Monty Woolley was an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 stage, film, radio, and television actor

Actor

An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...

. At the age of 50, he achieved a measure of stardom for his best-known role in the stage play and 1942 film The Man Who Came to Dinner

The Man Who Came to Dinner (film)

The Man Who Came to Dinner is a 1942 American comedy film directed by William Keighley. The screenplay by Julius and Philip G. Epstein is based on the 1939 play of the same title by Moss Hart and George S...

. His distinctive white beard was "his trademark."
Woolley was born Edgar Montillion Woolley in New York City

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

 to a wealthy family (his father owned the Bristol Hotel) and grew up in the highest social circles.