
Sig Ruman
Actor · Died February 14, 1967, aged 82 · Hamburg, Germany
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.
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Biography from TMDB.
- October 10, 1884
- February 14, 1967 (aged 82)
- Hamburg, Germany
- Actor
- 69 on MovieCove · 119 credits in all
What are Sig Ruman's films like?
Across their 47 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.
Genres
Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.
Themes
What they feel like to watch
Ironic 5 · Wry 2 · Earnest 38
Light 26 · Serious 14 · Dark 7
Grounded 16 · Stylized 26 · Heightened 5
Gentle 18 · Charged 25 · Intense 4
Steady 27 · Shifting 19 · Whiplash 1
A split, not a type: Straight-faced 15 · Some laughs 14 · Funny 18
Slow burn 14 · Even-paced 30 · Relentless 3
Casual 29 · Engaged 16 · Full focus 2
Easy watch 29 · Affecting 13 · Heavy 5
Resolved 44 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 0
Roles they play
Usually the Shadow: 6 of 16 analyzed roles.
Show the 16 rolesHide the roles
- Tricksteras Brogard in Marie Galante (1934)
- Threshold guardianas Herman Gottlieb in A Night at the Opera (1935)
- Shadowas Mr. Jan Novak in The Wedding Night (1935)
- Shadowas Commandante Sebastian Golle in The Bold Caballero (1936)
- Shadowas Nicolas Marloff in Think Fast, Mr. Moto (1937)
- Allyas Iranoff in Ninotchka (1939)
- Mentoras Dutchy in Only Angels Have Wings (1939)
- Shadowas Dr. Hans Wolfert in Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet (1940)
- Threshold guardianas Dr. Wuthering in Love Crazy (1941)
- Allyas Hoffman the Great in The Wagons Roll at Night (1941)
- Shapeshifteras Colonel Ehrhardt in To Be or Not to Be (1942)
- Shadowas Gen. Ronsky in A Royal Scandal (1945)
- Tricksteras Professor Boris Riminoffsky in Faithful in My Fashion (1946)
- Shadowas Pfferman in A Night in Casablanca (1946)
- Threshold guardianas Sgt. Johann Sebastian Schulz in Stalag 17 (1953)
- Threshold guardianas Colonel Fritz Schlitz in 3 Ring Circus (1954)
Moods and endings
- Happy29
- Bittersweet12
- Tragic4
- Ambiguous2
AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.
Where can I watch Sig Ruman's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 26 of their 69 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (17).
- Stalag 17 (1953) · actor · free
- A Night at the Opera (1935) · actor · free
- The Addams Family (1964) · actor · free
- 36 Hours (1964) · actor · free
- The Fortune Cookie (1966) · actor · free
- It Happened Tomorrow (1944) · actor · free
- Seventh Heaven (1937) · actor · free
- A Night in Casablanca (1946) · actor · free
- So Ends Our Night (1941) · actor · free
- The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis (1959) · actor · free
- Nothing Sacred (1937) · actor · free
- One Step Beyond (1959) · actor · free
- +5 more
- White Christmas (1954) · actor
- It Happened Tomorrow (1944) · actor
- The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis (1959) · actor · free
- Nothing Sacred (1937) · actor
- That Uncertain Feeling (1941) · actor
- The Wedding Night (1935) · actor
- Many Rivers to Cross (1955) · actor · free
- Petticoat Junction (1963) · actor
- The Bold Caballero (1936) · actor
- IndieFlix, show their 2 titles on IndieFlix
- Best Westerns Ever, show their title on Best Westerns Ever
- Cineverse, show their title on Cineverse
- Cohen Media Channel, show their title on Cohen Media Channel
- Dove Channel, show their title on Dove Channel
- ScreenPix, show their title on ScreenPix
- Shout! TV, show their title on Shout! TV
Subscription and free streaming for Sig Ruman's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.
Filmography
119 credits, 69 with a MovieCove page; 4 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

Way... Way Out(1966)
Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films
The Fortune Cookie(1966)
Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films
The Last of the Secret Agents? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

Hank (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

36 Hours(1964)
Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
Daniel Boone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

The Man from U.N.C.L.E.(1964)
Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows
The Addams Family(1964)
Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows
Robin and the 7 Hoods(1964)
Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films
Petticoat Junction(1963)
Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all shows
One, Two, Three(1961)
Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films
The Errand Boy(1961)
Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films
Pete and Gladys (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

