Maxwell Sheffield

Maxwell Beverly Sheffield (born 1953 in England) was the male lead in the long-running television sitcom, The Nanny. He was played by actor Charles Shaughnessy.

Mister Sheffield

Maxwell is a Broadway theatrical producer of some success, although his main rival was Andrew Lloyd Webber. It has always irritated him that he had turned down producing the show Cats, and that Webber had made a fortune off of it. His wife Sara had died some years before the start of the show (it is never stated how she died). Maxwell worked closely with his business partner, C. C. Babcock (who has her eyes set on becoming the next Mrs. Sheffield) for almost 20 years. Maxwell has three children, Maggie, Brighton, and Gracie. However, his busy schedule does not allow him much time to spend with them, so he had to find a nanny; enter Fran Fine. Fran is uncultured, but has practical and common sense, having grown up in a close-knit Jewish family in Flushing, Queens. This sets the stage for a lot of culture clashes, especially in the early episodes. Despite mutual attraction, Maxwell and Fran try to keep their relationship professional. Maxwell is nervous about commitment and is mourning Sara, while Fran is still reeling from a broken engagement with an ex-boyfriend. During a flight to New York, the plane carrying Maxwell and Fran hits some turbulence, and in the commotion, Maxwell tells Fran he loves her. Upon returning home, he takes the statement back. It is eventually called "The Thing" and is often held over Maxwell's head by Fran and Niles, the butler. After a lot of stumbling, Maxwell confesses his true feelings, and he and Fran get married. The engagement sends the jealous C.C. into a mental hospital; She continues her maniacal attempts to separate them, even donning Fran's dress before the wedding. Maxwell becomes a father again when Fran gives birth to twins, Jonah and Eve. After the birth, the whole family moves to California, where Maxwell is scheduled to produce a T.V. Show in Los Angeles.