Career

According to Ruge, prior to playing his first silent film partfor Edisonhe had "just returned from a seven years" engagement in the variety houses of Germany, England, France, Russia, South America, Belgium, and Spain." Ruge eventually appeared in 64 films between 1915 and 1922, mostly one-reeler Comedy Shorts. He frequently worked for Actor/Director Willard Louis, filming in Jacksonville, Florida for the minor studios Lubin Studios, the Vim Comedy Company, and the Jaxon Film Corporation. After 40 plus shorts, Hardy moved on, eventually to Hollywood, to play "heavies" for Billy West.

From 1917-1918, Ruge was joined briefly with Walter Stull as "Haddie" in at least seven Finn and Haddie comedies, while concurrently partnered with Kate Price in a six film series of "Sparkle Comedies".

Finally, after a few solo projects, he disappeared from the movie world, with his last five releases coming in 1922. Ruge and Rose continued on until at least the early months of 1924, overcoming an initial trade review that labeled the team as "small timers" with "nothing really worth while to offer." At the start of the next decade, apparently shorn of Rose, Ruge toured in a positively-reviewed revival of Babes in Toyland.