Howard McNear
| Howard McNear | |
|---|---|
 Howard McNear as Floyd Lawson |
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| Born | Howard Terbell McNear January 27, 1905 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Died | January 3, 1969 (aged 63) San Fernando Valley, California, U.S. |
Howard Terbell McNear (January 27, 1905 – January 3, 1969)[1][2] was an American film, television and radio character actor. McNear is best remembered as Floyd Lawson, the barber in The Andy Griffith Show and as Doc Charles Adams in CBS Radio's Gunsmoke (1952–1961).
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[edit] Career
McNear was born in Los Angeles, California to Luzetta M. Spencer and Franklin E. McNear.[3] He worked as a theatical actor as early as 1930, and worked in radio from the late 1930s, distinguishing himself in the 1937–1940 radio serial Speed Gibson of the International Secret Police as ace operator Clint Barlow.[4] McNear could be effective in such authoritative roles, but he gravitated more toward character roles, often comic.
He enlisted as a private in the U.S. Army Air Corps on November 17, 1942 during World War II.[5]
He created the role of Doc Charles Adams in CBS Radio's Gunsmoke (1952–1961).[6] 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 quirky roles, in the popular radio detective series Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar.[7] He guest starred in the Thanksgiving Day episode, November 26, 1959, of NBC's The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford.[8]
In the television sitcom Leave It to Beaver, McNear made an appearance as a barber named Andy, a role which proved prophetic.[9]
McNear was best known for his performances as the vague, chatty barber Floyd Lawson on The Andy Griffith Show. In that role, McNear replaced actor Walter Baldwin, who was deemed too elderly for the part. McNear later said that he didn't replace anyone, but was playing Floyd Lawson, Jr. During the third season, McNear suffered a stroke that rendered him unable to walk though his speech remained intact. Griffith, who realized how much the Floyd character added to the show's dynamic, urged that he return to the role if possible. McNear resumed the role (after being off the show for almost a year and a half), with the production crew accommodating his disability. In his appearances on the show before the stroke, he is seen standing and working in his barber shop (and also walking freely). After the stroke, he is usually seen seated (in his barber chair or a park bench, etc.). The stagehands constructed a stand for him, which allowed him to stand and appear to be working, usually to comb hair (one-handed, of course).[10] There was an episode (after the stroke) where the sequence of camera shots made it appear that his character did indeed take some steps. His last appearance on the show was in the episode "Goober's Contest", which wrapped up the 1966-1967 season. In that final show, Floyd is seen visiting Goober's gas station in a sleek Mercury convertible that is driven to and from that scene by a double.
It has been said[weasel words] by his fellow cast members[who?] of The Andy Griffith Show that McNear's real-life personality was more like his character than any other cast member.[citation needed]
[edit] Death
On January 3, 1969 McNear died of complications from pneumonia due to the effects of a stroke. He was interred in the Los Angeles National Cemetery, a former U.S. Veterans Administration cemetery.[11] Actor and old friend Parley Baer delivered his eulogy. His wife Helen and son Christopher survived him.[12]
[edit] Tribute
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In two episodes of the comedy sketch program Second City Television, actor Eugene Levy played McNear's Floyd the Barber. His first appearance as Floyd the Barber was in a parody of The Godfather, in the opening scene as Amerigo Bonasera, in which he asks the Don to hurt Opie for breaking his barber pole. The last line delivered by Floyd is "Ohh, and would you kill Howard Sprague for me?", referring to another character from the Andy Griffith Show. His other appearance was The Merv Griffith Show (a combination parody of the Andy Griffith Show and the Merv Griffin Show), in which he is in his barber shop cutting hair and at a surprise party for Gomer.
[edit] Selected filmography
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1953 | The Long, Long Trailer | Joe Hittaway | Uncredited |
| 1954 | Drums Across the River | Stilwell | |
| 1956 | You Can't Run Away from It | Vernon, Second proprietor | |
| 1957 | The Fuzzy Pink Nightgown | John Myers | Uncredited |
| 1958 | Bell, Book and Candle | Andy White - Shep's Co-Publisher | |
| 1959 | Good Day for a Hanging | Olson | |
| Anatomy of a Murder | Dr. Dompierre | ||
| It Started with a Kiss | Emile | Uncredited | |
| -30- | Editor | Alternative title: Deadline Midnight | |
| 1960 | Heller in Pink Tights | Photographer of dead gunmen | |
| 1961 | The Last Time I Saw Archie | General Williams | |
| Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea | Congressman Parker | ||
| Blue Hawaii | Mr. Chapman | ||
| The Errand Boy | Dexter Sneak | ||
| 1962 | Follow That Dream | George | |
| 1963 | Irma la Douce | Concierge | |
| The Wheeler Dealers | Mr. Wilson | Alternative title: Separate Beds | |
| 1964 | Kiss Me, Stupid | Mr. Pettibone | |
| 1965 | Love and Kisses | Mr. Frisby | |
| 1966 | The Fortune Cookie | Mr. Cimoli | Alternative title: Meet Whiplash Willie |
| Television | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1955 | Waterfront | Mike Baxter | 1 episode |
| Willy | Sherman | 1 episode | |
| 1955–1958 | The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show | Mr. Jansen | 2 episodes |
| 1956 | Lassie | Professor Scott | 1 episode |
| Gunsmoke | concerned citizen | 1 episode | |
| I Love Lucy | Mr. Crawford | 1 episode | |
| 1958 | The Thin Man | Mr. Dingle | 1 episode |
| Playhouse 90 | Bertram | 1 episode | |
| Leave It to Beaver | Andy the Barber | 1 episode | |
| 1959 | The Donna Reed Show | Wilbur Wilgus | 2 episodes |
| The Gale Storm Show | Parker | 1 episode | |
| 1960 | Richard Diamond, Private Detective | Dr. Braun | 1 episode |
| The Tab Hunter Show | Plumber | 1 episode | |
| Peter Gunn | Barnaby | 1 episode | |
| Laramie | Waldo | 1 episode | |
| Have Gun - Will Travel | Samuels | 1 episode | |
| 1960-62 | The Flintstones | Doctor (Voice) | 3 episodes |
| 1961 | Klondike | Augustus Brown | 1 episode |
| Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Mr. Maxwell | 1 episode | |
| Mister Ed | Harry Sweetzer | 1 episode | |
| 1961–1967 | The Andy Griffith Show | Floyd Lawson | 80 episodes |
| 1962 | Pete and Gladys | Professor Sheboyan | 1 episode |
| The Wide Country | Agent Carmody | 1 episode | |
| 1963 | The Twilight Zone | Mr. Bramhoff | 1 episode - The Bard |
| 1965 | Honey West | Mr. Tweedy | 1 episode |
| Please Don't Eat the Daisies | Mr. Arnold | 1 episode | |
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ Record of Howard McNear, Social Security Death Index.
- ^ Record of Howard T. McNear. Ancestry.com. California Death Index, 1940-1997 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2000.
- ^ Ancestry.com community; Howard T. McNear
- ^ Radio Broadcast Log Of: Speed Gibson of the International Secret Police
- ^ National Archives and Records Administration. U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005.
- ^ Gunsmoke Radio series information
- ^ Golden Age of Radio
- ^ "The Ford Show Episode Guide". ernieford.com. http://www.ernieford.com/TEFTVGuests.htm. Retrieved November 23, 2010.
- ^ Leave it to Beaver episode info, "The Shave"
- ^ Howard McNear biography
- ^ Find a Grave, Howard McNear
- ^ "Howard McNear, Actor, 63; On Andy Griffith Show", The New York Times, January 7, 1969, p. 38.