Around the World with Nellie Bly (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)
Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows
Johnny Staccato (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

One Step Beyond(1959)
Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows
Lawman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

Maverick(1957)
Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows
The Wings of Eagles(1957)
Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
Spy Chasers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

Many Rivers to Cross(1955)
Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films
Carolina Cannonball (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

3 Ring Circus(1954)
Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films
White Christmas(1954)
Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films
Living It Up(1954)
Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films
The Glenn Miller Story(1954)
Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
The Girl on The Roof (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

Houdini(1953)
Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films
Stalag 17(1953)
Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
General Electric Theater (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

Private Secretary (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

Ma and Pa Kettle on Vacation (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

The World in His Arms(1952)
Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films
O. Henry's Full House(1952)
Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films
On the Riviera (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

Father Is a Bachelor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

Border Incident(1949)
Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
The Emperor Waltz (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

Give My Regards to Broadway (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

If You Knew Susie(1948)
Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films
Mother Wore Tights (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

Faithful in My Fashion(1946)
Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films
Night and Day(1946)
Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films
A Night in Casablanca(1946)
Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films
The Dolly Sisters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

She Went to the Races (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

Men in Her Diary (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

A Royal Scandal(1945)
Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films
House of Frankenstein(1944)
Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films
Summer Storm(1944)
Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films
The Hitler Gang (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

It Happened Tomorrow(1944)
Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films
The Song of Bernadette(1943)
Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films
Government Girl(1943)
Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films
Sweet Rosie O'Grady(1943)
Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films
They Came to Blow Up America (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

Tarzan Triumphs(1943)
Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films
China Girl(1942)
Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films
Desperate Journey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

Berlin Correspondent (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

Enemy Agents Meet Ellery Queen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

Crossroads(1942)
Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films
To Be or Not to Be(1942)
Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films
Remember Pearl Harbor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

This Woman Is Mine(1941)
Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films
World Premiere (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

Shining Victory (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

Love Crazy(1941)
Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films
The Wagons Roll at Night(1941)
Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films
That Uncertain Feeling(1941)
Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films
The Man Who Lost Himself (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

So Ends Our Night(1941)
Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films
Victory (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

Comrade X (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

Bitter Sweet(1940)
Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films
Four Sons (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

I Was an Adventuress(1940)
Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films
Outside the Three-Mile Limit (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)
Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
Remember? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

Ninotchka(1939)
Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
Only Angels Have Wings(1939)
Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films
Never Say Die (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

Honolulu(1939)
Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films
The Great Waltz(1938)
Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films
Suez(1938)
Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films
Girls on Probation (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

I'll Give a Million(1938)
Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films
Paradise for Three (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

The Saint in New York(1938)
Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films
Thank You, Mr. Moto (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

Nothing Sacred(1937)
Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films
Heidi(1937)
Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films
Lancer Spy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

Thin Ice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

Love Under Fire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

Think Fast, Mr. Moto(1937)
Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films
A Day at the Races(1937)
Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films
This Is My Affair(1937)
Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films
The Great Hospital Mystery (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

Midnight Taxi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

Maytime(1937)
Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films
Seventh Heaven(1937)
Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films
On the Avenue (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

The Bold Caballero(1936)
Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films
East of Java (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

A Night at the Opera(1935)
Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films
The Farmer Takes a Wife(1935)
Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films
Spring Tonic (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

The Wedding Night(1935)
Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films
Under Pressure(1935)
Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films
Marie Galante(1934)
Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films
Servants' Entrance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

The World Moves On(1934)
Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films
Die Königsloge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

Lucky Boy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)
Career shape
Star power in the 97th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 119 titles from 1929 to 1966; peak year 1965.
Film career
Peak 1965 · at the high point of their film career. Top draw in 1 MovieCove title. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.
- 1935Screen debut· The Wedding Night
- 1939Career best· Ninotchka
- 1957Career best· Maverick
Billing
Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.
How do Sig Ruman's films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 66th percentile, the median of all 63; across their 47 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 64th percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up26
- 50th to 74th28
- 25th to 49th13
- Below 25th2
Shape of the crowd
46 of their 69 titles are Crowd Pleasers.
- Universally Loved10
- Crowd Pleaser46
- Broadly Agreed6
- Mixed7
Reviewers score the acting 72/100 in their films, across 47 reviewed titles; fans 78, detractors 47. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.
Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.
Is Sig Ruman's work okay for kids?
Across up to 5 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore and sex & nudity run lighter than most films.
Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.
Who does Sig Ruman work with?
People who share at least 2 of Sig Ruman's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Cyril J. Mockridge shares the most, 5.
Directors
- Ernst LubitschShared titles: A Royal Scandal (1945), To Be or Not to Be (1942), That Uncertain Feeling (1941), Ninotchka (1939)See all 4 shared titles with Ernst Lubitsch

