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
Stalag 17
(1953)
Sgt. Johann Sebastian Schulz
White Christmas
(1954)
Landlord (uncredited)
Ninotchka
(1939)
Comrade Iranoff
Heidi
(1937)
Police Captain
To Be or Not to Be
(1942)
Col. Ehrhardt
Only Angels Have Wings
(1939)
Dutchy
The Glenn Miller Story
(1954)
W. Kranz
One, Two, Three
(1961)
Count von Droste Schattenburg (voice) (uncredited)
The Song of Bernadette
(1943)
Louis Bouriette
A Night at the Opera
(1935)
Gottlieb
Love Crazy
(1941)
Dr. Wuthering
A Day at the Races
(1937)
Dr. Leopold X. Steinberg
36 Hours
(1964)
German Guard
Houdini
(1953)
Schultz
That Uncertain Feeling
(1941)
Kafka (as Sig Rumann)
The Wings of Eagles
(1957)
Manager
Full Filmography
Acting
Die Königsloge
(1929)
Bailiff
Servants' Entrance
(1934)
Hans Hansen (as Siegfried Rumann)
The World Moves On
(1934)
Baron von Gerhardt (as Siegfried Rumann)
Marie Galante
(1934)
Brogard
A Night at the Opera
(1935)
Gottlieb
East of Java
(1935)
Hans Muller
The Farmer Takes a Wife
(1935)
Blacksmith (as Siegfried Rumann)
The Wedding Night
(1935)
Mr. Jan Novak
Spring Tonic
(1935)
Matt Conklin
Under Pressure
(1935)
Doctor
The Bold Caballero
(1936)
Commandante Sebastian Golle
The Princess Comes Across
(1936)
Steindorf
Midnight Taxi
(1937)
John B. Rudd
This Is My Affair
(1937)
Gus
Thin Ice
(1937)
Prime Minister
A Day at the Races
(1937)
Dr. Leopold X. Steinberg
Love Under Fire
(1937)
General Montero
Nothing Sacred
(1937)
Dr. Emil Eggelhoffer (as Sig Rumann)
Heidi
(1937)
Police Captain
Seventh Heaven
(1937)
Durand (as Sig Rumann)
Lancer Spy
(1937)
Lt. Col. Gottfried Hollen
The Great Hospital Mystery
(1937)
Dr. Taggert
On the Avenue
(1937)
Herr Hanfstangel
Think Fast, Mr. Moto
(1937)
Nicolas Marloff
Maytime
(1937)
Fanchon (as Sig Rumann)
Thank You, Mr. Moto
(1937)
Colonel Tchernov
The Saint in New York
(1938)
Hutch Rellin
Paradise for Three
(1938)
Mr. Bold
The Great Waltz
(1938)
Wertheimer
I'll Give a Million
(1938)
Anatole Primerose
Suez
(1938)
Sergeant Pellerin
Girls on Probation
(1938)
Roger Heath
Remember?
(1939)
Dr. Schmidt
Confessions of a Nazi Spy
(1939)
Krogman
Only Angels Have Wings
(1939)
Dutchy
Honolulu
(1939)
Psychiatrist
Ninotchka
(1939)
Comrade Iranoff
Never Say Die
(1939)
Poppa Ingleborg
I Was an Adventuress
(1940)
Herr Protz
Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet
(1940)
Dr. Hans Wolfert
Four Sons
(1940)
Newmann
Bitter Sweet
(1940)
Herr Schlick
Outside the Three-Mile Limit
(1940)
Van Cleve
Comrade X
(1940)
Emil Von Hofer
Victory
(1940)
Mr. Schomberg
World Premiere
(1941)
Franz von Bushmaster
The Wagons Roll at Night
(1941)
Hoffman the Great
That Uncertain Feeling
(1941)
Kafka (as Sig Rumann)
So Ends Our Night
(1941)
Ammers
Breakdowns of 1941
(1941)
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Love Crazy
(1941)
Dr. Wuthering
The Man Who Lost Himself
(1941)
Dr. Simms (as Sig Rumann)
Shining Victory
(1941)
Professor Herman Von Reiter
This Woman Is Mine
(1941)
John Jacob Astor
Berlin Correspondent
(1942)
Dr. Dietrich
Enemy Agents Meet Ellery Queen
(1942)
Heinrich, Spy Leader
China Girl
(1942)
Jarubi
Crossroads
(1942)
Dr. Alex Dubroc
To Be or Not to Be
(1942)
Col. Ehrhardt
Desperate Journey
(1942)
Preuss
Remember Pearl Harbor
(1942)
Dirk Van Hoorten
Tarzan Triumphs
(1943)
Sergeant
Government Girl
(1943)
Ambassador
Sweet Rosie O'Grady
(1943)
Joe Flugelman
The Song of Bernadette
(1943)
Louis Bouriette
They Came to Blow Up America
(1943)
Dr. Herman Holger
Summer Storm
(1944)
Kuzma
The Hitler Gang
(1944)
General von Hindenburg
House of Frankenstein
(1944)
Burgomeister Hussman
It Happened Tomorrow
(1944)
Mr. Beckstein
Men in Her Diary
(1945)
Mme. Irene
She Went to the Races
(1945)
Dr. Gurke
The Dolly Sisters
(1945)
Ignatz Tsimmis
A Royal Scandal
(1945)
General Ronsky
Faithful in My Fashion
(1946)
Professor Boris Riminoffsky
A Night in Casablanca
(1946)
Count Pfefferman / Heinrich Stubel
Night and Day
(1946)
Wilowski
Mother Wore Tights
(1947)
Papa
Give My Regards to Broadway
(1948)
Arthur Dinkel
The Emperor Waltz
(1948)
Dr. Zwieback
If You Knew Susie
(1948)
Count Alexis
Border Incident
(1949)
Hugo Wolfgang Ulrich
Father Is a Bachelor
(1950)
Jericho Schlosser
On the Riviera
(1951)
Gapeaux
O. Henry's Full House
(1952)
Menkie (segment "The Gift of the Magi") (uncredited)
The World in His Arms
(1952)
General Ivan Vorashilov
Stalag 17
(1953)
Sgt. Johann Sebastian Schulz
The Girl on The Roof
(1953)
Houdini
(1953)
Schultz
Ma and Pa Kettle on Vacation
(1953)
Cyrus Kraft
The Glenn Miller Story
(1954)
W. Kranz
3 Ring Circus
(1954)
Fritz Schlitz
Living It Up
(1954)
Dr. Emile Egelhofer
White Christmas
(1954)
Landlord (uncredited)
Carolina Cannonball
(1955)
Stefan
Spy Chasers
(1955)
King Rinko
Many Rivers to Cross
(1955)
Spectacle Man
The Wings of Eagles
(1957)
Manager
One, Two, Three
(1961)
Count von Droste Schattenburg (voice) (uncredited)
The Errand Boy
(1961)
Baron Elston Carteblanche
36 Hours
(1964)
German Guard
Robin and the 7 Hoods
(1964)
Hammacher (uncredited)
The Fortune Cookie
(1966)
Professor Winterhalter
Way... Way Out
(1966)
Russian Delegate
Doom of Dracula
(1966)
The Burgomaster
The Last of the Secret Agents?
(1966)
Prof. Werner von Koenig
Hollywood: The Dream Factory
(1972)
Self (archive footage)