Charlie Ruggles
Charles Sherman Ruggles was an American comic character actor. In a career spanning six decades, Ruggles appeared in close to 100 feature films, often in mild-mannered and comic roles. He was also the elder brother of director, producer, and silent film actor Wesley Ruggles.
Career
Ruggles was born in Los Angeles, California, in 1886. Despite training to be a doctor, Ruggles soon found himself on the stage, appearing in a stock production of Nathan Hale in 1905. In 1912, he worked in the stock company at Alcazar Theatre in San Francisco in a stage production of The Dawn of a Tomorrow. At Los Angeles's Majestic Theatre, he played Private Jo Files in L. Frank Baum and Louis F. Gottschalk's musical The Tik-Tok Man of Oz in 1913.
He moved to Broadway to appear in Help Wanted in 1914. His first screen role came in the silent Peer Gynt the following year. Throughout the 1910s and 1920s, Ruggles continued to appear in silent movies, though his passion remained the stage, appearing in long-running productions such as The Passing Show of 1918, Battling Buttler, and Avery Hopwood's The Demi-Virgin and Ladies' Night in a Turkish Bath. One of his most famous stage hits was Queen High, one of his last before a nearly 30-year hiatus, produced in 1926. He also played Peter Braley in Spring Is Here, which ran for 104 performances in 1929.
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.
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, 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. Ruggles also played Aunt Clara's old flame, the warlock Hedley Partridge, as well as a Mr. Caldwell, whose company marketed soup, in the television series Bewitched. 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.
Personal life
His marriage to Adele Rowland ended in divorce after two years. He then married Barbara Guillan and they remained married until her death in 1941. He married Marion LaBarba in 1942; the couple remained wed until his death in 1970.
Death
Ruggles died of cancer at Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California, on December 23, 1970, at the age of 84.
He is interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California in the Garden of Memory near his brother Wesley Ruggles.
Legacy
Charlie Ruggles has three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame: one for his contributions to motion pictures on 6200 Hollywood Boulevard, one for his radio work on 6300 Hollywood Boulevard, and one for television on 1600 Vine Street.
Complete filmography
The Patchwork Girl of Oz – Minor Role The Majesty of the Law – Lawrence EvansPeer Gynt – The Button MolderThe Reform Candidate – Loony JimThe Heart Raider – Gaspard McMahon Gentlemen of the Press – Charlie HavenThe Lady Lies – Charlie TaylerThe Battle of Paris – ZiziRoadhouse Nights – Willie BindbugelYoung Man of Manhattan – Shorty RossQueen High – T. Boggs JohnsHer Wedding Night – Bertie BirdCharley's Aunt – Lord Fancourt BabberleyHonor Among Lovers – Monty DunnThe Smiling Lieutenant – MaxThe Girl Habit – Charlie FloydThe Beloved Bachelor – Jerry WellsHusband's Holiday – Clyde SaundersThis Reckless Age – Goliath WhitneyOne Hour with You – AdolphThis Is the Night – Bunny WestMake Me a Star – Charles Ruggles Love Me Tonight – Viscount Gilbert de Varèze70,000 Witnesses – Johnny MoranThe Night of June 13 – Philo StrawnTrouble in Paradise – The MajorEvenings for Sale – BimpflIf I Had a Million – Henry PeabodyMadame