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Charles Ruggles 1886 - 1970

Charles Sherman Ruggles of Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles County, California was born on February 8, 1886 in Los Angeles, and died at age 84 years old on December 23, 1970 in Santa Monica. Charles Ruggles was buried at Forest Lawn, I guess. After you've played everything I have, there ain't no more..

Charles Sherman Ruggles

Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles County, California 90272

February 8, 1886

Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, United States

December 23, 1970

Santa Monica, Los Angeles County, California, United States

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Charles Ruggles Charles Ruggles (1886 - 1970)

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Charles Sherman Ruggles' History: 1886 - 1970

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Introduction

From 1929, Ruggles appeared in talking pictures. His first was Gentleman of the Press in which he played a comic, alcoholic newspaper reporter. Throughout the 1930s, he was teamed with comic actress Mary Boland in a string of domestic farces, notably If I Had a Million, Six of a Kind, Ruggles of Red Gap, and People Will Talk. Ruggles is best remembered today as the big-game hunter in Bringing Up Baby and billionaire Michael J. "Mike" O'Connor in It Happened on Fifth Avenue. In 1944, he had a summer radio series, The Charlie Ruggles Show on CBS.[5] In 1949, Ruggles halted his film career to return to the stage and to move into television. He was the headline character in the TV series The Ruggles (1949–52), a family comedy in which he played a character also called Charlie Ruggles and was again the headline character in the daily sitcom The World of Mr. Sweeney, which ran for 345 episodes in 1954–55. Ruggles returned to the big screen in 1961, playing Charles McKendrick in The Parent Trap and Mackenzie Savage in The Pleasure of His Company. In the latter film, he reprised the role for which he had won a Tony Award in 1959. In 1963 he memorably played the grandfather of the silent film star Corinne Griffith in Papa's Delicate Condition. Griffith had written the book of her early life on which the film is based. Ruggles made guest appearances in episodes of various television series through the 1950s and 1960s, such as a time-traveling librarian in "Man from 1997," a 1956 science fiction episode of the television series Conflict, and a 1961 appearance as a wealthy neighbor who offers to finance a European trip for Hassie McCoy on The Real McCoys, in the season 5 episode "Hassie's European Tour". Ruggles had a recurring guest role on The Beverly Hillbillies in the mid-1960s as Lowell Redlings Farquhar, father-in-law of Milburn Drysdale (Raymond Bailey). Ruggles also played Aunt Clara's (Marion Lorne) old flame, the warlock Hedley Partridge, as well as a Mr. Caldwell, whose company marketed soup, in the television series Bewitched.[6] In Wagon Train, he played, Jameson Hershey, the owner of an elderly horse, Herman, that joins up with the wagon train. He played Congressman John Canfield on an episode of The Andy Griffith Show called "Aunt Bee, The Swinger", and appeared as a driving instructor on The Munsters. Ruggles also lent his voice to the Aesop and Son features in Jay Ward's The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show. One of Ruggles' last television appearances before his death was a starring role in the syndicated television special The Wonder Circus, where he played Charlie Wonder, a retired ringmaster who talked about his life leading a circus.[7]
02/8

