
Person
Charles Ruggles
Acting · 1886–1970 · Los Angeles, California, USA
Biography
Charles Ruggles had one of the longest careers in Hollywood, lasting more than 60 years and encompassing more than 100 films. He made his film debut in 1914 in The Patchwork Girl of Oz (1914) and worked steadily after that. He was memorably paired with Mary Boland in a series of comedies in the early 1930s, and was one of the standouts in the all-star comedy If I Had a Million (1932), as a harried, much-put-upon man who finally goes berserk in a china shop. Ruggles' slight stature and distinctive mannerisms - his fluttery, jumpy manner of speaking, his often befuddled look whenever events seemed about to overwhelm him, which was often - endeared him to generations of moviegoers. Memorable as Maj. Applegate the big-game hunter in the classic screwball comedy Bringing Up Baby (1938). Many will remember him as the narrator of the "Aesop's Fables" segment of the animated cartoon The Bullwinkle Show (1961). He was the brother of director Wesley Ruggles.
Known for

The Andy Griffith Show
John Canfield

Bewitched
Mr. Caldwell

The Bullwinkle Show
Aesop (voice)

Burke's Law
Mr. Gregory

The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Governor Callahan

The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends
Aesop (voice)
Vacation Playhouse
Eli Harcourt

The Parent Trap
Charles McKendrick

The Ruggles
Charles Ruggles

Bringing Up Baby
Major Applegate
Filmography
- 1976Bob Hope's World of ComedySelf - Tribute Montage (archive footage)
- 1967CarouselThe Starkeeper / Dr. Selden
- 1966Follow Me, Boys!John Everett Hughes
- 1966The Ugly DachshundDr. J. L. Pruitt
- 1964The Man from U.N.C.L.E.Governor Callahan
- 1964BewitchedMr. Caldwell
- 1964I'd Rather Be RichDr. Charles Crandall
- 1963Burke's LawMr. Gregory
- 1963Vacation PlayhouseEli Harcourt
- 1963Papa's Delicate ConditionAnthony Ghio
- 1963Son of FlubberJudge Murdock
- 1961The Pleasure of His CompanyMackenzie Savage
- 1961The Parent TrapCharles McKendrick
- 1961All in a Night's WorkDr. Warren Kingsley, Sr
- 1960The Andy Griffith ShowJohn Canfield
- 1960Aesop and SonAesop (voice)
- 1959The Bullwinkle ShowAesop (voice)
- 1959The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and FriendsAesop (voice)
- 1956EloiseMurphy
- 1954The World of Mr. SweeneyCicero P. Sweeney
- 1953Ben and MeBen Franklin (voice)
- 1949The RugglesCharles Ruggles
- 1949Look for the Silver LiningCaro "Pop" Miller
- 1949The Lovable CheatClaude Mercadet
- 1948Give My Regards to BroadwayToby Helper
- 1947RamrodBen Dickason
- 1947It Happened on Fifth AvenueMichael J. 'Mike' O'Connor
- 1947My Brother Talks to HorsesRichard Pennington Roeder
- 1947The Perfect MarriageDale Williams, Sr.
- 1946Gallant JourneyJim Montgomery
- 1946A Stolen LifeFreddie Linley
- 1945Incendiary BlondeCherokee Jim
- 1945Bedside MannerDr. J.H. 'Doc' Fredericks
- 1944The DoughgirlsStanley Slade
- 19443 Is a FamilySam Whitaker
- 1944Our Hearts Were Young and GayMr. Otis Skinner
- 1944The Road to VictoryMr. Ames (uncredited)
- 1944The Shining FutureMr. Ames
- 1943Dixie DuganPa Dugan
