Howard McNear
| Howard McNear | |
|---|---|
 McNear as Floyd Lawson | |
| Born |
Howard Terbell McNear January 27, 1905 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Died |
January 3, 1969 (aged 63) San Fernando, California, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Complications from pneumonia caused by a stroke |
| Resting place | Los Angeles National Cemetery |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Oatman School of Theater |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1930s–1969 |
| Spouse(s) | Helen McNear (?–1969) |
| Children | 1 |
Howard Terbell McNear (January 27, 1905 – January 3, 1969)[1][2] was an American stage, screen and radio character actor. McNear is best remembered as Floyd Lawson, the barber in The Andy Griffith Show (1960-1968), and as Doc Charles Adams in CBS Radio's Gunsmoke (1952–1961).
Career
McNear was born in Los Angeles to Luzetta M. Spencer and Franklin E. McNear.[3] He studied at the Oatman School of Theater and later joined a stock company in San Diego.[4] McNear also 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.[5] 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.[6] He created the role of Doc Charles Adams in CBS Radio's Gunsmoke (1952–1961).[7] 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.[8]
McNear made his film debut in an uncredited role in the 1951 sci-fi film The Day The Earth Stood Still as a boarding house resident along with Klatuu, also the 1953 film Escape from Fort Bravo. Over the course of his career, he would appear in over 100 film and television guest spots. In 1958, McNear guest starred as a barber named Andy on an episode of Leave It to Beaver, a role which proved prophetic.[9] In 1959, McNear portrayed Dr. Dompierre in the film Anatomy of a Murder who testified about collecting evidence of a rape. In 1961, he was cast as the vague, chatty barber Floyd Lawson on The Andy Griffith Show. During the show's run, McNear suffered a stroke that rendered the left side of his body nearly paralyzed.[10] McNear left the series for nearly a year and a half to recover. Andy Griffith later asked McNear to return to the series. McNear agreed but was unable to walk or stand. The effect on the character was noticeable. Floyd spoke more slowly, usually drawing out words or phrases which, unexpectedly, made the character funnier and more endearing. The production crew accommodated his disability and McNear was usually seen seated or standing with the support of a stand.[4] Many scenes were shot with him sitting on a bench outside the barber shop, as opposed to actively 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. According to Jack Dodson (who played Howard Sprague on Andy Griffith), McNear began having difficulty remembering his lines and became anxious and frustrated.[11] He left the series in 1967.
Death
On January 3, 1969, McNear died of complications from pneumonia caused by a stroke at San Fernando Valley Veterans Hospital in Sylmar, California.[12] He was interred in the Los Angeles National Cemetery.[13] Actor and old friend Parley Baer delivered his eulogy. His wife, Helen, and son, Christopher, survived him.[12]
In popular culture
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.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | Escape from Fort Bravo | Watson | Uncredited |
| 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 | |
| 1956 | Bundle of Joy | Mr. Appleby | |
| 1957 | Affair in Reno | James T. James | |
| 1957 | Public Pigeon No. One | Warden | |
| 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 | |
| 1959 | Anatomy of a Murder | Dr. Dompierre | |
| 1959 | The Big Circus | Mr. Lomax | |
| 1959 | It Started with a Kiss | Emile | Uncredited |
| 1959 | -30- | Editor | Alternative title: Deadline Midnight |
| 1960 | Heller in Pink Tights | Photographer of dead gunmen | |
| 1960 | The Last Time I Saw Archie | General Williams | |
| 1960 | Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea | Congressman Parker | |
| 1961 | Blue Hawaii | Mr. Chapman | |
| 1960 | The Errand Boy | Dexter Sneak | |
| 1962 | Bachelor Flat | Dr. Dylan Bowman | |
| 1962 | Follow That Dream | George | |
| 1963 | Irma la Douce | Concierge | |
| 1963 | The Wheeler Dealers | Mr. Wilson | Alternative title: Separate Beds |
| 1963 | Fun in Acapulco | Dr. John Stevers | Uncredited |
| 1964 | Kiss Me, Stupid | Mr. Pettibone | |
| 1965 | My Blood Runs Cold | Henry | |
| 1965 | Love and Kisses | Mr. Frisby | |
| 1966 | The Fortune Cookie | Mr. Cimoli | Alternative title: Meet Whiplash Willie |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | NBC Comics | Voice role | Unknown episodes |
| 1952-1955 | Four Star Playhouse | Various roles | 3 episodes |
| 1953–1958 | The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show | Mr. Jansen | 7 episodes |
| 1954 | Dragnet | Episode: "The Big Threat" | |
| 1954 | Topper | Judge | Episode: "County Fair" |
| 1955 | Waterfront | Mike Baxter | Episode: "The Rivals" |
| 1955 | Willy | Various roles | 2 episodes |
| 1955-1958 | The Millionaire | Various roles | 2 episodes |
| 1955-1959 | Schlitz Playhouse of Stars | Various roles | 2 episodes |