1886

Birthday

February 8, 1886

Birthdate

Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California United States

Birthplace

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Ethnicity & Family History

Charles Ruggles Born February 8, 1886 in Los Angeles, California, USA Died December 23, 1970 in Santa Monica, California, USA (cancer) Birth Name Charles Sherman Ruggles Nickname Charlie Height 5' 8" (1.73 m) Mini Bio (1) Charles Ruggles had one of the longest careers in Hollywood, lasting more than 50 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 (1959). He was the brother of director Wesley Ruggles. Family (2) Spouse Marion Louise (Shields) DeBeck LaBarba (7 May 1942 - 23 December 1970) (his death) Barbara Guillan (1916 - 5 December 1941) (her death) Adele Rowland (4 March 1914 - 19 August 1916) (divorced) Relatives Wesley Ruggles (sibling) Trade Mark (1) The line, "Oh, my, my, my." Trivia (11) Brother of director Wesley Ruggles. His mother was shot and killed instantly at her home when she stepped between her husband and another man in 1924. His stepfather was run down and killed by a streetcar in 1925. His parents were Charles Sherman (a traveling pharmaceutical salesman) and Theresa Maria (Heinsch) Ruggles, and he was the elder of two sons. Charles began working for the same pharmaceutical company that his father worked in 1904 directly after his high school graduation but did not enjoy it and left not long after. Appeared with a number of stock companies during his early years. He made his stage debut with the Alcazar Theatre Stock Company, where he initially found employment as a super. He also performed with the Oliver Morosco Stock Company and the Frank Leake Stock Company. His second wife, Marion La Barba, whom he married in 1942, was the former wife of featherweight boxing champ Fidel LaBarba. The couple were both animal lovers and, at one point during their marriage, had amassed 94 pets. President of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in 1953. The Los Angeles native donated his personal memorabilia and awards to the Department of Special Collections at the UCLA Library. He was awarded three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame: for radio at 6359 Hollywood Boulevard; for motion pictures at 6264 Hollywood Boulevard; and for television at 1630 Vine Street. Won the Tony award (1959) as Best Featured Actor in a Play for his performance in "The Pleasure of His Company," a role he repeated in the 1961 film version. Died exactly 30 years prior to Victor Borge. Personal Quotes (1) [Future plans include] Forest Lawn, I guess. After you've played everything I have, there ain't no more.
Religious Beliefs

Charles Ruggles Famous memorial BIRTH 8 Feb 1886 Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, USA DEATH 23 Dec 1970 (aged 84) Santa Monica, Los Angeles County, California, USA BURIAL Forest Lawn Memorial Park Glendale, Los Angeles County, California, USA Show Map PLOT Gardens of Memory (NW), Map #01, Single Garden Crypt 1077 MEMORIAL ID 3561 · View Source MEMORIAL PHOTOS 4 FLOWERS 704 Actor. Remembered for his comedic roles in a career that spanned six decades. Born to Charles Sherman and Theresa Maria (Heinsch) Ruggles. His younger brother was director Wesley Ruggles. His parents divorced when he was young. He lived in San Francisco as a teenager. He started acting in 1905 and played a variety of roles in stock companies. He married actress Adele Rowland in 1914. They divorced in 1916. He made his Broadway debut in "Help Wanted" in 1914. His Broadway successes included "Battling Buttler" and "Queen High". He also acted in silent films, including "The Majesty of the Law" (1915), "Peer Gynt" (1915), and "The Heart Raider" (1923). He married actress Barbara Guillan before 1920 and they remained married until her death in 1941. His first talkie was "Gentleman of the Press" (1929), in which he played a drunken news reporter. He became renowned for his partnership with Mary Boland. He played the henpecked husband. Their films included "Mama Loves Papa" (1933), "Six of a Kind" (1934), and "Ruggles of Red Gap" (1935). In the late thirties, he opened See Are Kennels, a dog boarding kennel. In 1938 he portrayed big game hunter Major Horace Applegate in "Bringing Up Baby", which is one of his best-remembered roles. In addition to his film appearances, he acted on multiple radio shows and performed in USO tours during the 1940s. Programs he appeared on include "Barrel of Fun," "Suspense," "Mayor of the Town" and "Lux Radio Theater," In 1942 he married Marion La Barba, who he was married to for the remainder of his life. In 1947 he appeared in "It Happened on 5th Avenue" as Michael J. O'Connor, a millionaire who discovers his mansion is taken over by homeless people. He halted his film career to try television. He flourished, starring in the shows "The Ruggles" and "The World of Mr. Sweeney," He made guest appearances on "The Beverly Hillbillies," "Playhouse 90," "The Life of Riley," and "Bewitched," among others. He was president of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in 1953. In 1958 he returned to Broadway as Mackenzie Savage in "The Pleasure of His Company." He won a Tony Award for his performance. He also voiced the "Aesop and Son" segment on "The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show." He returned to films in the early 1960s, playing grandfather roles. They included "The Parent Trap" (1961) and "Papa's Delicate Condition" (1963). "Follow Me, Boys!" (1966) was his final film. His final acting credit was on "The Danny Thomas Hour" in 1968. Two years later he died of cancer at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California. He was a versatile actor, excelling at both comedy and drama, and was able to transition to different forms of entertainment. Bio by: Miranda Inscription MY BELOVED HUSBAND Family Members Parents Charles Ruggles Charles Sherman Ruggles 1859–1932 Theresa Dorris Theresa Maria Heinsch Dorris 1865–1924 Spouses Adele Rowland Adele Rowland 1883–1971 (m. 1914) Barbara Ruggles Barbara Guillan Ruggles 1897–1941 (m. 1916) Marion Ruggles Marion Louise Shields Ruggles 1895–1978 (m. 1942) Siblings Wesley Ruggles Wesley Ruggles 1889–1972
Professional Career

