Charles Ruggles

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.

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My Brother Talks to Horses (1947)

Living with his family in Baltimore, 9-year-old Lewie Penrose claims that he can converse with horses--and also pick the winners of upcoming races. When it appears as though Lewie is telling the truth, he attracts the interest of gambler Rich Roeder who needs a ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Fred Zinnemann
CAST:  Jackie 'Butch' Jenkins  •  Peter Lawford  •  Beverly Tyler  •  Edward Arnold

Living with his family in Baltimore, 9-year-old Lewie Penrose claims that he can converse with horses--and also pick the winners of upcoming races. When it appears as though Lewie is telling the truth, he attracts the interest of gambler Rich Roeder who needs a ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Fred Zinnemann
CAST:  Jackie 'Butch' Jenkins  •  Peter Lawford  •  Beverly Tyler  •  Edward Arnold

Melody Cruise (1933)

A bachelor millionaire on a cruise is protected by a friend from the avid attentions of a crowd of husband (and fortune) seeking girls.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Mark Sandrich
CAST:  Charles Ruggles  •  Phil Harris  •  Helen Mack  •  Greta Nissen

A bachelor millionaire on a cruise is protected by a friend from the avid attentions of a crowd of husband (and fortune) seeking girls.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Mark Sandrich
CAST:  Charles Ruggles  •  Phil Harris  •  Helen Mack  •  Greta Nissen

Give My Regards to Broadway (1948)

A family vaudeville act is threatened when the eldest son is offered a contract to play baseball. Musical.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Lloyd Bacon
CAST:  Dan Dailey  •  Charles Winninger  •  Fay Bainter  •  Jane Nigh

A family vaudeville act is threatened when the eldest son is offered a contract to play baseball. Musical.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Lloyd Bacon
CAST:  Dan Dailey  •  Charles Winninger  •  Fay Bainter  •  Jane Nigh

His Exciting Night (1938)

A milquetoast clerk is betrothed to the socialite whose aunt holds a big account with his company.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Gus Meins
CAST:  Charles Ruggles  •  Richard Lane  •  Maxie Rosenbloom  •  Marion Martin

A milquetoast clerk is betrothed to the socialite whose aunt holds a big account with his company.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Gus Meins
CAST:  Charles Ruggles  •  Richard Lane  •  Maxie Rosenbloom  •  Marion Martin

Service de Luxe (1938)

Glamorous and efficient Helen Murphy runs a service that will provide any type of assistance to wealthy customers, but what she's really looking for is a man who can take care of himself.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Rowland V. Lee
CAST:  Vincent Price  •  Constance Bennett  •  Charles Ruggles  •  Helen Broderick

Glamorous and efficient Helen Murphy runs a service that will provide any type of assistance to wealthy customers, but what she's really looking for is a man who can take care of himself.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Rowland V. Lee
CAST:  Vincent Price  •  Constance Bennett  •  Charles Ruggles  •  Helen Broderick

Model Wife (1941)

Complications in a dressmaking firm when a model has to hide her marriage.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Leigh Jason
CAST:  Joan Blondell  •  Dick Powell  •  Charles Ruggles  •  Lee Bowman

Complications in a dressmaking firm when a model has to hide her marriage.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Leigh Jason
CAST:  Joan Blondell  •  Dick Powell  •  Charles Ruggles  •  Lee Bowman

This Reckless Age (1932)

Donald Ingals and his wife Eunice are conventional and loving parents who are shocked when their son Bradley comes home from college with ideas that they consider to be outrageous. His parents would like him to get involved with Mary Burke, a prim and proper young ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Frank Tuttle
CAST:  Charles "Buddy" Rogers  •  Richard Bennett  •  Peggy Shannon  •  Charles Ruggles

Donald Ingals and his wife Eunice are conventional and loving parents who are shocked when their son Bradley comes home from college with ideas that they consider to be outrageous. His parents would like him to get involved with Mary Burke, a prim and proper young ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Frank Tuttle
CAST:  Charles "Buddy" Rogers  •  Richard Bennett  •  Peggy Shannon  •  Charles Ruggles

