The iconic actor starred as Floyd the Barber, and his time on the show sure was a success. Eventually, a stroke forced him to quit, but Andy Griffith himself forged a plan to get McNear back: This is the story of Howard McNear!
Few American television shows got the same amount of recognition as The Andy Griffith Show. Airing for the first time in 1960, the comedy series was an instant success. Still to this day, it’s considered one of America’s all-time best shows.
‘The Andy Griffith Show’
All told, a total of 149 episodes of she show aired. When it ended in 1968, it was still the number one show in America. Among the many great actors and actresses involved with the show were Andy Griffith, Don Knotts, George Lindsey, Frances Bavier and Ron Howard.
But one who’s often forgotten is actor Howard McNear, who starred as the wonderful Floyd “The Barber” Lawson.
Howard McNear had a career that differed from many actors of his time. Having started his long and successful career by doing radio shows, he switched to the world of television and became a great actor on-screen as well.
Yet McNear’s run on The Andy Griffith Show also included plenty of drama and tragic events, including a stroke that forced him to quit the show.
But Andy Griffith was keen on having him back in the fold, and did something no one ever could’ve expected.
Howard McNear – career
Born in Los Angeles on Jan 27, 1905, McNear knew that he wanted to work in show business. He initially studied at the Oatman School of Theater and moved to San Diego, where he joined a stock company. At the same time, McNear had grow fond of radio and started working with it in the late 1930s.
He actually began as a sort of action figure, distinguishing himself in the radio show Speed Gibson of the International Secret Police, starring as the ace operator Clint Barlow. It was one of several aviation-themed kids’ shows during the 1930s and 1940s.
Yet for McNear, the show wasn’t really it. He was a great radio actor portraying an action hero, but oftentimes, his characters would lean towards comedy.
In 1942, McNear enlisted as a private in the U.S Army Air Corps, and during this time made sure to keep his acting on top, creating the role of Doc Charles Adams for the CBS Radio show Gunsmoke, which aired for the first time in 1952. Since it was on CBS, McNear got a contract with the big network. It was during the 1950s that he was featured in several of CBS’s radio shows and television programs.
