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