What season did Floyd have the stroke? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

BuddyHinton · 10-20-2006, 01:06 PM

I just finished watching the 7th season and the final episode with the "Contest" was just a chore to watch. Floyd can barely speak. His speech is so slurred it's even hard to understand him. I'm surprised they even still had him on at this point of his illness.

In which season did he suffer the stroke and which is his final season?

In the Contest episode they cleverly made it look like he could walk by obviously propping him up at the door, then Andy says "come in" and then the camera pans to Andy while you hear footsteps; but at this point Howard McNear could not walk. It must have been sad for the cast to see him like this.

Wikipedia made it seem like for a lot of the series he was ill/incapacitated.

Tim B. · 10-22-2006, 11:20 PM

He had a major stroke toward the end of 1962 which paralyzed his left side. He was off the show for (I think) 15 months before returning in 1964. I'm pretty sure that after his stroke he couldn't walk anymore. The only time you'll see him even standing on the show is when he's either behind an object (such as his barber chair) or leaning against a wall. He needed something to help hold him up.

As for his appearance in "Goobers Contest", I've no doubt he had another stroke before filming the episode. Not as severe as the one in '62 but considering his already fragile state, it was bad enough to send him into retirement once he realized he couldn't go on.

A sad ending to such a wonderful person.

BuddyHinton · 10-23-2006, 03:33 AM

Wow, that would be season 3, I guess (when it first happened, that is fairly early on).

Goober's Contest was in '67 and he passed in '69, sad. I wonder what the audience of the time thought of why he acted so slowly, or if it was comman knowledge at the time that he was suffering from the effects of a stroke.

My mom died of a stroke a few years ago. Out of the blue; massive. Never recovered. In some ways I'm relieved.

treky · 11-04-2006, 04:07 AM

...and left the show, it became obvious that some of the episodes could have benifited from his precence. So, they called his house one day (I think it was Andy who called) and his wife answered the phone. When he asked if Howard was up to coming back, she said something to the effect of "Oh, he would love it. He really liked doing the show and working with all of you".
So, they wrote all his scenes so he'd either be sitting down, or standing against something on a small platform that was built for him so he'd be leaning back a little bit, and wouldn't be on his feet, but looking like he was standing.

Jack Dodson, who played Howard, says that he got worse as the show went on, though, and by his last episode, he was strugling to get through it and he kept forgetting his lines and everything, and everyone just felt so sorry for him.

I heard Jim Backus was also like that on the set of the last GILLIGANS ISLAND movie (exept he had Parkinsons disease)

Janice · 11-05-2006, 12:43 AM

I notice all the ways they concealed his immobility. It's heartbreaking to see, the poor man. My father had a massive stroke five years ago. During his rehab, he was diagnosed with cancer. He was gone within six months.

Scoobiedoo30 · 02-08-2007, 03:25 PM

I knew when he came back from The Stroke they let Floyd sit on a stew

TV Knowledge Fan · 02-15-2007, 03:17 PM

...guest-starred in the "TWILIGHT ZONE" episode "The Bard" [5/23/63], he had just recovered from his stroke, and he played all of his scenes sitting down. This was probably how Andy hit on the idea, between 1964 and '67, of just letting "Floyd" maintain a slight illusion of movement, while seated during all of his scenes.

Scoobiedoo30 · 03-01-2007, 06:54 PM

I did not know that Floyd was in The TWILIGHT ZONE

TV Knowledge Fan · 03-02-2007, 03:28 PM

...'agmfox8', that's probably why you never heard of (or have seen) it. There were 17 "TWILIGHT ZONE" hour episodes produced in 1963, and they're only seen occasionally. SCI-FI just presented all of them on their late-night schedule this past month, and about the only other time they get shown is usually on their New Year's marathon.

From what I've seen of his performance in "The Bard", "Floyd" recovered from that stroke admirably. But he couldn't move around- and in later years, his speech began to suffer as he grew older.

Zoneboy · 03-02-2007, 04:17 PM

There were 18 hour long Twilight Zone episodes produced plus Howard McNear also appears in the 3rd season episode "Hocus-Pocus and Frisby"

Scoobiedoo30 · 03-02-2007, 05:26 PM

I do not watch The Twilight Zone

Zoneboy · 03-02-2007, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by agmfox8@yahoo.com

I do not watch The Twilight Zone

What a pity.

