Charles Ruggles
Born
February 8, 1886
Died
December 23, 1970 (84 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Los Angeles, California, USA
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

Carousel
The Starkeeper / Dr. Selden
1967

Follow Me, Boys!
John Everett Hughes
1966

The Ugly Dachshund
Dr. J. L. Pruitt
1966

Bewitched
Mr. Caldwell · (1 episode)
1964

I'd Rather Be Rich
Dr. Charles Crandall
1964
Vacation Playhouse
Eli Harcourt · (1 episode)
1963

Papa's Delicate Condition
Anthony Ghio
1963

Son of Flubber
Judge Murdock
1963

The Pleasure of His Company
Mackenzie Savage
1961

The Parent Trap
Charles McKendrick
1961

All in a Night's Work
Dr. Warren Kingsley, Sr
1961

The Andy Griffith Show
John Canfield · (1 episode)
1960

The Bullwinkle Show
Aesop (voice) · (815 episodes)
1959

The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends
Aesop (voice) · (163 episodes)
1959

Eloise
Murphy
1956
The World of Mr. Sweeney
Cicero P. Sweeney · (1 episode)
1954

Ben and Me
Ben Franklin (voice)
1953

Look for the Silver Lining
Caro "Pop" Miller
1949

The Lovable Cheat
Claude Mercadet
1949

Give My Regards to Broadway
Toby Helper
1948

Ramrod
Ben Dickason
1947

It Happened on Fifth Avenue
Michael J. 'Mike' O'Connor
1947

My Brother Talks to Horses
Richard Pennington Roeder
1947

The Perfect Marriage
Dale Williams, Sr.
1947

Gallant Journey
Jim Montgomery
1946

A Stolen Life
Freddie Linley
1946

Incendiary Blonde
Cherokee Jim
1945

Her Favorite Patient
Dr. J.H. 'Doc' Fredericks
1945

The Doughgirls
Stanley Slade
1944

3 Is a Family
Sam Whitaker
1944

Our Hearts Were Young and Gay
Mr. Otis Skinner
1944
The Road to Victory
Mr. Ames (uncredited)
1944

The Shining Future
Mr. Ames
1944

Dixie Dugan
Pa Dugan
1943

Friendly Enemies
Heinrich Block
1942

The Perfect Snob
Dr. Edgar Mason (as Charlie Ruggles)
1941

Go West, Young Lady
Jim Pendergast
1941

The Parson of Panamint
Chuckawalla Bill Redfield
1941

Model Wife
Milo Everett
1941

Honeymoon for Three
Harvey Wilson
1941

The Invisible Woman
George
1940

No Time for Comedy
Philo Swift
1940

Public Deb No. 1
Milburn
1940

Maryland
Dick Piper
1940

Opened by Mistake
Buzz Nelson
1940

The Farmer's Daughter
Nickie North
1940

Balalaika
Nicki Popoff
1939

Night Work
Homer C. Fitch
1939

Invitation to Happiness
Henry 'Pop' Hardy
1939

Sudden Money
Sweeney J. Patterson
1939

Boy Trouble
Homer C. Fitch
1939
His Exciting Night
Adam Tripp
1938

Service de Luxe
Robinson
1938

Breaking the Ice
Sam Terwilliger
1938

Screen Snapshots Series 17, No. 12
Charles Ruggles
1938

Hollywood Handicap
Himself
1938

Bringing Up Baby
Horace Applegate
1938

Exclusive
Tod Swain
1937
Turn Off the Moon
J. Elliott Dinwiddy
1937

Mind Your Own Business
Orville Shanks
1936

Wives Never Know
Homer Bigelow
1936

Hollywood Boulevard
Charles Ruggles - Actor - Cameo Appearance (uncredited)
1936

Yours for the Asking
Sunbather (uncredited)
1936

Hearts Divided
Henry
1936

Early to Bed
Chester R. Beatty
1936

The Preview Murder Mystery
Himself (Uncredited)
1936

Anything Goes
Rev. Dr. Moon
1936

The Big Broadcast of 1936
Wilbur Sealingsworth
1935

No More Ladies
Edgar Holden
1935

People Will Talk
Henry Wilton
1935

Ruggles of Red Gap
Egbert Floud
1935

The Pursuit of Happiness
Aaron Kirkland
1934

Friends of Mr. Sweeney
Asaph 'Ace' Holliday
1934

Murder in the Private Car
Godfrey D. Scott
1934

Melody in Spring
Warren Blodgett
1934

Six of a Kind
J. Pinkham Whinney (as Charlie Ruggles)
1934

Alice in Wonderland
March Hare
1933

Girl Without a Room
Vergil Crock
1933

Good-bye Love
Oswald Groggs
1933

Mama Loves Papa
Wilbur Todd
1933

Melody Cruise
Pete Wells
1933

Terror Aboard
Blackie Witherspoon
1933

Murders in the Zoo
Peter Yates
1933

Madame Butterfly
Lieutenant Barton
1932

If I Had a Million
Henry Peabody
1932

Evenings for Sale
Bimpfl
1932

Trouble in Paradise
The Major
1932

The Night of June 13
Philo Strawn (as Charlie Ruggles)
1932

70,000 Witnesses
Johnny Moran
1932

Love Me Tonight
Viscount Gilbert de Varèze
1932

Make Me a Star
Charles Ruggles (uncredited)
1932

This Is the Night
Bunny West
1932

One Hour with You
Adolph
1932

This Reckless Age
Goliath Whitney (as Charlie Ruggles)
1932

Husband's Holiday
Clyde Saunders
1931

The Beloved Bachelor
Jerry Wells
1931

The Smiling Lieutenant
Max
1931

The House That Shadows Built
(archive footage)
1931

The Girl Habit
Charlie Floyd
1931

Honor Among Lovers
Monty Dunn
1931

Charley's Aunt
Fancourt Babberley
1930

Her Wedding Night
Bertie Bird
1930

Queen High
T. Boggs Johns
1930

Young Man of Manhattan
Shorty Ross
1930

Roadhouse Nights
Willie Bindbugel
1930

The Battle of Paris
Zizi
1929

The Lady Lies
Charlie Tayler
1929

Gentlemen of the Press
Charlie Haven
1929

The Heart Raider
Gaspard McMahon (an insurance clerk)
1923

The Reform Candidate
1915

Peer Gynt
The Button Molder
1915

The Majesty of the Law
Lawrence Evans
1915