Walt Disney Features His first screen role, in. 1929, was that of a drunken reporter in “Gentlemen of the Press.” But comedy won out in “The Lady Lies,” “Charley's Aunt” and “Friends of Mr. Sweeney.” He played henpecked‐husband parts opposite Mary Boland in such vehicles as “Six of a Kind” and “Ruggles of Red Gap,” the latter a comedy classic of the American frontier. He also had featured roles in such sophisticated froth as, “Trouble in Paradise,” “Love Me Tonight,” “The Smiling Lieutenant” and “One Hour With You.” Other Ruggles movies were “Honeymoon for Three;” “Bringing Up Baby,” “Our Hearts Were Young and Gay,” “Anything Goes,” “The Parson of Panamint” and “All in a Night's Work.” Two of his last films were “The Ugly Dachshund” and “Follow Me, Boys!” both Disney features, in 1966. Between his screen roles, Mr. Ruggles made appearances on radio and later on television. He won a Tony award for his portrayal of the father of Cornelia Otis Skinner in “The Pleasure of His Company.” He also appeared on. Broadway in 1964 in the short‐lived “Roar Like a Dove.”
Personal Life & Family

Spouse Marion Louise (Shields) DeBeck LaBarba (7 May 1942 - 23 December 1970) (his death) Barbara Guillan (1916 - 5 December 1941) (her death) Adele Rowland (4 March 1914 - 19 August 1916) (divorced)
12/23

1970

Death

December 23, 1970

Death date

Cancer.

Cause of death

Santa Monica, Los Angeles County, California United States
Death location

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Gravesite & Burial

mm/dd/yyyy
Funeral date
Forest Lawn, I guess. After you've played everything I have, there ain't no more.
Burial location
Obituary

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Dec, 23 (UPI)—Charles Ruggles, the stage, screen and television performer whose wryly turned milquetoast image made him one of the mast disarming comedians in show business, died in St. John's Hospital to day at the age of 84. A member of the family said he had had cancer. A funeral service will be held Saturday in the Church of the Recessional at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale. Jack Haley will deliver the eulogy. Of his more than 80 movie appearances, Mr. Ruggles's role in the 1932 Paramount film “If I Had a Million,” an episodic, all star package about changed lives, perhaps best indicated the quiet flair, gentle expertise and wistful air of lurking rebellion that the actor came to symbolize. As a nervous employee in a high‐class china emporium, he was continually being fined for breaking the fragile merchandise and his talkative wife belittled his longing to raise pet rabbits. Willed $1‐million by a stranger, he enters the shop Majestically, late for work and leading a white rabbit on a leash. He then marches through the store cracking the choicest crockery with a cane. In his best‐known movie roles, the kind‐faced, wide eyed Mr. Ruggles displayed an unmistakable personal trade mark in a grimace that even suggested the twitching whiskers of a rabbit. Although he played drama in his initial stage career, and in several early talking pictures, the wry geniality prevailed. This trademark colored his television series in 1954, “The World of. Mr. Sweeney,” his return to Broadway in 1958 after nearly 30 years in “The Pleasure of His Company” and his final movies for the Walt Disney organization. “I'll always be grateful for my grounding in theater,” he said during preparations for the television series., As he re hearsed for his stage comeback, a hit comedy that drew an ovation on opening night, he admitted that “the stage was my first and only love.” Slept Through Earthquake Mr. Ruggles was born in Los Angeles, the oldest son of a wholesale drug salesman. He grew, up in San Francisco, slept through the earthquake of 1906 and, to family disapprove, was playing in a stock company at the Alcazar Theater at 17. He played in various stock and road companies, usually portraying old men and character roles, before joining the Oliver Morosco company and playing juveniles in Chicago and New York. After his Broad way debut in “Help Wanted,” he appeared in “Rolling Stones,” “Canary Cottage,” “Battling Butler” and such musicals as “The Passing Show of 1919,” “Queen High” and “Spring Is Here.” In Disney Features His first screen role, in. 1929, was that of a drunken reporter in “Gentlemen of the Press.” But comedy won out in “The Lady Lies,” “Charley's Aunt” and “Friends of Mr. Sweeney.” He played henpecked‐husband parts opposite Mary Boland in such vehicles as “Six of a Kind” and “Ruggles of Red Gap,” the latter a comedy classic of the American frontier. He also had featured roles in such sophisticated froth as, “Trouble in Paradise,” “Love Me Tonight,” “The Smiling Lieutenant” and “One Hour With You.” Other Ruggles movies were “Honeymoon for Three;” “Bringing Up Baby,” “Our Hearts Were Young and Gay,” “Anything Goes,” “The Parson of Panamint” and “All in a Night's Work.” Two of his last films were “The Ugly Dachs hund” and “Follow Me, Boys!” both Disney features, in 1966. Between his screen roles, Mr. Ruggles made appearances on radio and later on television. He won a Tony award for his portrayal of the father of Cornelia Otis Skinner in “The Pleasure of His Company.” He also appeared on. Broadway in 1964 in the short‐lived “Roar Like a Dove.” Mr. Ruggles was a widower when, in 1942, he married Marion La Barba, former wife of Fidel La Barba, the boxer. The couple who resided in Brentwood, a suburb of Los Angeles, were childless. Mr. Ruggles’ brother; Wesley, also an actor, became a noted screen director of the late silent movies and the early talkies.

