Trivia

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.

The Los Angeles native donated his personal memorabilia and awards to the Department of Special Collections at the UCLA Library.

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.

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.

President of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in 1953.

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.

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.

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.

Brother of director Wesley Ruggles .

Known for playing Charles McKendrick, Maggie McKendrick's (Maureen O'Hara) father and grandfather of twins Susan and Sharon (both played by Hayley Mills) in The Parent Trap. Best scene is when he finally told his overbearing wife Louise (played by Cathleen Nesbitt) off.

Died exactly 30 years prior to Victor Borge.