Butterfly – Lt. BartonMurders in the Zoo – Peter YatesTerror Aboard – Blackie WitherspoonMelody Cruise – Pete WellsMama Loves Papa – Wilbur ToddGoodbye Love – Oswald GroggsGirl Without a Room – Vergil CrockAlice in Wonderland – March HareSix of a Kind – J. Pinkham WhinneyMelody in Spring – Warren BlodgettMurder in the Private Car – Godfrey D. ScottFriends of Mr. Sweeney – Asaph 'Ace' HollidayThe Pursuit of Happiness – Aaron KirklandRuggles of Red Gap – Egbert FloudPeople Will Talk – Henry WiltonNo More Ladies – EdgarThe Big Broadcast of 1936 – Wilbur SealingsworthAnything Goes – Moonface MartinThe Preview Murder Mystery – Charles Ruggles Early to Bed – Chester BeattyHearts Divided – HenryYours for the Asking – Sunbather Hollywood Boulevard – Himself – Actor – Cameo Appearance Wives Never Know – Homer BigelowMind Your Own Business – Orville ShanksTurn Off the Moon – J. Elliott DinwiddyExclusive – Tod SwainBringing Up Baby – Major ApplegateHollywood Handicap – HimselfScreen Snapshots Series 17, No. 12 – HimselfBreaking the Ice – Samuel TerwilligerService de Luxe – Scott RobinsonHis Exciting Night – Adam TrippBoy Trouble – Homer C. FitchSudden Money – Sweeney J. PattersonInvitation to Happiness – Henry 'Pop' HardyNight Work – Homer C. FitchBalalaika – Nicki PopoffThe Farmer's Daughter – Nickie NorthOpened by Mistake – Buzz NelsonMaryland – Dick PiperPublic Deb No. 1 – MilburnNo Time for Comedy – Philo SwiftThe Invisible Woman – GeorgeHoneymoon for Three – Harvey WilsonModel Wife – Milo EverettThe Parson of Panamint – Chuckawalla Bill RedfieldGo West, Young Lady – Jim PendergastThe Perfect Snob – Dr. Edgar MasonFriendly Enemies – Heinrich BlockDixie Dugan – Pa DuganThe Shining Future – Mr. AmesThe Road to Victory – Mr. Ames The Doughgirls – Stanley SladeOur Hearts Were Young and Gay – Otis SkinnerThree Is a Family – Sam WhitakerBedside Manner – Dr. J.H. 'Doc' FredericksIncendiary Blonde – Cherokee JimA Stolen Life – Freddie LinleyGallant Journey – Jim MontgomeryThe Perfect Marriage – Dale Williams, Sr.My Brother Talks to Horses – Richard Pennington RoederRamrod – Ben DickasonIt Happened on 5th Avenue – Michael J. O'ConnorGive My Regards to Broadway – Toby HelperThe Lovable Cheat – Claude MercadetLook for the Silver Lining – Caro 'Pop' MillerBen and Me – Ben Franklin The Bells of St. Mary's – Horace BogardusOnce Upon a Christmas Time – MayorAll in a Night's Work – Dr. Warren Kingsley Sr.The Parent Trap – Charles McKendrickThe Pleasure of His Company – Mackenzie SavageThe Ginger Rogers Show – Eli HarcourtErnestine Son of Flubber – Judge MurdockPapa's Delicate Condition – Anthony GhioI'd Rather Be Rich – Dr. Charles CrandallThe Ugly Dachshund – Dr. J.L. PruittFollow Me, Boys! – John Everett HughesCarousel – The Starkeeper / Dr. Selden
Television credits
Father Knows Best as Jim's co-workerRocky and His Friends as Voice of Aesop The Bullwinkle Show as Voice of Aesop The Real McCoys as Mr. Deveraux Burke's Law as O.B. Danberry / Charles Wingfield / I.A. Bugg / Mr. Gregory My Living Doll as Jonas ClayBeverly Hillbillies as Mrs. Drysdale's father, Lowell Redlings Farquhar in the episodes "Mrs. Drysdale's Father" and "Mr. Farquhar Stays On"Bewitched as Mr. Caldwell and Hedley Partridge Wagon Train as Mr. Caldwell The Man from U.N.C.L.E. as Governor CallahanThe Andy Griffith Show as John CanfieldThe Munsters as Charlie WiggensBonanza as Col. Robert FairchildThe Wonder Circus as Charlie WonderThe Danny Thomas Hour as Stimson