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.
Known For
| Birth Location | Los Angeles, California, USA |
|---|---|
| Born | 1886-02-08 |
| Died | 1970-12-23 |
Movies
Carousel
as The Starkeeper / Dr. Selden
1967
Follow Me, Boys!
as John Everett Hughes
1966
The Ugly Dachshund
as Dr. J. L. Pruitt
1966
I'd Rather Be Rich
as Dr. Charles Crandall
1964
Papa's Delicate Condition
as Anthony Ghio
1963
Son of Flubber
as Judge Murdock
1963
The Pleasure of His Company
as Mackenzie Savage
1961
The Parent Trap
as Charles McKendrick
1961
All in a Night's Work
as Dr. Warren Kingsley, Sr
1961
Eloise
as Murphy
1956
Ben and Me
as Ben Franklin (voice)
1953
Look for the Silver Lining
as Caro "Pop" Miller
1949
The Lovable Cheat
as Claude Mercadet
1949
Give My Regards to Broadway
as Toby Helper
1948
Ramrod
as Ben Dickason
1947
It Happened on Fifth Avenue
as Michael J. 'Mike' O'Connor
1947
My Brother Talks to Horses
as Richard Pennington Roeder
1947
The Perfect Marriage
as Dale Williams, Sr.
1947
Gallant Journey
as Jim Montgomery
1946
A Stolen Life
as Freddie Linley
1946
Incendiary Blonde
as Cherokee Jim
1945
Her Favorite Patient
as Dr. J.H. 'Doc' Fredericks
1945
The Doughgirls
as Stanley Slade
1944
3 Is a Family
as Sam Whitaker
1944
Our Hearts Were Young and Gay
as Otis Skinner
1944
The Road to Victory
as Mr. Ames (uncredited)
1944
The Shining Future
as Mr. Ames
1944
Dixie Dugan
as Pa Dugan
1943
Friendly Enemies
as Heinrich Block
1942
The Perfect Snob
as Dr. Edgar Mason (as Charlie Ruggles)
1941
Go West, Young Lady
as Jim Pendergast
1941
The Parson of Panamint
as Chuckawalla Bill Redfield
1941
Model Wife
as Milo Everett
1941
Honeymoon for Three
as Harvey Wilson
1941
The Invisible Woman
as George
1940
No Time for Comedy
as Philo Swift
1940
Public Deb No. 1
as Milburn
1940
Maryland
as Dick Piper
1940
Opened by Mistake
as Buzz Nelson
1940
The Farmer's Daughter
as Nickie North
1940
Balalaika
as Nicki Popoff
1939
Night Work
as Homer C. Fitch
1939
Invitation to Happiness
as Henry 'Pop' Hardy
1939
Sudden Money
as Sweeney J. Patterson
1939
Boy Trouble
as Homer C. Fitch
1939
His Exciting Night
as Adam Tripp
1938
Service de Luxe
as Robinson
1938
Breaking the Ice
as Sam Terwilliger
1938
Screen Snapshots Series 17, No. 12
as Charles Ruggles
1938
Hollywood Handicap
as Himself
1938
Bringing Up Baby
as Horace Applegate
1938
Exclusive
as Tod Swain
1937
Turn Off the Moon
as J. Elliott Dinwiddy
1937
Mind Your Own Business
as Orville Shanks
1936
Wives Never Know
as Homer Bigelow
1936
Hollywood Boulevard
as Charles Ruggles - Actor - Cameo Appearance (uncredited)
1936
Yours for the Asking
as Sunbather
1936
Hearts Divided
as Henry
1936
Early to Bed
as Chester R. Beatty
1936
The Preview Murder Mystery
as Cameo Appearance as Himself at Preview (Uncredited)
1936
Anything Goes
as Rev. Dr. Moon
1936
The Big Broadcast of 1936
as Wilbur Sealingsworth
1935
No More Ladies
as Edgar Holden
1935
People Will Talk
as Henry Wilton
1935
Ruggles of Red Gap
as Egbert Floud
1935
The Pursuit of Happiness
as Aaron Kirkland
1934
Friends of Mr. Sweeney
as Asaph 'Ace' Holliday
1934
Murder in the Private Car
as Godfrey D. Scott
1934
Melody in Spring
as Warren Blodgett
1934
Six of a Kind
as J. Pinkham Whinney (as Charlie Ruggles)
1934
Alice in Wonderland
as March Hare
1933
Girl without a Room
as Vergil Crock
1933
Good-bye Love
as Oswald Groggs
1933
Mama Loves Papa
as Wilbur Todd
1933
Melody Cruise
as Pete Wells
1933
Terror Aboard
as Blackie Witherspoon
1933
Murders in the Zoo
as Peter Yates
1933
Madame Butterfly
as Lieutenant Barton
1932
If I Had a Million
as Henry Peabody
1932
Evenings for Sale
as Bimpfl
1932
Trouble in Paradise
as Major
1932
The Night of June 13
as Philo Strawn (as Charlie Ruggles)
1932
70,000 Witnesses
as Johnny Moran
1932
Love Me Tonight
as Viscount Gilbert de Varèze
1932
Make Me a Star
as Charles Ruggles (uncredited)
1932
This Is the Night
as Bunny West
1932
One Hour with You
as Adolph
1932
This Reckless Age
as Goliath Whitney (as Charlie Ruggles)
1932
Husband's Holiday
as Clyde Saunders
1931
The Beloved Bachelor
as Jerry Wells
1931
The Smiling Lieutenant
as Max
1931
The House That Shadows Built
as (archive footage)
1931
The Girl Habit
as Charlie Floyd
1931
Honor Among Lovers
as Monty Dunn
1931
Charley's Aunt
as Fancourt Babberley
1930
Her Wedding Night
as Bertie Bird
1930
Queen High
as T. Boggs Johns
1930
Young Man of Manhattan
as Shorty Ross
1930
Roadhouse Nights
as Willie Bindbugel
1930
The Battle of Paris
as Zizi
1929
The Lady Lies
as Charlie Tayler
1929
Gentlemen of the Press
as Charlie Haven
1929
The Heart Raider
as Gaspard McMahon (an insurance clerk)
1923
1915
Peer Gynt
as The Button Molder
1915
The Majesty of the Law
as Lawrence Evans
1915
Charles Ruggles hasn't worked on any movies or TV shows