I've often wondered how the "Floyd the barber" character would have grown if Howard McNair hadn't had his massive paralyzing stroke? It was only season three and being one the most distinctive characters of the show he had already had his own episode "Floyd the gay deceiver' (back when that meant happy and not mentally ill).

Interestingly, he played a barber named Andy on one ep. of Leave it To Beaver giving Wally his first shave.

https://mayberry.fandom.com/wiki/Floyd_Lawson

Macnear, not McNARE

As sick as Howard McNear was after his strokes, he still amazingly had a nice comedic touch. I believe s7 ep30 Goobers Contest, he really looked at his worst.
If Don Knotts stayed, Howard McNear is healthy, the skys the limit for brilliant episodes that would have been. There wouldn't be dry Emmit and Howard brought in.

the sky would really have been the limit. too bad.

Its interesting IMO that McNear basically played the same kinda character in BLUE HAWAII.

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNGU5ZmY5NzYtNTllYS00MzY5LTgyMWYtMjBjZWNmMzVjN2RlXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNzEzMDAyNTI@._V1_SY1000_CR0,0,1333,1000_AL_.jpg

Oh my.... ooh... Oh my... ooh

he had already had his own episode "Floyd the gay deceiver' (back when that meant happy and not mentally ill).

Oh my.... ooh... Oh my... ooh

Yes, I also wondered about that. I loved Floyd in Convicts at Large. Sadly, that was his last pre-stroke episode.

Its interesting IMO that McNear basically played the same kinda character in BLUE HAWAII.

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNGU5ZmY5NzYtNTllYS00MzY5LTgyMWYtMjBjZWNmMzVjN2RlXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNzEzMDAyNTI@._V1_SY1000_CR0,0,1333,1000_AL_.jpg

He also played Doc Adams on he radio version of Gunsmoke.

How did he handle that role, was it more Floyd-like?

I wonder if it would have been better if the writers/characters acknowledged that Floyd had a stroke instead of trying to "hide it" by always showing him seated or propped up?