 monty woolley (august 17, 1888may 6, 1963) was an american stage, film, radio, and television actor.obituary variety, may 8, 1963, page 223. 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. his distinctive white beard was "his trademark" and he was affectionately known as "the beard." ==early life== woolley was born edgar montillion woolleytruitt, evelyn mack. who was who onscreen new york: bowker (1977) in manhattan to a wealthy family (his father owned the bristol hotel) and grew up in the highest social circles. woolley received a bachelor's degree at yale university, where cole porter was an intimate friend and classmate, and master's degrees from yale and harvard university. he eventually became an assistant professor of english and dramatic coach at yale. thornton wilder and stephen vincent benÃ©t were among his students. he served in world war i in the u.s. army as a first lieutenant assigned to the general staff in paris. ==acting career==  woolley began directing on broadway in 1929,{{cite book |title=encyclopedia o
1888_births 1963_deaths 20th-century_American_male_actors American_male_film_actors American_male_radio_actors American_male_stage_actors American_male_television_actors American_military_personnel_of_World_War_I Burials_at_Greenridge_Cemetery_(Saratoga_Springs) Deaths_from_myocardial_infarction Gay_actors Harvard_University_alumni LGBT_entertainers_from_the_United_States People_from_Saratoga_Springs,_New_York United_States_Army_officers Yale_University_alumni Yale_University_faculty