Person
Sig Ruman
Acting · 1884–1967 · Hamburg, Germany
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.
Known for
Maverick
1957
Daniel Boone
Van Coot
Petticoat Junction
Professor Lieberschmit
Lawman
1958
The Addams Family
Eric Von Bissell
One Step Beyond
Franz Schuldorf
The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis
Himelmayer
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Conductor Schultz
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
Self
The Danny Kaye Show
Self
Filmography
- 1972Hollywood: The Dream FactorySelf (archive footage)
- 1966Way... Way OutRussian Delegate
- 1966The Fortune CookieProfessor Winterhalter
- 1966The Last of the Secret Agents?Prof. Werner von Koenig
- 1966Doom of DraculaThe Burgomaster (archive footage)
- 1965Hank
- 196436 HoursGerman Guard
- 1964Daniel BooneVan Coot
- 1964The Man from U.N.C.L.E.Conductor Schultz
- 1964The Addams FamilyEric Von Bissell
- 1964Robin and the 7 HoodsHammacher (uncredited)
- 1963The Danny Kaye ShowSelf
- 1963Petticoat JunctionProfessor Lieberschmit
- 1961One, Two, ThreeCount von Droste Schattenburg (voice) (uncredited)
- 1961The Errand BoyBaron Elston Carteblanche
- 1960Pete and Gladys
- 1960Around the World with Nellie BlyTug Captain
- 1959The Many Loves of Dobie GillisHimelmayer
- 1959Johnny Staccato
- 1959One Step BeyondFranz Schuldorf
- 1958Lawman
- 1957Maverick
- 1957The Wings of EaglesManager
- 1956The Dinah Shore Chevy ShowSelf
- 1955Spy ChasersKing Rinko
- 1955Many Rivers to CrossSpectacle Man
- 1955Carolina CannonballStefan
- 19543 Ring CircusFritz Schlitz
- 1954White ChristmasLandlord (uncredited)
- 1954Living It UpDr. Emile Egelhofer
- 1954The Glenn Miller StoryW. Kranz
- 1953The Girl on The Roof
- 1953HoudiniSchultz
- 1953Stalag 17Sgt. Johann Sebastian Schulz
- 1953General Electric TheaterDr. Haegendorff
- 1953Private Secretary
- 1952Ma and Pa Kettle on VacationCyrus Kraft
- 1952The World in His ArmsGeneral Ivan Vorashilov
- 1952O. Henry's Full HouseMenkie (segment "The Gift of the Magi") (uncredited)
- 1951On the RivieraGapeaux
- 1950Father Is a BachelorJericho Schlosser
- 1949Border IncidentHugo Wolfgang Ulrich
- 1948The Emperor WaltzDr. Zwieback
- 1948Give My Regards to BroadwayArthur Dinkel
- 1948If You Knew SusieCount Alexis
- 1947Mother Wore TightsPapa
- 1946Faithful in My FashionProfessor Boris Riminoffsky
- 1946Night and DayWilowski
- 1946A Night in CasablancaCount Pfefferman / Heinrich Stubel
- 1945The Dolly SistersIgnatz Tsimmis
- 1945She Went to the RacesDr. Gurke
- 1945Men in Her DiaryMme. Irene
- 1945A Royal ScandalGeneral Ronsky
- 1944House of FrankensteinBurgomeister Hussman
- 1944Summer StormKuzma
- 1944The Hitler GangGeneral von Hindenburg
- 1944It Happened TomorrowMr. Beckstein
- 1943The Song of BernadetteLouis Bouriette
- 1943Government GirlAmbassador
- 1943Sweet Rosie O'GradyJoe Flugelman
- 1943They Came to Blow Up AmericaDr. Herman Holger
- 1943Tarzan TriumphsSergeant
- 1942China GirlJarubi
- 1942Desperate JourneyPreuss
- 1942Berlin CorrespondentDr. Dietrich
- 1942Enemy Agents Meet Ellery QueenHeinrich, Spy Leader
- 1942CrossroadsDr. Alex Dubroc
- 1942To Be or Not to BeCol. Ehrhardt
- 1942Remember Pearl HarborDirk Van Hoorten
- 1941Breakdowns of 1941Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 1941This Woman Is MineJohn Jacob Astor
- 1941World PremiereFranz von Bushmaster
- 1941Shining VictoryProfessor Herman Von Reiter
- 1941Love CrazyDr. Wuthering
- 1941The Wagons Roll at NightHoffman the Great
- 1941That Uncertain FeelingKafka (as Sig Rumann)
- 1941The Man Who Lost HimselfDr. Simms (as Sig Rumann)
- 1941So Ends Our NightAmmers
- 1940VictoryMr. Schomberg
- 1940Comrade XEmil Von Hofer
- 1940Bitter SweetHerr Schlick
- 1940Four SonsNewmann
- 1940I Was an AdventuressHerr Protz
- 1940Outside the Three-Mile LimitVan Cleve
- 1940Dr. Ehrlich's Magic BulletDr. Hans Wolfert
- 1939Remember?Dr. Schmidt
- 1939NinotchkaComrade Iranoff
- 1939Only Angels Have WingsDutchy
- 1939Confessions of a Nazi SpyKrogman
- 1939Never Say DiePoppa Ingleborg
- 1939HonoluluPsychiatrist
- 1938The Great WaltzWertheimer
- 1938SuezSergeant Pellerin
- 1938Girls on ProbationRoger Heath
- 1938I'll Give a MillionAnatole Primerose
- 1938Paradise for ThreeMr. Bold
- 1938The Saint in New YorkHutch Rellin
- 1937Thank You, Mr. MotoColonel Tchernov
- 1937Nothing SacredDr. Emil Eggelhoffer
- 1937HeidiPolice Captain
- 1937Lancer SpyLt. Col. Gottfried Hollen
- 1937Thin IcePrime Minister
- 1937Love Under FireGeneral Montero
- 1937Think Fast, Mr. MotoNicolas Marloff
- 1937A Day at the RacesDr. Leopold X. Steinberg
- 1937This Is My AffairGus
- 1937The Great Hospital MysteryDr. Taggert
- 1937Midnight TaxiJohn B. Rudd
- 1937MaytimeFanchon (as Sig Rumann)
- 1937Seventh HeavenDurand (as Sig Rumann)
- 1937On the AvenueHerr Hanfstangel
- 1936The Bold CaballeroCommandante Sebastian Golle
- 1936The Princess Comes AcrossSteindorf
- 1935East of JavaHans Muller
- 1935A Night at the OperaGottlieb
- 1935The Farmer Takes a WifeBlacksmith
- 1935Spring TonicMatt Conklin
- 1935The Wedding NightMr. Jan Novak
- 1935Under PressureDoctor
- 1934Marie GalanteBrogard
- 1934Servants' EntranceHans Hansen (as Siegfried Rumann)
- 1934The World Moves OnBaron von Gerhardt (as Siegfried Rumann)
- 1929Die KönigslogeBailiff
- 1929Lucky BoyBridge player (Unbilled)
Follow their work on Vescene
Rate films and shows on two axes — quality and fun — and share taste with friends.