Janice · 03-24-2007, 09:43 PM

I recently watched Howard McNear's last episode. There were a few closeups of him, and he looked so ill. So much in fact, that after watching it, I looked at an episode guide to see what the story was, and that's how I found out it was his last appearance.

Be Right Back! · 06-13-2007, 01:27 AM

I might be in the minority here, but I think Howard McNear was better as Floyd the Barber after the stroke. His voice and inflections, rapid delivery followed by long, drawn out words, really suited his character and made him seem more of a "character."

While I agree with other posters who have mentioned his last episode as sad (and it was...you could tell he was struggling), for most of the time after the stroke he was, IMO, wonderful and still my favorite character on the show.

APPLEI · 06-25-2007, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuddyHinton

I just finished watching the 7th season and the final episode with the "Contest" was just a chore to watch. Floyd can barely speak. His speech is so slurred it's even hard to understand him. I'm surprised they even still had him on at this point of his illness.

In which season did he suffer the stroke and which is his final season?

In the Contest episode they cleverly made it look like he could walk by obviously propping him up at the door, then Andy says "come in" and then the camera pans to Andy while you hear footsteps; but at this point Howard McNear could not walk. It must have been sad for the cast to see him like this.

Wikipedia made it seem like for a lot of the series he was ill/incapacitated.

i just watched "the contest" episode and i noticed Rob Reiner was in it

10-20-2006, 01:06 PM	#1
BuddyHinton Member Frequent Poster Join Date: May 31, 2006 Location: CA Posts: 441	What season did Floyd have the stroke? I just finished watching the 7th season and the final episode with the "Contest" was just a chore to watch. Floyd can barely speak. His speech is so slurred it's even hard to understand him. I'm surprised they even still had him on at this point of his illness. In which season did he suffer the stroke and which is his final season? In the Contest episode they cleverly made it look like he could walk by obviously propping him up at the door, then Andy says "come in" and then the camera pans to Andy while you hear footsteps; but at this point Howard McNear could not walk. It must have been sad for the cast to see him like this. Wikipedia made it seem like for a lot of the series he was ill/incapacitated.

11-04-2006, 04:07 AM	#4
treky star trek fan Eternal Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Feb 25, 2002 Location: Conshohocken, pennsylvania Posts: 14,490	after he suffered the stroke... ...and left the show, it became obvious that some of the episodes could have benifited from his precence. So, they called his house one day (I think it was Andy who called) and his wife answered the phone. When he asked if Howard was up to coming back, she said something to the effect of "Oh, he would love it. He really liked doing the show and working with all of you". So, they wrote all his scenes so he'd either be sitting down, or standing against something on a small platform that was built for him so he'd be leaning back a little bit, and wouldn't be on his feet, but looking like he was standing. Jack Dodson, who played Howard, says that he got worse as the show went on, though, and by his last episode, he was strugling to get through it and he kept forgetting his lines and everything, and everyone just felt so sorry for him. I heard Jim Backus was also like that on the set of the last GILLIGANS ISLAND movie (exept he had Parkinsons disease)
	__________________ the Clampetts are in a fancy Beverly Hills jewelry store. Granny points to a tray of rubies. Granny: "How much fer one o' them red diamonds?" clerk: "Madam, those are rubies." Granny: "OK ask her kin we buy one offa her." clerk: " The ruby I am talking about is not a lady." Granny: "Lissen, how she got them diamonds is her business. I'm just sayin' ask her kin we buy one from her."

02-08-2007, 03:25 PM	#6
Scoobiedoo30 Member Forum Superstar Join Date: Jun 27, 2002 Location: KENNER, LOUISIANA Posts: 27,654	I knew when he came back from The Stroke they let Floyd sit on a stew
	__________________ Who Dat

02-15-2007, 03:17 PM	#7
TV Knowledge Fan Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 29, 2006 Location: Long Branch, N.J. Posts: 2,577	When Howard McNear... ...guest-starred in the "TWILIGHT ZONE" episode "The Bard" [5/23/63], he had just recovered from his stroke, and he played all of his scenes sitting down. This was probably how Andy hit on the idea, between 1964 and '67, of just letting "Floyd" maintain a slight illusion of movement, while seated during all of his scenes.