- John FordShared titles: The Wings of Eagles (1957), The World Moves On (1934)See all 2 shared titles with John Ford

- Raoul WalshShared titles: The World in His Arms (1952), Under Pressure (1935)See all 2 shared titles with Raoul Walsh

- Jack ConwayShared titles: Crossroads (1942), Love Crazy (1941)See all 2 shared titles with Jack Conway

Writers
- George SeatonShared titles: 36 Hours (1964), A Day at the Races (1937), A Night at the Opera (1935)See all 3 shared titles with George Seaton

- Billy WilderShared titles: Stalag 17 (1953), Ninotchka (1939), Under Pressure (1935)See all 3 shared titles with Billy Wilder

- Melchior LengyelShared titles: A Royal Scandal (1945), To Be or Not to Be (1942), Ninotchka (1939)See all 3 shared titles with Melchior Lengyel
- Dudley NicholsShared titles: It Happened Tomorrow (1944), Government Girl (1943), Marie Galante (1934)See all 3 shared titles with Dudley Nichols
Actors
- Jerry LewisShared titles: Way... Way Out (1966), The Errand Boy (1961), 3 Ring Circus (1954), Living It Up (1954)See all 4 shared titles with Jerry Lewis

- Chico MarxShared titles: A Night in Casablanca (1946), A Day at the Races (1937), A Night at the Opera (1935)See all 3 shared titles with Chico Marx

- Groucho MarxShared titles: A Night in Casablanca (1946), A Day at the Races (1937), A Night at the Opera (1935)See all 3 shared titles with Groucho Marx

- Harpo MarxShared titles: A Night in Casablanca (1946), A Day at the Races (1937), A Night at the Opera (1935)See all 3 shared titles with Harpo Marx

Composers and cinematographers
- Cyril J. MockridgeShared titles: I'll Give a Million (1938), Suez (1938), Seventh Heaven (1937), The Farmer Takes a Wife (1935), The World Moves On (1934)See all 5 shared titles with Cyril J. Mockridge
- David ButtolphShared titles: I Was an Adventuress (1940), Seventh Heaven (1937), The Farmer Takes a Wife (1935), The World Moves On (1934)See all 4 shared titles with David Buttolph

- William H. DanielsShared titles: The Glenn Miller Story (1954), Love Crazy (1941), Ninotchka (1939)See all 3 shared titles with William H. Daniels

- Werner R. HeymannShared titles: To Be or Not to Be (1942), That Uncertain Feeling (1941), Ninotchka (1939)See all 3 shared titles with Werner R. Heymann

Producers
- Winfield R. SheehanShared titles: The Farmer Takes a Wife (1935), Marie Galante (1934), The World Moves On (1934)See all 3 shared titles with Winfield R. Sheehan

- Aaron RosenbergShared titles: The Glenn Miller Story (1954), The World in His Arms (1952)See all 2 shared titles with Aaron Rosenberg
- Hal B. WallisShared titles: 3 Ring Circus (1954), Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet (1940)See all 2 shared titles with Hal B. Wallis

- Sol LesserShared titles: Tarzan Triumphs (1943), That Uncertain Feeling (1941)See all 2 shared titles with Sol Lesser

Mixed roles
- James E. NewcomShared titles: The Wings of Eagles (1957), Nothing Sacred (1937)See all 2 shared titles with James E. Newcom
- Otto PremingerShared titles: Stalag 17 (1953), A Royal Scandal (1945)See all 2 shared titles with Otto Preminger

- Edwin H. KnopfShared titles: Crossroads (1942), The Wedding Night (1935)See all 2 shared titles with Edwin H. Knopf

- Gregory RatoffShared titles: I Was an Adventuress (1940), Seventh Heaven (1937)See all 2 shared titles with Gregory Ratoff





