Siegfried Carl Alban Rumann (October 11, 1884 – February 14, 1967), billed as Sig Ruman and Sig Rumann, was a German-American character actor known for his portrayals of pompous and often stereotypically Teutonic officials or villains in more than 100 films.

Early years

Born in Hamburg,

German Empire The German Empire (),Herbert Tuttle wrote in September 1881 that the term "Reich" does not literally connote an empire as has been commonly assumed by English-speaking people. The term literally denotes an empire – particularly a hereditary ...

to Alban Julius Albrecht Ludwig Rumann and his wife, Caroline Margarethe Sophie Rumann on October 11, 1884, he studied

electrical engineering Electrical engineering is an engineering discipline concerned with the study, design, and application of equipment, devices, and systems which use electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism. It emerged as an identifiable occupation in the l ...

, then began working as an actor and musician before serving with the

Imperial German Army The Imperial German Army (1871–1919), officially referred to as the German Army (german: Deutsches Heer), was the unified ground and air force of the German Empire. It was established in 1871 with the political unification of Germany under the l ...

during World War I. He resumed his acting career after the war. After emigrating to the United States in 1924, his acting career blossomed. Befriending

playwright A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes plays. Etymology The word "play" is from Middle English pleye, from Old English plæġ, pleġa, plæġa ("play, exercise; sport, game; drama, applause"). The word "wright" is an archaic English ...

George S. Kaufman George Simon Kaufman (November 16, 1889June 2, 1961) was an American playwright, theater director and producer, humorist, and drama critic. In addition to comedies and political satire, he wrote several musicals for the Marx Brothers and others. ...

and theater critic Alexander Woollcott, he enjoyed success in many Broadway productions. His Broadway credits included ''Once There Was a Russian'' (1961), ''Lily of the Valley'' (1942), ''Eight Bells'' (1933), ''Alien Corn'' (1933), ''Grand Hotel'' (1930), ''Half Gods'' (1929), and ''The Channel Road'' (1929).

Film

Ruman made his film debut in '' Lucky Boy'' (1929). He became a favorite comic foil of the Marx Brothers, appearing in '' A Night at the Opera'' (1935), '' A Day at the Races'' (1937), and '' A Night in Casablanca'' (1946). 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, a fellow German émigré, including '' Ninotchka'' (1939), portraying a Russian, and in '' To Be or Not to Be'' (1942) as the pompous Nazi Colonel "Concentration-Camp Erhardt". He played the role of Professor Herman Von Reiter in '' Shining Victory'' (1941), an adaptation of an A. J. Cronin play. Ruman continued his trend of portraying over-the-top German characters later in his career for Lubitsch's protege Billy Wilder, in his films ''

The Emperor Waltz ''The Emperor Waltz'' (german: Ich küsse Ihre Hand, Madame) is a 1948 American musical film directed by Billy Wilder, and starring Bing Crosby and Joan Fontaine.Bookbinder 1977, p. 179. Written by Wilder and Charles Brackett, the film is abou ...

'' (1948), and '' Stalag 17'' (1953). Ruman's voice was dubbed over German actor Hubert Von Meyerinck's voice in Wilder's '' One, Two, Three'' (1961), and he had a cameo role in '' The Fortune Cookie'' (1966). Around 1936, Ruman modified his screen name from Siegfried Rumann to Sig Ruman in an attempt to make it a little less German-sounding, as anti-German prejudice was rising at that time, just prior to the outbreak of the Second World War. Despite declining health during the 1950s and 1960s, Ruman continued to appear in films and made many guest appearances on television. He guest-starred as pompous Broadway director Eric Von Bissell in the memorable 1965 episode of '' The Addams Family'', "My Fair Cousin Itt".

Death

Ruman died of a heart attack on February 14, 1967, at his home in Julian, California at the age of 82. He was buried in Julian Cemetery,

San Diego County, California San Diego County (), officially the County of San Diego, is a county in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,298,634, making it California's second-most populous county and the fi ...

. He was survived by his second wife, Clara. From his first marriage, to Else Rumann, he had a daughter named Senta.

