From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Paul Maxey (1907–1963) was an American actor. Born in Wheaton, Illinois, the rotund Maxey played character roles in films from 1937, notably as the composer Victor Herbert in Till the Clouds Roll By (1946), and was in many TV shows from the 1950s onwards, notably in the role of Mayor John Peoples in the sitcom The People's Choice (1955–1958) and such other shows as M Squad, Wagon Train, Dennis the Menace, The Untouchables, Perry Mason and Lassie before his death in 1963 at age 56.