- 1942Friendly EnemiesHeinrich Block
- 1941The Perfect SnobDr. Edgar Mason (as Charlie Ruggles)
- 1941Go West, Young LadyJim Pendergast
- 1941The Parson of PanamintChuckawalla Bill Redfield
- 1941Model WifeMilo Everett
- 1941Honeymoon for ThreeHarvey Wilson
- 1940The Invisible WomanGeorge
- 1940No Time for ComedyPhilo Swift
- 1940Public Deb No. 1Milburn
- 1940MarylandDick Piper
- 1940Opened by MistakeBuzz Nelson
- 1940The Farmer's DaughterNicksie North
- 1939BalalaikaNicki Popoff
- 1939Night WorkHomer C. Fitch
- 1939Invitation to HappinessHenry 'Pop' Hardy
- 1939Sudden MoneySweeney J. Patterson
- 1939Boy TroubleHomer C. Fitch
- 1938His Exciting NightAdam Tripp
- 1938Service de LuxeRobinson
- 1938Breaking the IceSam Terwilliger
- 1938Screen Snapshots Series 17, No. 12Charles Ruggles
- 1938Hollywood HandicapHimself
- 1938Bringing Up BabyMajor Applegate
- 1937ExclusiveTod Swain
- 1937Turn Off the MoonJ. Elliott Dinwiddy
- 1936Mind Your Own BusinessOrville Shanks
- 1936Wives Never KnowHomer Bigelow
- 1936Hollywood BoulevardCharles Ruggles - Actor - Cameo Appearance (uncredited)
- 1936Yours for the AskingSunbather (uncredited)
- 1936Hearts DividedHenry
- 1936Early to BedChester Beatty
- 1936The Preview Murder MysteryHimself (Uncredited)
- 1936Anything GoesReverend Dr. Moon
- 1935The Big Broadcast of 1936Wilbur Sealingsworth
- 1935No More LadiesEdgar Holden
- 1935People Will TalkHenry Wilton
- 1935Ruggles of Red GapEgbert Floud
- 1934The Pursuit of HappinessAaron Kirkland
- 1934Friends of Mr. SweeneyAsaph 'Ace' Holliday
- 1934Murder in the Private CarGodfrey D. Scott
- 1934Melody in SpringWarren Blodgett
- 1934Six of a KindJ. Pinkham Whinney (as Charlie Ruggles)
- 1933Alice in WonderlandMarch Hare
- 1933Girl Without a RoomVergil Crock
- 1933Good-bye LoveOswald Groggs
- 1933Mama Loves PapaWilbur Todd
- 1933Melody CruisePete Wells
- 1933Terror AboardBlackie Witherspoon
- 1933Murders in the ZooPeter Yates
- 1932Madame ButterflyLieutenant Barton
- 1932If I Had a MillionHenry Peabody
- 1932Evenings for SaleBimpfl
- 1932Trouble in ParadiseMajor
- 1932The Night of June 13Philo Strawn (as Charlie Ruggles)
- 193270,000 WitnessesJohnny Moran
- 1932Love Me TonightViscount Gilbert de Varèze
- 1932Make Me a StarCharles Ruggles (uncredited)
- 1932This Is the NightBunny West
- 1932One Hour with YouAdolph
- 1932This Reckless AgeGoliath Whitney (as Charlie Ruggles)
- 1931Husband's HolidayClyde Saunders
- 1931The Beloved BachelorJerry Wells
- 1931The Smiling LieutenantMax
- 1931The House That Shadows Built(archive footage)
- 1931The Girl HabitCharlie Floyd
- 1931Honor Among LoversMonty Dunn
- 1930Charley's AuntFancourt Babberley
- 1930Her Wedding NightBertie Bird
- 1930Queen HighT. Boggs Johns
- 1930Young Man of ManhattanShorty Ross
- 1930Roadhouse NightsWillie Bindbugel
- 1929The Battle of ParisZizi
- 1929The Lady LiesCharlie Tayler
- 1929Gentlemen of the PressCharlie Haven
- 1923The Heart RaiderGaspard McMahon (an insurance clerk)
- 1915The Reform Candidate
- 1915Peer GyntThe Button Molder
- 1915The Majesty of the LawLawrence Evans
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