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Charles Ruggles

Charles Ruggles

Actor · Died December 23, 1970, aged 84 · 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.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
February 8, 1886
Died
December 23, 1970 (aged 84)
From
Los Angeles, California, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
38 on MovieCove · 114 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 6% in 30 days

What are Charles Ruggles' films like?

Across their 32 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy25 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 68th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 68th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
56%
Self
17%
Morality
13%
Power
7%
Society
4%
Survival
2%
Ideas
1%
Romantic love15 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds10 titles, browse their movies with this themeMarriage6 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth5 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception5 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 32 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 25 · Serious 6 · Dark 1

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 20 · Stylized 10 · Heightened 2

Gentle: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their gentle movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 22 · Charged 9 · Intense 1

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 19 · Shifting 8 · Whiplash 5

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 3 · Some laughs 12 · Funny 17

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 15 · Even-paced 13 · Relentless 4

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 27 · Engaged 5 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 31 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

24 analyzed roles

Usually the Mentor: 6 of 24 analyzed roles.

Mentor
6 of 24
Trickster
5 of 24
Ally
4 of 24
Hero
3 of 24
Threshold guardian
3 of 24
Shapeshifter
2 of 24
Shadow
1 of 24
Show the 24 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
21
Warm
17
Tense
8
Romantic
8
Absurd
7
Other
19

How their films linger

Feel-good24 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy26
  • Bittersweet5
  • Ambiguous1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Charles Ruggles' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 7 of their 38 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (5).

Subscription and free streaming for Charles Ruggles' titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

114 credits, 38 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Carousel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    as The Starkeeper / Dr. Selden

  • Follow Me, Boys!(1966)

    as John Everett Hughes

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • The Ugly Dachshund(1966)

    as Dr. J. L. Pruitt

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • The Man from U.N.C.L.E.(1964)

    Show 1 episode · as Governor Callahan

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • Bewitched(1964)

    Show 1 episode · as Mr. Caldwell

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • I'd Rather Be Rich(1964)

    as Dr. Charles Crandall

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Burke's Law (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · as Mr. Gregory

  • Vacation Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · as Eli Harcourt

  • Papa's Delicate Condition(1963)

    as Anthony Ghio

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Son of Flubber(1962)

    as Judge Murdock

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • The Pleasure of His Company(1961)

    as Mackenzie Savage

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • The Parent Trap(1961)

    as Charles McKendrick

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • All in a Night's Work(1961)

    as Warren Kingsley Sr.

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • The Andy Griffith Show(1960)

    Show 1 episode · as John Canfield

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Aesop and Son (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 39 episodes · as Aesop (voice)

  • The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 163 episodes · as Aesop (voice)

  • The Bullwinkle Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 815 episodes · as Aesop (voice)

  • Eloise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as Murphy

  • The World of Mr. Sweeney (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Show 1 episode · as Cicero P. Sweeney

  • Ben and Me (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    as Ben Franklin (voice)

  • The Ruggles (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    Show 137 episodes · as Charles Ruggles

  • Look for the Silver Lining (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Caro "Pop" Miller

  • The Lovable Cheat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Claude Mercadet

  • Give My Regards to Broadway (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Toby Helper

  • Ramrod (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    as Ben Dickason

  • It Happened on Fifth Avenue(1947)

    as Michael J. 'Mike' O'Connor

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • My Brother Talks to Horses(1947)

    as Richard Pennington Roeder

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • The Perfect Marriage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    as Dale Williams, Sr.

  • Gallant Journey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as Jim Montgomery

  • A Stolen Life(1946)

    as Freddie Linley

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Incendiary Blonde (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    as Cherokee Jim

  • Bedside Manner(1945)

    as Dr. J.H. 'Doc' Fredericks

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • The Doughgirls (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    as Stanley Slade

  • Three Is a Family(1944)

    as Sam Whitaker

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Our Hearts Were Young and Gay(1944)

    as Mr. Otis Skinner

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • The Road to Victory (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    as Mr. Ames (uncredited)

  • The Shining Future (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    as Mr. Ames

  • Dixie Dugan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Pa Dugan

  • Friendly Enemies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Heinrich Block

  • The Perfect Snob (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Dr. Edgar Mason (as Charlie Ruggles)

  • Go West, Young Lady (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Jim Pendergast

  • The Parson of Panamint(1941)

    as Chuckawalla Bill Redfield

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Model Wife (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Milo Everett

  • Honeymoon for Three (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Harvey Wilson

  • The Invisible Woman(1940)

    as George

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • No Time for Comedy(1940)

    as Philo Swift

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Public Deb No. 1(1940)

    as Milburn

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Maryland (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Dick Piper

  • Opened by Mistake (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Buzz Nelson

  • The Farmer's Daughter(1940)

    as Nicksie North

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Balalaika(1939)

    as Nicki Popoff

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Night Work (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Homer C. Fitch

  • Invitation to Happiness(1939)

    as Henry 'Pop' Hardy

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Sudden Money (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Sweeney J. Patterson

  • Boy Trouble (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Homer C. Fitch

