Charles Ruggles

Born: 1886-02-08 in Los Angeles, California, USA

Died: 1970-12-23

Known For: Acting

Biography

Charles Ruggles had one of the longest careers in Hollywood, lasting more than 60 years and encompassing more than 100 films. He made his film debut in 1914 in The Patchwork Girl of Oz (1914) and worked steadily after that. He was memorably paired with Mary Boland in a series of comedies in the early 1930s, and was one of the standouts in the all-star comedy If I Had a Million (1932), as a harried, much-put-upon man who finally goes berserk in a china shop. Ruggles' slight stature and distinctive mannerisms - his fluttery, jumpy manner of speaking, his often befuddled look whenever events seemed about to overwhelm him, which was often - endeared him to generations of moviegoers. Memorable as Maj. Applegate the big-game hunter in the classic screwball comedy Bringing Up Baby (1938). Many will remember him as the narrator of the "Aesop's Fables" segment of the animated cartoon The Bullwinkle Show (1961). He was the brother of director Wesley Ruggles.

Filmography

1967

Carousel as The Starkeeper / Dr. Selden

1966

The Ugly Dachshund as Dr. J. L. Pruitt
Follow Me, Boys! as John Everett Hughes

1964

Bewitched as Mr. Caldwell
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. as Governor Callahan
I'd Rather Be Rich as Dr. Charles Crandall

1963

Burke's Law as Mr. Gregory
Vacation Playhouse as Eli Harcourt
Son of Flubber as Judge Murdock
Papa's Delicate Condition as Anthony Ghio

1961

The Parent Trap as Charles McKendrick
All in a Night's Work as Warren Kingsley Sr.
The Pleasure of His Company as Mackenzie Savage

1960

The Andy Griffith Show as John Canfield
Aesop and Son as Aesop (voice)

1959

The Bullwinkle Show as Aesop (voice)
The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends as Aesop (voice)

1956

Eloise as Murphy

1954

The World of Mr. Sweeney as Cicero P. Sweeney

1953

Ben and Me as Ben Franklin (voice)

1949

The Ruggles as Charles Ruggles
Look for the Silver Lining as Caro "Pop" Miller
The Lovable Cheat as Claude Mercadet

1948

Give My Regards to Broadway as Toby Helper

1947

It Happened on Fifth Avenue as Michael J. 'Mike' O'Connor
My Brother Talks to Horses as Richard Pennington Roeder
Ramrod as Ben Dickason
The Perfect Marriage as Dale Williams, Sr.

1946

A Stolen Life as Freddie Linley
Gallant Journey as Jim Montgomery

1945

Incendiary Blonde as Cherokee Jim
Bedside Manner as Dr. J.H. 'Doc' Fredericks

1944

Our Hearts Were Young and Gay as Mr. Otis Skinner
3 Is a Family as Sam Whitaker
The Doughgirls as Stanley Slade
The Road to Victory as Mr. Ames (uncredited)
The Shining Future as Mr. Ames

1943

Dixie Dugan as Pa Dugan

1942

Friendly Enemies as Heinrich Block

1941

The Parson of Panamint as Chuckawalla Bill Redfield
Model Wife as Milo Everett
Go West, Young Lady as Jim Pendergast
Honeymoon for Three as Harvey Wilson
The Perfect Snob as Dr. Edgar Mason (as Charlie Ruggles)

1940

The Invisible Woman as George
No Time for Comedy as Philo Swift
The Farmer's Daughter as Nicksie North
Public Deb No. 1 as Milburn
Maryland as Dick Piper
Opened by Mistake as Buzz Nelson

1939

Invitation to Happiness as Henry 'Pop' Hardy
Balalaika as Nicki Popoff
Sudden Money as Sweeney J. Patterson
Night Work as Homer C. Fitch
Boy Trouble as Homer C. Fitch

1938

Bringing Up Baby as Major Applegate
Breaking the Ice as Sam Terwilliger
Hollywood Handicap as Himself
Screen Snapshots Series 17, No. 12 as Charles Ruggles
Service de Luxe as Robinson
His Exciting Night as Adam Tripp

1937

Turn Off the Moon as J. Elliott Dinwiddy
Exclusive as Tod Swain

1936

Yours for the Asking as Sunbather (uncredited)
The Preview Murder Mystery as Himself (Uncredited)
Hollywood Boulevard as Charles Ruggles - Actor - Cameo Appearance (uncredited)
Mind Your Own Business as Orville Shanks
Early to Bed as Chester Beatty
Anything Goes as Reverend Dr. Moon
Wives Never Know as Homer Bigelow
Hearts Divided as Henry

1935

Ruggles of Red Gap as Egbert Floud
The Big Broadcast of 1936 as Wilbur Sealingsworth
No More Ladies as Edgar Holden
People Will Talk as Henry Wilton

1934

Six of a Kind as J. Pinkham Whinney (as Charlie Ruggles)
The Pursuit of Happiness as Aaron Kirkland
Friends of Mr. Sweeney as Asaph 'Ace' Holliday
Murder in the Private Car as Godfrey D. Scott
Melody in Spring as Warren Blodgett

1933

Alice in Wonderland as March Hare
Murders in the Zoo as Peter Yates
Good-bye Love as Oswald Groggs
Girl Without a Room as Vergil Crock
Melody Cruise as Pete Wells
Mama Loves Papa as Wilbur Todd
Terror Aboard as Blackie Witherspoon

1932

If I Had a Million as Henry Peabody
Love Me Tonight as Viscount Gilbert de Varèze
Trouble in Paradise as Major
One Hour with You as Adolph
Make Me a Star as Charles Ruggles (uncredited)
This Is the Night as Bunny West
The Night of June 13 as Philo Strawn (as Charlie Ruggles)
Madame Butterfly as Lieutenant Barton
70,000 Witnesses as Johnny Moran
This Reckless Age as Goliath Whitney (as Charlie Ruggles)
Evenings for Sale as Bimpfl

1931

The House That Shadows Built as (archive footage)
Husband's Holiday as Clyde Saunders
The Smiling Lieutenant as Max
Honor Among Lovers as Monty Dunn
The Girl Habit as Charlie Floyd
The Beloved Bachelor as Jerry Wells

1930

Young Man of Manhattan as Shorty Ross
Charley's Aunt as Fancourt Babberley
Her Wedding Night as Bertie Bird
Roadhouse Nights as Willie Bindbugel
Queen High as T. Boggs Johns

1929

Gentlemen of the Press as Charlie Haven
The Battle of Paris as Zizi
The Lady Lies as Charlie Tayler

1923

The Heart Raider as Gaspard McMahon (an insurance clerk)

1915

The Majesty of the Law as Lawrence Evans
Peer Gynt as The Button Molder
The Reform Candidate