Shah is the Persian and Sanskrit term for a monarch and used by the former rulers of Persia (present-day Iran) as well as the rulers of the Sassanian Empire. Also used by ottoman turks to entitle a great hero or emperor. Probably related to russian Tzar. The English words check, checkmate and chess are all derived from shah.
... supercillious sophisticate. His most famous role is that of the cranky professor forced to stay immobile because of a broken leg in 1942's The Man Who Came to ...