Selected filmography

*'' Lucky Boy'' (1928) as Bit Part (uncredited) *'' The Royal Box'' (1929) as Bailiff *''

All Quiet On The Western Front ''All Quiet on the Western Front'' (german: Im Westen nichts Neues, lit=Nothing New in the West) is a novel by Erich Maria Remarque, a German veteran of World War I. The book describes the German soldiers' extreme physical and mental trauma du ...

'' (1930, uncredited) *'' The World Moves On'' (1934) as Baron von Gerhardt *'' Servants' Entrance'' (1934) as Hans Hansen *'' Marie Galante'' (1934) as Brogard *'' Under Pressure'' (1935) as Doctor *'' The Wedding Night'' (1935) as Mr. Jan Novak *''

Spring Tonic ''Spring Tonic'' is a 1935 American comedy film adapted from the play by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur. It was directed by Clyde Bruckman and stars Lew Ayres, Claire Trevor, Walter Woolf King, Jack Haley, ZaSu Pitts and Tala Birell. It was rel ...

'' (1935) as Matt Conklin *''

The Farmer Takes a Wife ''The Farmer Takes a Wife'' is a 1934 play by Frank B. Elser and Marc Connelly based on the 1929 novel '' Rome Haul'' by Walter D. Edmonds. It was well-received upon its opening night on Broadway on October 30, 1934, at the 46th Street Theatre ...

'' (1935) as Blacksmith *'' A Night at the Opera'' (1935) as Herman Gottlieb *'' East of Java'' (1935) as Hans Muller *'' The Princess Comes Across'' (1936) as Detective Steindorf *'' The Bold Cabarello'' (1936) as Commandante Sebastian Golle *'' On the Avenue'' (1937) as Herr Hanfstangel *'' Seventh Heaven'' (1937) as Durand *'' Maytime'' (1937) as Fanchon *'' Thin Ice'' (1937) as Prime Minister Ulricht *'' Midnight Taxi'' (1937) as John B. Rudd *''

The Great Hospital Mystery ''The Great Hospital Mystery'' is a 1937 American crime film directed by James Tinling and written by Bess Meredyth, William M. Conselman and Jerome Cady. The film stars Jane Darwell, Sig Ruman, Sally Blane, Thomas Beck (actor), Thomas Beck, Joan ...

'' (1937) as Dr. Taggert *'' This Is My Affair'' (1937) as Gus *'' A Day at the Races'' (1937) as Dr. Leopold X. Steinberg *'' Think Fast, Mr. Moto'' (1937) as Nicolas Marloff *'' Love Under Fire'' (1937) as General Montero *'' Lancer Spy'' (1937) as Lt. Col. Gottfried Hollen *'' Heidi'' (1937) as Police Captain *'' Nothing Sacred'' (1937) as Dr. Emil Eggelhoffer *'' Thank You, Mr. Moto'' (1937) as Colonel Tchernov *'' Paradise for Three'' (1938) as Mr. Bold *''

The Saint in New York ''The Saint in New York'' is a mystery novel by Leslie Charteris, first published in the United Kingdom by Hodder and Stoughton in 1935. It was published in the United States by Doubleday in January 1935. A shorter version of the novel had ...

'' (1938) as Hutch Rellin *'' I'll Give a Million'' (1938) as Anatole Primerose *'' Suez'' (1938) as Sergeant Pellerin *'' Girls on Probation'' (1938) as Roger Heath *'' The Great Waltz'' (1938) as Wertheimer *'' Honolulu'' (1939) as Psychiatrist *''

Never Say Die Never Say Die may refer to: Other uses * ''Never Say Die'' (memoir), a 1961 memoir by Jack Hawkins * ''Never Say Die'' (novel), a 2017 novel in the ''Alex Rider'' series by Anthony Horowitz Film and television * ''Never Say Die'' (1920 film), ...

