Howard Terbell McNear (January 27, 1905 â€" January 3, 1969) was an
American stage, screen, and radio character actor. McNear is best
remembered as Floyd Lawson, the barber on The Andy Griffith Show
(1961-1967).McNear was born in Los Angeles to Inzetta M. Spencer and
Franklin Ellis McNear.[citation needed] He studied at the Oatman
School of Theater and later joined a stock company in San Diego.
McNear also worked in radio from the late 1930s, distinguishing
himself in the 1937â€"1940 radio serial Speed Gibson of the
International Secret Police as ace operator Clint Barlow. McNear could
be effective in such authoritative roles, but he gravitated more
toward character roles, often comic.He enlisted as a private in the
United States Army Air Corps on November 17, 1942, during World War
II. He created the role of Doc Charles Adams in CBS Radio's Gunsmoke
(1952â€"1961). McNear was under contract to CBS for many years and was
featured in many of the network's radio and TV programs. From 1955 to
1960 he appeared frequently, in various roles, in the popular radio
detective series Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar. McNear made his film
debut in an uncredited role in the 1953 film Escape from Fort
Bravo.[citation needed] In 1955, he appeared in an episode of the
first season of the TV show "Gunsmoke." In a 1958 episode of Leave it
to Beaver, McNear made a TV appearance as a barber named "Andy", who
gave Wally his first shave. Over the course of his career, he would
appear in over one hundred film and television guest spots. In 1959,
McNear portrayed Dr. Dompierre in the film Anatomy of a Murder, who
testified about collecting evidence of a rape. In a 1960 episode of
Peter Gunn, titled "A Slight Touch Of Homicide", McNear played Mr.
Barnaby, with the manners he later used as Floyd the barber, except
that he was a happy-go-lucky crazy chemist who killed 15 mobsters by
blowing them up as community service.In 1961, McNear was cast as the
vague, chatty barber Floyd Lawson on The Andy Griffith Show. During
the show's run, he suffered a stroke that rendered the left side of
his body nearly paralyzed. He left the series for nearly a year and a
half to recover. Andy Griffith asked McNear to return to the series,
to which McNear agreed despite being unable to walk or stand, and the
production crew accommodated him accordingly, as Floyd was usually
seen onscreen either seated, or standing with support. Many scenes
were shot with him sitting on a bench outside the barber shop, as
opposed to trimming hair as before. In most of his post-stroke scenes,
McNear's left hand would be holding a newspaper or resting in his lap,
while he moved his right arm and hand as he spoke his lines. In a 1964
episode, "Otis Sues the County", and a 1967 episode, "Goober's
Contest", McNear's character is heard, but not seen, walking into the
courthouse. The next scene shows Floyd already seated in a chair.
According to Jack Dodson, who played Howard Sprague on The Andy
Griffith Show, McNear began having difficulty remembering his lines
and became anxious and frustrated. He left the series in 1967.
American stage, screen, and radio character actor. McNear is best
remembered as Floyd Lawson, the barber on The Andy Griffith Show
(1961-1967).McNear was born in Los Angeles to Inzetta M. Spencer and
Franklin Ellis McNear.[citation needed] He studied at the Oatman
School of Theater and later joined a stock company in San Diego.
McNear also worked in radio from the late 1930s, distinguishing
himself in the 1937â€"1940 radio serial Speed Gibson of the
International Secret Police as ace operator Clint Barlow. McNear could
be effective in such authoritative roles, but he gravitated more
toward character roles, often comic.He enlisted as a private in the
United States Army Air Corps on November 17, 1942, during World War
II. He created the role of Doc Charles Adams in CBS Radio's Gunsmoke
(1952â€"1961). McNear was under contract to CBS for many years and was
featured in many of the network's radio and TV programs. From 1955 to
1960 he appeared frequently, in various roles, in the popular radio
detective series Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar. McNear made his film
debut in an uncredited role in the 1953 film Escape from Fort
Bravo.[citation needed] In 1955, he appeared in an episode of the
first season of the TV show "Gunsmoke." In a 1958 episode of Leave it
to Beaver, McNear made a TV appearance as a barber named "Andy", who
gave Wally his first shave. Over the course of his career, he would
appear in over one hundred film and television guest spots. In 1959,
McNear portrayed Dr. Dompierre in the film Anatomy of a Murder, who
testified about collecting evidence of a rape. In a 1960 episode of
Peter Gunn, titled "A Slight Touch Of Homicide", McNear played Mr.
Barnaby, with the manners he later used as Floyd the barber, except
that he was a happy-go-lucky crazy chemist who killed 15 mobsters by
blowing them up as community service.In 1961, McNear was cast as the
vague, chatty barber Floyd Lawson on The Andy Griffith Show. During
the show's run, he suffered a stroke that rendered the left side of
his body nearly paralyzed. He left the series for nearly a year and a
half to recover. Andy Griffith asked McNear to return to the series,
to which McNear agreed despite being unable to walk or stand, and the
production crew accommodated him accordingly, as Floyd was usually
seen onscreen either seated, or standing with support. Many scenes
were shot with him sitting on a bench outside the barber shop, as
opposed to trimming hair as before. In most of his post-stroke scenes,
McNear's left hand would be holding a newspaper or resting in his lap,
while he moved his right arm and hand as he spoke his lines. In a 1964
episode, "Otis Sues the County", and a 1967 episode, "Goober's
Contest", McNear's character is heard, but not seen, walking into the
courthouse. The next scene shows Floyd already seated in a chair.
According to Jack Dodson, who played Howard Sprague on The Andy
Griffith Show, McNear began having difficulty remembering his lines
and became anxious and frustrated. He left the series in 1967.
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