Sig Ruman

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

Prof. Werner von Koenig

The Last of the Secret Agents?

Col. Ehrhardt

To Be or Not to Be

Sgt. Johann Sebastian Schulz

Stalag 17

Burgomeister Hussman

House of Frankenstein

Comrade Iranoff

Ninotchka

Mr. Beckstein

It Happened Tomorrow

Wertheimer

The Great Waltz

Dr. Wuthering

Love Crazy

Steindorf

The Princess Comes Across

Dr. Leopold X. Steinberg

A Day at the Races

Emil Von Hofer

Comrade X

Count Pfefferman / Heinrich Stubel

A Night in Casablanca

Hugo Wolfgang Ulrich

Border Incident

Van Cleve

Outside the Three-Mile Limit

Dr. Alex Dubroc

Crossroads

Schultz

Houdini

Dr. Emil Eggelhoffer

Nothing Sacred

Kafka (as Sig Rumann)

That Uncertain Feeling

German Guard

36 Hours

Dutchy

Only Angels Have Wings

Gottlieb

A Night at the Opera

Prime Minister

Thin Ice

Fritz Schlitz

3 Ring Circus

Manager

The Wings of Eagles

W. Kranz

The Glenn Miller Story

Hutch Rellin

The Saint in New York

Heinrich, Spy Leader

Enemy Agents Meet Ellery Queen

Kuzma

Summer Storm

Spectacle Man

Many Rivers to Cross

Jarubi

China Girl

Ambassador

Government Girl

Sergeant

Tarzan Triumphs

General Ivan Vorashilov

The World in His Arms

Hoffman the Great

The Wagons Roll at Night

Nicolas Marloff

Think Fast, Mr. Moto

Colonel Tchernov

Thank You, Mr. Moto

Dr. Hans Wolfert

Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet

Papa

Mother Wore Tights

Self (archive footage)

Hollywood: The Dream Factory

Lt. Col. Gottfried Hollen

Lancer Spy

Newmann

Four Sons

Poppa Ingleborg

Never Say Die

Stefan

Carolina Cannonball

Blacksmith

The Farmer Takes a Wife

Roger Heath

Girls on Probation

King Rinko

Spy Chasers

Commandante Sebastian Golle

The Bold Caballero

Dr. Schmidt

Remember?

Preuss

Desperate Journey

Arthur Dinkel

Give My Regards to Broadway

Mr. Bold

Paradise for Three

Professor Herman Von Reiter

Shining Victory

Psychiatrist

Honolulu

Herr Schlick

Bitter Sweet

Dr. Gurke

She Went to the Races

Sergeant Pellerin

Suez

Dr. Herman Holger

They Came to Blow Up America

Die Jungfrau auf dem Dach

Dr. Zwieback

The Emperor Waltz

Mr. Jan Novak

The Wedding Night

Anatole Primerose

I'll Give a Million

Herr Protz

I Was an Adventuress

Doctor

Under Pressure

John B. Rudd

Midnight Taxi

General von Hindenburg

The Hitler Gang

Professor Boris Riminoffsky

Faithful in My Fashion

Dr. Taggert

The Great Hospital Mystery

Herr Hanfstangel

On the Avenue

Louis Bouriette

The Song of Bernadette

Dr. Dietrich

Berlin Correspondent

Krogman

Confessions of a Nazi Spy

Menkie (segment "The Gift of the Magi") (uncredited)

O. Henry's Full House

Dirk Van Hoorten

Remember Pearl Harbor

Mr. Schomberg

Victory

Count von Droste Schattenburg (voice) (uncredited)

One, Two, Three

Baron von Gerhardt (as Siegfried Rumann)

The World Moves On

Jericho Schlosser

Father Is a Bachelor

General Montero

Love Under Fire

Gus

This Is My Affair

Dr. Emile Egelhofer

Living It Up

Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

Breakdowns of 1941

Count Alexis

If You Knew Susie

Brogard

Marie Galante

Ignatz Tsimmis

The Dolly Sisters

Cyrus Kraft

Ma and Pa Kettle on Vacation

John Jacob Astor

This Woman Is Mine

Russian Delegate

Way... Way Out

Joe Flugelman

Sweet Rosie O'Grady

Ammers

So Ends Our Night

Dr. Simms (as Sig Rumann)

The Man Who Lost Himself

Police Captain

Heidi

Bailiff

Die Königsloge

Fanchon (as Sig Rumann)

Maytime

Professor Winterhalter

The Fortune Cookie

Gapeaux

On the Riviera

Durand (as Sig Rumann)

Seventh Heaven

Mme. Irene

Men in Her Diary

Baron Elston Carteblanche

The Errand Boy

Landlord (uncredited)

White Christmas

General Ronsky

A Royal Scandal

Hans Muller

East of Java

The Burgomaster (archive footage)

Doom of Dracula

Wilowski

Night and Day

Hammacher (uncredited)

Robin and the 7 Hoods

Franz von Bushmaster

World Premiere

Matt Conklin

Spring Tonic

Hans Hansen (as Siegfried Rumann)

Servants' Entrance

Bridge player (Unbilled)

Lucky Boy

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

108

Gender

Male

Birthday

1884-10-10

Place of Birth

Hamburg, Germany

Also Known As

Sig Rumann