| 1956 | Chevron Hall of Stars | Teeples | Episode: "The Bequest" |
| 1956 | The George Gobel Show | Sketch Actor | Episode #2.18 |
| 1956 | It's a Great Life | Mr. Johnson | Episode: "The Charity Drive" |
| 1956 | Screen Directors Playhouse | Various roles | 2 episodes |
| 1956 | Lassie | Professor Scott | Episode: "Bone" |
| 1956 | I Love Lucy | Mr. Crawford | Episode: "Little Ricky Gets Stage Fright" |
| 1956-1957 | The Brothers | Captain Sam Box | 2 episodes |
| 1956-1964 | Gunsmoke | Various roles | 6 episodes |
| 1956-1957 | December Bride | Various roles | 3 episodes |
| 1957 | Private Secretary | Eye Doctor | Episode: "Thy Name Is Sands" |
| 1957 | Cavalcade of America | Phil | Episode: "The Last Signer" |
| 1957 | The Ford Television Theatre | Dave Carter | Episode: "The Idea Man" |
| 1957 | The Adventures of Jim Bowie | Colonel | Episode: "Country Cousin" |
| 1957 | The George Sanders Mystery Theater | Ben | Episode: "The Night I Died" |
| 1957-1958 | The People's Choice | Various roles | 2 episodes |
| 1957-1961 | General Electric Theater | Various roles | 4 episodes |
| 1958 | The Thin Man | Mr. Dingle | Episode: "Unlucky Lucky Number" |
| 1958 | The Life of Riley | Mr. Bellflower | Episode: "Bowling Beauties" |
| 1958 | Playhouse 90 | Bertram | Episode: "No Time At All" |
| 1958 | Leave It to Beaver | Andy the Barber | Episode: "The Shave" |
| 1958-1959 | Bachelor Father | Various roles | 2 episodes |
| 1958-1959 | The Real McCoys | Mr. Dagget | 2 episodes |
| 1958-1959 | The Lineup | Various roles | 2 episodes |
| 1958-1960 | The Ann Sothern Show | Various roles | 3 episodes |
| 1958-1962 | The Jack Benny Program | Various roles | 7 episodes |
| 1959 | The Donna Reed Show | Wilbur Wilgus | 2 episodes |
| 1959 | M Squad | Carl Hoganson | Episode: "Murder in C-Sharp Minor" |
| 1959 | Alcoa Theatre | Harry | Episode:Tom, Dick, and Harry |
| 1959 | The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet | Mr. Folwer | Episode: "The Nelsons Decide to Move" |
| 1959 | Pony Express | Ralph Whitaker | Episode: "-The Good Samaritan" |
| 1959 | The Gale Storm Show | Parker | Episode: "Spanish Souvenir" |
| 1959-1960 | Peter Gunn | Various roles | 3 episodes |
| 1960 | Richard Diamond, Private Detective | Dr. Braun | Episode: "The Fine Art of Murder" |
| 1960 | Man with a Camera | George | Episode: "Hot Ice Cream" |
| 1960 | Goodyear Theatre | Kramer | Episode: "Marked Down for Connie" |
| 1960 | Happy | Mr. Williams | Episode: "The Wedding Anniversary" |
| 1960 | Tom, Dick and Harry | Owner | Television movie |
| 1960 | Outlaws | Conductor | Episode: "Thirty a Month" |
| 1960 | The Tab Hunter Show | Plumber | Episode: "The Matchmaker" |
| 1960 | Angel | Mr. Hopkins | Episode: "The Maid" |
| 1960 | Maverick | Various roles | 2 episodes |
| 1960 | Laramie | Waldo | Episode: "Duel at Parkison Town" |
| 1960-1961 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Various roles | 2 episodes |
| 1960-1962 | The Flintstones | Doctor (Voice) | 3 episodes |
| 1961 | Klondike | Augustus Brown | Episode: "The Golden Burro" |
| 1961 | Michael Shayne | Ralph Beale | Episode: "Murder at the Convention" |
| 1961 | Mister Ed | Harry Sweetzer | Episode: "Pine Lake Lodge" |
| 1961 | The Joey Bishop Show | Episode: "Charity Begins at Home" | |
| 1961 | The Tall Man | Cyrus Skinner | Episode: "A Tombstone for Billy" |
| 1961–1967 | The Andy Griffith Show | Floyd Lawson | 80 episodes |
| 1962 | Room for One More | Mr. Sommers | Episode: "The Anniversary" |
| 1962 | Pete and Gladys | Professor Sheboyan | Episode: "Follow That Skeleton" |
| 1962 | Thriller | Jack Passasstroy | Episode: "Cousin Tundifer" |
| 1962 | Frontier Circus | Judge Stuart | Episode: "Calamity Circus" |
| 1962 | Calvin and the Colonel | Ernie (Voice) | 2 episodes |
| 1962 | Margie | Selkirk | Episode: "Margie, the Gossip Columnist" |
| 1962 | Alcoa Premiere | Charles Bennett | Episode: "The Time of the Tonsils" |
| 1962 | The Wide Country | Agent Carmody | Episode: "Straitjacket for an Indian" |
| 1962 | The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis | Various roles | 2 episodes |
| 1962 | The Twilight Zone | Mitchell | Episode: "Hocus-Pocus and Frisby" |
| 1963 | The Twilight Zone | Bramhoff | Episode: "The Bard" |
| 1965 | Harris Against the World | Clark | Episode: "Harris Against Anniversary Gifts" |
| 1965 | Honey West | Mr. Tweedy | Episode: "A Nice Little Till to Tap" |
| 1965 | Please Don't Eat the Daisies | Mr. Arnold | Episode: "The Leaning Tower of Ridgemont" |
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
- 1 2 Kelly, Richard Michael (1985). The Andy Griffith Show. John F. Blair, Publisher. p. 49. ISBN 0-895-87522-5.
- ↑ 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
- ↑ Leave it to Beaver episode info, "The Shave"
- ↑ Shull, Richard K. (June 27, 1976). "TV's Answer Man". Lakeland Ledger. Retrieved May 14, 2013.
- ↑ Kelly 1985 p.65
- 1 2 "Howard McNear, Actor, 63; On Andy Griffith Show", The New York Times, January 7, 1969, p. 38.
- ↑ Find a Grave, Howard McNear
External links
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