Mama Loves Papa (1933)

A woman's ceaseless badgering sends her husband on a drinking bender. Along the way, he makes a new female acquaintance.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Norman Z. McLeod
CAST:  Charles Ruggles  •  Mary Boland  •  Lilyan Tashman  •  George Barbier

A woman's ceaseless badgering sends her husband on a drinking bender. Along the way, he makes a new female acquaintance.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Norman Z. McLeod
CAST:  Charles Ruggles  •  Mary Boland  •  Lilyan Tashman  •  George Barbier

Our Hearts Were Young and Gay (1944)

In 1923, two young ladies depart unescorted for a tour of Europe, meeting two eligible men aboard ship. Their great naïvité and efforts to seem grown-up lead them into many comic misadventures.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Lewis Allen
CAST:  Gail Russell  •  Diana Lynn  •  Charles Ruggles  •  Dorothy Gish

In 1923, two young ladies depart unescorted for a tour of Europe, meeting two eligible men aboard ship. Their great naïvité and efforts to seem grown-up lead them into many comic misadventures.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Lewis Allen
CAST:  Gail Russell  •  Diana Lynn  •  Charles Ruggles  •  Dorothy Gish

Go West, Young Lady (1941)

A young woman arrives in the western town of Headstone and helps the locals outsmart a gang of outlaws.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Frank R. Strayer
CAST:  Penny Singleton  •  Glenn Ford  •  Ann Miller  •  Charles Ruggles

A young woman arrives in the western town of Headstone and helps the locals outsmart a gang of outlaws.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Frank R. Strayer
CAST:  Penny Singleton  •  Glenn Ford  •  Ann Miller  •  Charles Ruggles

Friends Of Mr. Sweeney (1934)

Asaph (Charles Ruggles) is a meek, mild-mannered homebody who occasionally shows some backbone to his prudish, overbearing boss, only to be beaten down again. With the encouragement of his secretary Beulah (Ann Dvorak), his old college team-mate Wynn (Eugene ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Edward Ludwig
CAST:  Charles Ruggles  •  Ann Dvorak  •  Eugene Pallette  •  Dorothy Burgess

Asaph (Charles Ruggles) is a meek, mild-mannered homebody who occasionally shows some backbone to his prudish, overbearing boss, only to be beaten down again. With the encouragement of his secretary Beulah (Ann Dvorak), his old college team-mate Wynn (Eugene ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Edward Ludwig
CAST:  Charles Ruggles  •  Ann Dvorak  •  Eugene Pallette  •  Dorothy Burgess

Honeymoon for Three (1941)

Noted writer Kenneth Bixby, in love with his witty secretary Anne Rogers, is on a book tour when he meets up with a former college fling with a loopy Danish girl which he barely remembers. She remembers him, very well.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Lloyd Bacon
CAST:  Ann Sheridan  •  George Brent  •  Charles Ruggles  •  Jane Wyman

Noted writer Kenneth Bixby, in love with his witty secretary Anne Rogers, is on a book tour when he meets up with a former college fling with a loopy Danish girl which he barely remembers. She remembers him, very well.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Lloyd Bacon
CAST:  Ann Sheridan  •  George Brent  •  Charles Ruggles  •  Jane Wyman

Invitation to Happiness (1939)

An egotistical boxer romances a rich backer's daughter.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Wesley Ruggles
CAST:  Irene Dunne  •  Fred MacMurray  •  Charles Ruggles  •  Billy Cook

An egotistical boxer romances a rich backer's daughter.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Wesley Ruggles
CAST:  Irene Dunne  •  Fred MacMurray  •  Charles Ruggles  •  Billy Cook

Sudden Money (1939)

Promises of happier times dawn for the financially distressed Patterson family when father Sweeney and brother-in-law Archibald "Doc" Finney win a $150,000 grand prize in the sweepstake contest. With their windfall, each member of the family decides to pursue a dream.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Nick Grindé
CAST:  Charles Ruggles  •  Marjorie Rambeau  •  Charley Grapewin  •  Broderick Crawford