  • His Exciting Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Adam Tripp

  • Service de Luxe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Robinson

  • Breaking the Ice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Sam Terwilliger

  • Screen Snapshots Series 17, No. 12 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Charles Ruggles

  • Bringing Up Baby(1938)

    as Major Applegate

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Exclusive(1937)

    as Tod Swain

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Turn Off the Moon(1937)

    as J. Elliott Dinwiddy

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Mind Your Own Business (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Orville Shanks

  • Wives Never Know (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Homer Bigelow

  • Hollywood Boulevard (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Charles Ruggles - Actor - Cameo Appearance (uncredited)

  • Yours for the Asking(1936)

    as Sunbather (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Hearts Divided (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Henry

  • Early to Bed (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Chester Beatty

  • Anything Goes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Reverend Dr. Moon

  • The Big Broadcast of 1936 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Wilbur Sealingsworth

  • No More Ladies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Edgar Holden

  • People Will Talk (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Henry Wilton

  • Ruggles of Red Gap(1935)

    as Egbert Floud

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • The Pursuit of Happiness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Aaron Kirkland

  • Friends of Mr. Sweeney (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Asaph 'Ace' Holliday

  • Murder in the Private Car (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Godfrey D. Scott

  • Melody in Spring (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Warren Blodgett

  • Six of a Kind(1934)

    as J. Pinkham Whinney (as Charlie Ruggles)

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Alice in Wonderland(1933)

    as March Hare

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Girl Without a Room (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Vergil Crock

  • Good-bye Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Oswald Groggs

  • Mama Loves Papa (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Wilbur Todd

  • Melody Cruise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Pete Wells

  • Terror Aboard (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Blackie Witherspoon

  • Murders in the Zoo(1933)

    as Peter Yates

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Madame Butterfly (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Lieutenant Barton

  • If I Had a Million(1932)

    as Henry Peabody

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Evenings for Sale (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Bimpfl

  • Trouble in Paradise(1932)

    as Major

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • The Night of June 13 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Philo Strawn (as Charlie Ruggles)

  • 70,000 Witnesses (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Johnny Moran

  • Love Me Tonight(1932)

    as Viscount Gilbert de Varèze

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Make Me a Star(1932)

    as Charles Ruggles (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • This Is the Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Bunny West

  • One Hour with You(1932)

    as Adolph

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • This Reckless Age (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Goliath Whitney (as Charlie Ruggles)

  • Husband's Holiday (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Clyde Saunders

  • The Beloved Bachelor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Jerry Wells

  • The Smiling Lieutenant (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Max

  • The House That Shadows Built (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as (archive footage)

  • The Girl Habit (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Charlie Floyd

  • Honor Among Lovers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Monty Dunn

  • Charley's Aunt (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    as Fancourt Babberley

  • Her Wedding Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    as Bertie Bird

  • Queen High (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    as T. Boggs Johns

  • Young Man of Manhattan(1930)

    as Shorty Ross

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Roadhouse Nights (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    as Willie Bindbugel

  • The Battle of Paris (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    as Zizi

  • The Lady Lies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    as Charlie Tayler

  • Gentlemen of the Press (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    as Charlie Haven

  • The Heart Raider (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1923)

    as Gaspard McMahon (an insurance clerk)

  • The Reform Candidate (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1915)

    Actor

  • Peer Gynt (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1915)

    as The Button Molder

  • The Majesty of the Law (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1915)

    as Lawrence Evans

Career shape

Star power in the 98th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 114 titles from 1915 to 1967; peak year 1966.

Biggest box office

The Parent Trap (1961)

$30M worldwide

Highest rated

Trouble in Paradise (1932)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

The Parent Trap (1961)

Film career

19151967

Peak 1966 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 6 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

  • 1931Screen debut· The Smiling Lieutenant
  • 1933First top-billed film· Murders in the Zoo
  • 1938Career best· Bringing Up Baby

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting114 of 114: 114 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score67th

By decade

1910s3 · acting1920s4 · acting1930s57 · acting1940s30 · acting1950s5 · acting1960s15 · acting

Billing

usually 4th · top billed in 6% of 18 roles
313651

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Charles Ruggles' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 65th percentile, the median of all 35; across their 32 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 64th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

64thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 32

Approval · how many liked their films

63rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 32

Reach · how many have seen their films

50thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 32

Midcredits score across 38 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up14
  • 50th to 74th15
  • 25th to 49th8
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

18 of their 38 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved6
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser18
  • Broadly Agreed6
  • Mixed7

Most divisive · actor

Public Deb No. 1 (1940)

75th percentile spread · 25% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Trouble in Paradise (1932)

Midcredits 97th · 85% liked

Reviewers score the acting 75/100 in their films, across 27 reviewed titles; fans 80, detractors 50. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Charles Ruggles' work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 3 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Sex & Nudity3 titlesmedian 6 · minimalMedian of all films: 32
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 21 · mildMedian of all films: 33

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Charles Ruggles work with?

People who share at least 2 of Charles Ruggles' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; John Leipold shares the most, 8.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and cinematographers

Producers