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Charles Ruggles lived 10 years longer than the average family member when died at the age of 84.

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9 Memories, Stories & Photos about Charles

Amanda S. Stevenson

44 favorites

06/30/2025

Charles Ruggles

Handsome man.

Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.

Comments

Amanda S. Stevenson

17.8k+ favorites

09/30/2022

Amanda S. Stevenson I was retelling the story to character actor lovers.
Bringing Up Baby. I met him surrounded by a bunch of people I admired and they LOVED meeting me. I was gushing specific intelligent comments of praise for all of them and they knew I really meant it!
What a lasting MEMORY!!! Charles Ruggles, Walter Abel, Cornelia Otis Skinner, Cyril Ritchard, Dolores Hart, and watching this love fest was Judith Anderson, so in order not to hurt her feelings, I said,
"If I don't get your autograph Miss Anderson, I'll kill myself." She laughed out loud and was grateful to be asked.

I had fallen in love with her book, "Our Hearts Were Young and Gay" by Cornelia Otis Skinner and could hardly wait to see Europe.

Charles Ruggles was so beautiful in person.

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Charles Ruggles Motion Picture and Broadway Tony Award Winning Star.

Amanda S. Stevenson

17.8k+ favorites

07/07/2022

Charles Ruggles Motion Picture and Broadway Tony Award Winning Star.

He was a character actor and very nice to meet.

Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.

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Amanda S. Stevenson

17.8k+ favorites

07/07/2022

Looked like a gentleman.

Acted like one too.

Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.

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Amanda S. Stevenson

17.8k+ favorites

07/07/2022

Appeared in Ruggles of Red gap.

Always played the hen pecked guy.

Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.

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Ruggles imitating a leopard in BRINGING UP BABY.

Amanda S. Stevenson

17.8k+ favorites

07/07/2022

Ruggles imitating a leopard in BRINGING UP BABY.

Charles Ruggles with Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant. I met all three separately. I loved Katharine Hepburn and she was the only female star I ever met who was nasty to me. The next two times she went over to me and was greeted with sad and downcast eyes and silence. In an interview she said she was sorry for being so nasty to so many people because when she met them again they would look away from her and look sad and angry.

Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.

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Amanda S. Stevenson

17.8k+ favorites

07/07/2022

Charles Ruggles.

Movie Star.

Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.

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Amanda S. Stevenson

17.8k+ favorites

07/07/2022

I met the whole cast.

It was a great day for me. And I had nice things to say to all of them so they were delighted with me.
I had read her book. I had loved Ritchard in Peter Pan. I was complimentary to Ruggles for Bringing Up Baby, I recognized Walter Abel and called him Mr. Abel. Judith Anderson was there and was really intrigued that I knew who everyone was.

Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.

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Amanda S. Stevenson

17.8k+ favorites

07/07/2022

Charles Ruggles

Actor.

Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.

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