve
Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet
Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet
1940 ★ 6.5
Dr. Hans Wolfert
Remember?
Remember?
1939 ★ 5.8
Dr. Schmidt
Ninotchka
Ninotchka
1939 ★ 7.5
Comrade Iranoff
Only Angels Have Wings
Only Angels Have Wings
1939 ★ 7.3
Dutchy
Confessions of a Nazi Spy
Confessions of a Nazi Spy
1939 ★ 6.0
Krogman
Never Say Die
Never Say Die
1939 ★ 6.8
Poppa Ingleborg
Honolulu
Honolulu
1939 ★ 6.1
Psychiatrist
The Great Waltz
The Great Waltz
1938 ★ 5.4
Wertheimer
Suez
Suez
1938 ★ 5.2
Sergeant Pellerin
Girls on Probation
Girls on Probation
1938 ★ 5.9
Roger Heath
I'll Give a Million
I'll Give a Million
1938 ★ 5.7
Anatole Primerose
Paradise for Three
Paradise for Three
1938 ★ 6.8
Mr. Bold
The Saint in New York
The Saint in New York
1938 ★ 6.4
Hutch Rellin
Thank You, Mr. Moto
Thank You, Mr. Moto
1937 ★ 6.1
Colonel Tchernov
Nothing Sacred
Nothing Sacred
1937 ★ 6.3
Dr. Emil Eggelhoffer
Heidi
Heidi
1937 ★ 6.8
Police Captain
Lancer Spy
Lancer Spy
1937 ★ 5.7
Lt. Col. Gottfried Hollen
Thin Ice
Thin Ice
1937 ★ 6.6
Prime Minister
Love Under Fire
Love Under Fire
1937 ★ 4.7
General Montero
Think Fast, Mr. Moto
Think Fast, Mr. Moto
1937 ★ 6.1
Nicolas Marloff
A Day at the Races
A Day at the Races
1937 ★ 7.1
Dr. Leopold X. Steinberg
This Is My Affair
This Is My Affair
1937 ★ 7.3
Gus
The Great Hospital Mystery
The Great Hospital Mystery
1937 ★ 4.0
Dr. Taggert
Midnight Taxi
Midnight Taxi
1937 ★ 5.0
John B. Rudd
Maytime
Maytime
1937 ★ 6.5
Fanchon (as Sig Rumann)
Seventh Heaven
Seventh Heaven
1937 ★ 6.3
Durand (as Sig Rumann)
On the Avenue
On the Avenue
1937 ★ 6.7
Herr Hanfstangel
The Bold Caballero
The Bold Caballero
1936 ★ 5.7
Commandante Sebastian Golle
The Princess Comes Across
The Princess Comes Across
1936 ★ 6.1
Steindorf
East of Java
East of Java
1935 ★ 6.0
Hans Muller
A Night at the Opera
A Night at the Opera
1935 ★ 7.4
Gottlieb
The Farmer Takes a Wife
The Farmer Takes a Wife
1935 ★ 6.1
Blacksmith
Spring Tonic
Spring Tonic
1935 ★ 5.3
Matt Conklin
The Wedding Night
The Wedding Night
1935 ★ 5.8
Mr. Jan Novak
Under Pressure
Under Pressure
1935 ★ 4.6
Doctor
Marie Galante
Marie Galante
1934 ★ 4.6
Brogard
Servants' Entrance
Servants' Entrance
1934
Hans Hansen (as Siegfried Rumann)
The World Moves On
The World Moves On
1934 ★ 5.6
Baron von Gerhardt (as Siegfried Rumann)
Die Königsloge
Die Königsloge
1929
Bailiff
Lucky Boy
Lucky Boy
1929 ★ 4.7
Bridge player (Unbilled)

TV Series