Sig Ruman
Acting
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.
Born: October 10, 1884
Place of Birth: Hamburg, Germany
Known For
The Addams Family
A satirical inversion of the ideal of the perfect American nuclear family, they are an eccentric wealthy family who delight in everything grotesque and macabre, and are never really aware that people find them bizarre or frightening. In fact, they themselves are often terrified by "normal" people.
To Be or Not to Be
During the Nazi occupation of Poland, an acting troupe becomes embroiled in a Polish soldier's efforts to track down a German spy.
Stalag 17
After two American prisoners are killed by guards in the act of escaping from a German POW camp in World War II, barracks black marketeer J.J. Sefton is suspected of being an informer.
Ma and Pa Kettle on Vacation
The Kettles are in Paris along with their daughter-in-law's parents the Parkers. Pa tries to buy racy postcards. He also gets in big trouble when he is given a letter to deliver to Adolph Wade, a spy who gets killed by spies Inez and Cyrus Kraft.
Ninotchka
A stern Russian woman sent to Paris on official business finds herself attracted to a man who represents everything she is supposed to detest.
One, Two, Three
In Cold War-era West Berlin, American Coca-Cola executive C.R. 'Mac' MacNamara is tasked with playing babysitter to his boss' spoiled 17-year-old daughter Scarlett, who proves more difficult than anticipated when she reveals that she is pregnant by a Communist.
If You Knew Susie
In the small town of Brookford, everybody can trace their ancestors back to the Revolutionary War, except Sam and Susie Parker. One day, however, they find a letter written by George Washington that mentions the bravery of a Revolutionary War hero named Parker.
A Night at the Opera
The Marx Brothers take on high society and the opera world to bring two lovers together. A sly business manager and two wacky friends of two opera singers help them achieve success while humiliating their stuffy and snobbish enemies.
Father Is a Bachelor
Johnny Rutledge is a drifter who comes to and discovers a cabin in the forest where five kids: January, February, March, April, and May are living without parents. Their parents died a while ago, and they want to keep that secret from the townspeople, especially the young school teacher, Prudence Millett, to avoid being sent to a children's home and eventual separation. Johnny moves in with the kids and poses as their uncle to take care of them while romancing Prudence. But in order to keep the children, he has to get married.
This Is My Affair
President McKinley asks Lt. Richard L. Perry to go underground to identify some obviously very well briefed Mid-Western bank robbers based in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
Filmography
as Self (archive footage)
as Russian Delegate
as Professor Winterhalter
as Prof. Werner von Koenig
as The Burgomaster (archive footage)
as German Guard
as Van Coot
as Conductor Schultz
as Eric Von Bissell
as Hammacher (uncredited)
as Self
as Professor Lieberschmit
as Count von Droste Schattenburg (voice) (uncredited)
as Baron Elston Carteblanche
as Tug Captain
as Himelmayer
as Franz Schuldorf
as Capt. Steeger
as Manager
as Self
as King Rinko
as Spectacle Man
as Stefan
as Fritz Schlitz
as Landlord (uncredited)
as Dr. Emile Egelhofer
as W. Kranz
as Schultz
as Sgt. Johann Sebastian Schulz
as Dr. Haegendorff
as Cyrus Kraft
as General Ivan Vorashilov
as Menkie (segment "The Gift of the Magi") (uncredited)
as Gapeaux
as Jericho Schlosser
as Hugo Wolfgang Ulrich
as Dr. Zwieback
as Arthur Dinkel
as Count Alexis
as Papa
as Professor Boris Riminoffsky
as Wilowski
as Count Pfefferman / Heinrich Stubel
as Ignatz Tsimmis
as Dr. Gurke
as Mme. Irene
as General Ronsky
as Burgomeister Hussman
as Kuzma
as General von Hindenburg
as Mr. Beckstein
as Louis Bouriette
as Ambassador
as Joe Flugelman
as Dr. Herman Holger
as Sergeant
as Jarubi
as Preuss
as Dr. Dietrich
as Heinrich, Spy Leader
as Dr. Alex Dubroc
as Col. Ehrhardt
as Dirk Van Hoorten
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
as John Jacob Astor
as Franz von Bushmaster
as Professor Herman Von Reiter
as Dr. Wuthering
as Hoffman the Great
as Kafka (as Sig Rumann)
as Dr. Simms (as Sig Rumann)
as Ammers
as Mr. Schomberg
as Emil Von Hofer
as Herr Schlick
as Newmann
as Herr Protz
as Van Cleve
as Dr. Hans Wolfert
as Dr. Schmidt
as Comrade Iranoff
as Dutchy
as Krogman
as Poppa Ingleborg
as Psychiatrist
as Wertheimer
as Sergeant Pellerin
as Roger Heath
as Anatole Primerose
as Mr. Bold
as Hutch Rellin
as Colonel Tchernov
as Dr. Emil Eggelhoffer
as Police Captain
as Lt. Col. Gottfried Hollen
as Prime Minister
as General Montero
as Nicolas Marloff
as Dr. Leopold X. Steinberg
as Gus
as Dr. Taggert
as John B. Rudd
as Fanchon (as Sig Rumann)
as Durand (as Sig Rumann)
as Herr Hanfstangel
as Commandante Sebastian Golle
as Steindorf
as Hans Muller
as Gottlieb
as Blacksmith
as Matt Conklin
as Mr. Jan Novak
as Doctor
as Brogard
as Hans Hansen (as Siegfried Rumann)
as Baron von Gerhardt (as Siegfried Rumann)
as Bailiff
as Bridge player (Unbilled)