Promises of happier times dawn for the financially distressed Patterson family when father Sweeney and brother-in-law Archibald "Doc" Finney win a $150,000 grand prize in the sweepstake contest. With their windfall, each member of the family decides to pursue a dream.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Nick Grindé
CAST:  Charles Ruggles  •  Marjorie Rambeau  •  Charley Grapewin  •  Broderick Crawford

The Perfect Marriage (1947)

A couple celebrate their tenth anniversary by quarreling their way to divorce court.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Lewis Allen
CAST:  Loretta Young  •  David Niven  •  Eddie Albert  •  Charles Ruggles

A couple celebrate their tenth anniversary by quarreling their way to divorce court.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Lewis Allen
CAST:  Loretta Young  •  David Niven  •  Eddie Albert  •  Charles Ruggles

Carousel (1967)

In a Maine coastal village toward the end of the 19th century, the swaggering, carefree carnival barker, Billy Bigelow, captivates and marries the naive millworker, Julie Jordan. Billy loses his job just as he learns that Julie is pregnant and, desperately intent ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Paul Bogart
CAST:  Robert Goulet  •  Mary Grover  •  Pernell Roberts  •  Marlyn Mason

In a Maine coastal village toward the end of the 19th century, the swaggering, carefree carnival barker, Billy Bigelow, captivates and marries the naive millworker, Julie Jordan. Billy loses his job just as he learns that Julie is pregnant and, desperately intent ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Paul Bogart
CAST:  Robert Goulet  •  Mary Grover  •  Pernell Roberts  •  Marlyn Mason

The Doughgirls (1944)

Arthur and Vivian are just married, but when the get to their honeymoon suite in Washington D.C., they find it occupied. Arthur goes to meet Slade, his new boss, and when he comes back, he finds three girls in his suite. He orders Vivian to get rid of them, but ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  James V. Kern
CAST:  Ann Sheridan  •  Alexis Smith  •  Jack Carson  •  Jane Wyman

Arthur and Vivian are just married, but when the get to their honeymoon suite in Washington D.C., they find it occupied. Arthur goes to meet Slade, his new boss, and when he comes back, he finds three girls in his suite. He orders Vivian to get rid of them, but ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  James V. Kern
CAST:  Ann Sheridan  •  Alexis Smith  •  Jack Carson  •  Jane Wyman

Gentlemen of the Press (1929)

A newspaperman is drawn away from family life by the needs of his paper until a new woman enters his life.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Millard Webb
CAST:  Walter Huston  •  Kay Francis  •  Charles Ruggles  •  Betty Lawford

A newspaperman is drawn away from family life by the needs of his paper until a new woman enters his life.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Millard Webb
CAST:  Walter Huston  •  Kay Francis  •  Charles Ruggles  •  Betty Lawford

The Road to Victory (1944)

Documentary short film intended to drum up support for the Fifth War Loan Campaign. It shows a happy family in the future of 1960 enjoying the prosperity and advantages made possible by the successful prosecution of the war, and how the sacrifices of 1944 have made ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  LeRoy Prinz
CAST:  Bing Crosby  •  Cary Grant  •  Frank Sinatra  •  Charles Ruggles

Documentary short film intended to drum up support for the Fifth War Loan Campaign. It shows a happy family in the future of 1960 enjoying the prosperity and advantages made possible by the successful prosecution of the war, and how the sacrifices of 1944 have made ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  LeRoy Prinz
CAST:  Bing Crosby  •  Cary Grant  •  Frank Sinatra  •  Charles Ruggles

Hollywood Handicap (1938)

A group of stable hands is given a race horse when its owner retires from the business. They raise money to run the horse in the Hollywood Derby at Santa Anita race track. Many Hollywood personalities attend the event.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Buster Keaton
CAST:  Charles Ruggles  •  Mickey Rooney  •  Stuart Erwin  •  June Collyer

A group of stable hands is given a race horse when its owner retires from the business. They raise money to run the horse in the Hollywood Derby at Santa Anita race track. Many Hollywood personalities attend the event.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Buster Keaton
CAST:  Charles Ruggles  •  Mickey Rooney  •  Stuart Erwin  •  June Collyer
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