Description: Paralyzed down his left side, with a meticulously groomed mustache and unusual speech patterns.
One of the most memorable of all character actors, Howard McNear was known for his unusual speech patterns...interrupted and then drawn out. His meticulously groomed mustache was also his trademark. He started his career in radio and played the role of Charles “Doc” Adams on radio’s long running drama, “Gunsmoke.” Appearing in many films, McNear is remembered most for his role as Floyd Lawson, the barber, on “The Andy Griffith Show”. During his second year on the show, Howard suffered a massive stroke left him paralyzed on the left side. All episodes after this time either have him photographed in close-up, sitting, or secretly propped up by a brace. Some of McNear’s other film credits include roles as General Williams in “The Last Time I Saw Archie” (1961) and as John Myers in “The Fuzzy Pink Nightgown” (1957). Floyd the Barber died after his second stroke on January 3, 1969 in Hollywood, California.
McNear’s TV and film work:
“The Fortune Cookie” (1966, aka “Meet Whiplash Willie”)
as Mr. Cimoli
“Love and Kisses” (1965) as Mr. Frisby
“My Blood Runs Cold” (1965) as Henry
“Kiss Me, Stupid” (1964) as Mr. Pettibone
“Fun in Acapulco” (1963, uncredited) as Dr John Stevers
“The Wheeler Dealers” (1963, aka “Separate Beds”)
as Mr. Wilson
“Irma la Douce” (1963) as Concierge
“Follow That Dream” (1962) as George, Vice President & Loan
Officer at Bank
“Bachelor Flat” (1961) as Dr. Dylan Bowman
“The Errand Boy” (1961) as Dexter Sneak
“Blue Hawaii” (1961) as Mr. Chapman
“Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea” (1961) as Congressman Parker
“The Last Time I Saw Archie” (1961) as Gen. Williams
“Heller in Pink Tights” (1960) as Photographer of Dead Gunmen
“The Andy Griffith Show” (1960 – 1967, TV Series, aka “Andy
of Mayberry”) as Floyd Lawson
“30” (1959, aka “Deadline Midnight”, uncredited) as
Editor
“It Started with a Kiss” (1959, uncredited) as Emile
“Anatomy of a Murder” (1959) as Dr. Dompierre
“The Big Circus” (1959) as Mr. Lomax
“Bell Book and Candle” (1958) as Andy White
“Good Day for a Hanging” (1958) as Olson
“The Fuzzy Pink Nightgown” (1957, uncredited) as John Myers
“Public Pigeon No. One” (1957) as Warden
“Affair in Reno” (1957) as James T. James
“Bundle of Joy” (1956) as Mr. Appleby
“You Can't Run Away from It” (1956) as Second proprietor
“The Brothers” (1956 - 1957, TV Series) as Capt. Sam Box
“Drums Across the River” (1954) as John Stilwell
“The Long, Long Trailer” (1954, uncredited) as Mr. Hittaway
“Escape from Fort Bravo” (1953, uncredited) as Watson
Notable TV guest appearances:
“Please Don't Eat the Daisies” (4/5/1966) as Arnold in Episode
#1.28: “The Leaning Tower of Ridgemont”
“Honey West” (12/31/1965) in Episode #1.16: “A Nice Little
Till to Tap”
“Gunsmoke” (12/19/1964) as Howard in Episode #10.13: “Aunt
Thede”
“The Twilight Zone” (5/23/1963) as Bramhoff in Episode #4.18:
“The Bard”
“The Wide Country” (10/25/1962) in Episode #1.6: “Straight
Jacket for an Indian”
“Gunsmoke” (10/6/1962) as Howard in Episode #8.4: “Root
Down”
“The Twilight Zone” (4/13/1962) as Mitchell in Episode #3.30:
“Hocus-Pocus and Frisby”
“Frontier Circus” (3/8/1962) in Episode #1.17: “Calamity
Circus”
“The Tall Man” (12/16/1961) in Episode #2.15: “A Tombstone
for Billy”
“Klondike” (1/16/1961) in Episode #1.13: “The Golden Burro”
“Maverick” (12/11/1960) as Sheriff of Dangerfield in Episode #4.13:
“Dodge City Or Bust”
“Maverick” (9/25/1960) as Copes in Episode #4.2: “Hadley's
Hunters”
“Richard Diamond, Private Detective” (1/25/1960) in Episode #3.34:
“The Fine Art of Murder”
“Gunsmoke” (1/23/1960) as Joe in Episode #5.20: “The Tragedian”
“Gunsmoke” (12/5/1959) as Pete in Episode #5.13: “Box O'
Rocks”
“Leave It to Beaver” (11/20/1958) as Barber in Episode #2.8: “The
Shave”
“The Adventures of Jim Bowie” (5/3/1957) in Episode #1.35: “Country
Cousin”
“The Real McCoys” (1957) as Mr Dagget in Episode #3.17: “The
Artist”
“I Love Lucy” (10/22/1956) as Mr. Crawford in Episode #6.3: “Little
Ricky Gets Stage Fright”
“Gunsmoke” (4/14/1956) as Bradley in Episode #1.24: “The
Pest Hole”