'' (1939) as Poppa Ingleborg *'' Confessions of a Nazi Spy'' (1939) as Krogman *'' Only Angels Have Wings'' (1939) as Dutchy *'' Ninotchka'' (1939) as Iranoff *'' Remember?'' (1939) as Dr. Schmidt *''

Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet ''Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet'' is a 1940 American biographical film directed by William Dieterle and starring Edward G. Robinson, based on the true story of the German doctor and scientist Dr. Paul Ehrlich. The film was released by Warner Bros., ...

'' (1940) as Dr. Hans Wolfert *''

Outside the Three-Mile Limit ''Outside the Three-Mile Limit'' is a 1940 American crime film directed by Lewis D. Collins and written by Albert DeMond. The film stars Jack Holt, Harry Carey, Sig Ruman, Eduardo Ciannelli, Donald Briggs and Irene Ware. The film was released on ...

'' (1940) as Van Cleve *'' I Was an Adventuress'' (1940) as Herr Protz *'' Four Sons'' (1940) as Newmann *'' Bitter Sweet'' (1940) as Herr Schlick *'' Comrade X'' (1940) as Emil Von Hofer *'' Victory'' (1940) as Mr. Schomberg *'' So Ends Our Night'' (1941) as Ammers *'' The Man Who Lost Himself'' (1941) as Dr. Simms *'' That Uncertain Feeling'' (1941) as Kafka *'' The Wagons Roll at Night'' (1941) as Hoffman the Great *'' Love Crazy'' (1941) as Dr. Wuthering *'' Shining Victory'' (1941) as Professor Herman Von Reiter *'' World Premiere'' (1941) as Franz von Bushmaster *'' This Woman Is Mine'' (1941) as John Jacob Astor *'' To Be or Not to Be'' (1942) as Colonel Ehrhardt *'' Remember Pearl Harbor'' (1942) as Dirk Van Hoorten *'' Crossroads'' (1942) as Dr. Alex Dubroc *'' Enemy Agents Meet Ellery Queen'' (1942) as Heinrich - Spy Leader *'' Berlin Correspondent'' (1942) as Dr. Dietrich *'' Desperate Journey'' (1942) as Preuss *'' China Girl'' (1942) as Jarubi *'' Tarzan Triumphs'' (1943) as German Sergeant *'' They Came to Blow Up America'' (1943) as Dr. Herman Holger *''

Sweet Rosie O'Grady ''Sweet Rosie O'Grady'' is a 1943 Technicolor musical film about an American singer who attempts to better herself by marrying an English duke, but is harassed by a reporter. Directed by Irving Cummings, it stars Betty Grable and Robert Young. ...

'' (1943) as Joe Flugelman *'' Government Girl'' (1943) as Ambassador *'' The Song of Bernadette'' (1943) as Louis Bouriette *''

It Happened Tomorrow ''It Happened Tomorrow'' is a 1944 American fantasy film directed by René Clair, starring Dick Powell, Linda Darnell and Jack Oakie, and featuring Edgar Kennedy and John Philliber. It is based on the one-act play "The Jest of Haha Laba" by L ...

'' (1944) as Mr. Beckstein *'' The Hitler Gang'' (1944) as General von Hindenburg *'' Summer Storm'' (1944) as Kuzma *'' House of Frankenstein'' (1944) as Hussman *'' A Royal Scandal'' (1945) as Gen. Ronsky *''

Men in Her Diary ''Men in Her Diary'' is a 1945 American comedy film. It stars Peggy Ryan and Jon Hall and was written by Lester Cole and directed by Charles Barton. It followed from the success of ''San Diego, I Love You''. Cast *Jon Hall *Peggy Ryan *Louise ...

'' (1945) as Mme. Irene *''

The Dolly Sisters Rosie Dolly (October 24, 1892 – February 1, 1970) and Jenny Dolly (October 24, 1892 – June 1, 1941), known professionally as The Dolly Sisters, were Hungarian-American identical twin dancers, singers and actresses, popular in vaudeville an ...

'' (1945) as Ignatz Tsimmis *'' She Went to the Races'' (1945) as Dr. Gurke *'' A Night in Casablanca'' (1946) as Count Pfefferman alias Heinrich Stubel *'' Night and Day'' (1946) as Wilowski *'' Faithful in My Fashion'' (1946) as Professor Boris Riminoffsky *'' Mother Wore Tights'' (1947) as Papa *''

If You Knew Susie "If You Knew Susie" is the title of a popular song written by Buddy DeSylva and Joseph Meyer. It was published by Shapiro, Bernstein & Co. in 1925. In the largely comic song, a man sings that he knows a certain woman named Susie to be much wilde ...

'' (1948) as Count Alexis *''

'' (1948) as Dr. Zwieback *'' Give My Regards to Broadway'' (1948) as Arthur Dinkel *'' Border Incident'' (1949) as Hugo Wolfgang Ulrich *'' Father Is a Bachelor'' (1950) as Jericho Schlosser *'' On the Riviera'' (1951) as Gapeaux *'' The World in His Arms'' (1952) as General Ivan Vorashilov *'' O. Henry's Full House'' (1952) as Menkie (segment "The Gift of the Magi") (uncredited) *'' Ma and Pa Kettle on Vacation'' (1953) as Cyrus Kraft *'' Stalag 17'' (1953) as Sgt. Johann Sebastian Schulz *''

Die Jungfrau auf dem Dach ''Die Jungfrau auf dem Dach'' (English translation: "The Virgin on the Roof") is a 1953 American comedy film produced and directed by Otto Preminger. The screenplay by Carl Zuckmayer is a German language translation of the script for ''The Moon Is ...

'' (1953) as Michael O'Neill *'' Houdini'' (1953) as Schultz *'' The Glenn Miller Story'' (1954) as Kranz *'' Living It Up'' (1954) as Dr. Emile Egelhofer *''

White Christmas White Christmas most commonly refers to: * White Christmas (weather), snowfall or snow-covered ground on Christmas Day * "White Christmas" (song), a 1942 song written by Irving Berlin White Christmas may also refer to: Film, television, and the ...

'' (1954) as Landlord (uncredited) *''

3 Ring Circus ''3 Ring Circus'' is a 1954 American comedy film directed by Joseph Pevney and starring Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. The picture was shot from February 17 to March 31, 1954, and released on December 25 by Paramount Pictures. The supporting cast ...

'' (1954) as Colonel Fritz Schlitz *''

Carolina Cannonball ''Carolina Cannonball'' is a musical comedy film, released by Republic Pictures in 1955. Plot During the testing of an experimental nuclear-powered rocket by the US Government, the rocket's guidance system is hijacked by three enemy agents of a ...

'' (1955) as Stefan *''

Many Rivers to Cross "Many Rivers to Cross" is a song written and recorded in 1969 by Jimmy Cliff. It has since been recorded by many musicians, including Harry Nilsson, John Lennon, Joe Cocker, Percy Sledge, Little Milton, Desmond Dekker, UB40, Cher, The Brand Ne ...

'' (1955) as Spectacle Man *'' Spy Chasers'' (1955) as King Rako of Truania *'' The Wings of Eagles'' (1957) as Manager *'' The Errand Boy'' (1961) as Baron Elston Carteblanche *'' One, Two, Three'' (1961) as Count von Droste Schattenburg (voice, uncredited) *''

Robin and the 7 Hoods ''Robin and the 7 Hoods'' is a 1964 American musical film directed by Gordon Douglas and starring Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., and Bing Crosby. The picture features Peter Falk, Barbara Rush, and an uncredited Edward G. Rob ...

'' (1964) as Hammacher (uncredited) *'' 36 Hours'' (1965) as German Guard *'' The Last of the Secret Agents?'' (1966) as Prof. Werner von Koenig *'' The Fortune Cookie'' (1966) as Professor Winterhalter *'' Way...Way Out'' (1966) as Russian Delegate

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ruman, Sig 1884 births 1967 deaths Male actors from Hamburg German male film actors American male film actors German Army personnel of World War I German emigrants to the United States 20th-century American male actors 20th-century German male actors People from Julian, California