03-02-2007, 03:28 PM	#9
TV Knowledge Fan Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 29, 2006 Location: Long Branch, N.J. Posts: 2,577	It was an hour-long episode.... ...'agmfox8', that's probably why you never heard of (or have seen) it. There were 17 "TWILIGHT ZONE" hour episodes produced in 1963, and they're only seen occasionally. SCI-FI just presented all of them on their late-night schedule this past month, and about the only other time they get shown is usually on their New Year's marathon. From what I've seen of his performance in "The Bard", "Floyd" recovered from that stroke admirably. But he couldn't move around- and in later years, his speech began to suffer as he grew older.

10-22-2006, 11:20 PM	#2
Tim B. Member Forum Hawk Join Date: Jul 23, 2006 Location: dayton, ohio Posts: 3	He had a major stroke toward the end of 1962 which paralyzed his left side. He was off the show for (I think) 15 months before returning in 1964. I'm pretty sure that after his stroke he couldn't walk anymore. The only time you'll see him even standing on the show is when he's either behind an object (such as his barber chair) or leaning against a wall. He needed something to help hold him up. As for his appearance in "Goobers Contest", I've no doubt he had another stroke before filming the episode. Not as severe as the one in '62 but considering his already fragile state, it was bad enough to send him into retirement once he realized he couldn't go on. A sad ending to such a wonderful person.

10-23-2006, 03:33 AM	#3
BuddyHinton Member Frequent Poster Join Date: May 31, 2006 Location: CA Posts: 441	Wow, that would be season 3, I guess (when it first happened, that is fairly early on). Goober's Contest was in '67 and he passed in '69, sad. I wonder what the audience of the time thought of why he acted so slowly, or if it was comman knowledge at the time that he was suffering from the effects of a stroke. My mom died of a stroke a few years ago. Out of the blue; massive. Never recovered. In some ways I'm relieved.

11-05-2006, 12:43 AM	#5
Janice Retired Admin - Hollywood Swingin' Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 03, 2001 Location: Beantown Posts: 36,389	I notice all the ways they concealed his immobility. It's heartbreaking to see, the poor man. My father had a massive stroke five years ago. During his rehab, he was diagnosed with cancer. He was gone within six months.

03-01-2007, 06:54 PM	#8
Scoobiedoo30 Member Forum Superstar Join Date: Jun 27, 2002 Location: KENNER, LOUISIANA Posts: 27,654	I did not know that Floyd was in The TWILIGHT ZONE

03-02-2007, 04:17 PM	#10
Zoneboy RIP, I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU :( Moderator Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 13, 2003 Location: AT HOME WISHING ALL THIS WAS JUST A DREAM AND THAT I'LL WAKE UP FROM THIS NIGHTMARE. Posts: 34,338	There were 18 hour long Twilight Zone episodes produced plus Howard McNear also appears in the 3rd season episode "Hocus-Pocus and Frisby"
	__________________ 'Twas The Night Before Christmas And All Through The Full House Not A Creature Was Stirring, Not Even Mighty Mouse. All My Children We're Nestled All Snug In Their Beds While Visions Of Sugarbakers Danced In Their Heads.

03-02-2007, 05:26 PM	#11
Scoobiedoo30 Member Forum Superstar Join Date: Jun 27, 2002 Location: KENNER, LOUISIANA Posts: 27,654	I do not watch The Twilight Zone

03-24-2007, 09:43 PM	#13
Janice Retired Admin - Hollywood Swingin' Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 03, 2001 Location: Beantown Posts: 36,389	I recently watched Howard McNear's last episode. There were a few closeups of him, and he looked so ill. So much in fact, that after watching it, I looked at an episode guide to see what the story was, and that's how I found out it was his last appearance.

06-13-2007, 01:27 AM	#14
Be Right Back! Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jun 13, 2007 Location: Midwest USA Posts: 7	Floyd Better After the Stroke I might be in the minority here, but I think Howard McNear was better as Floyd the Barber after the stroke. His voice and inflections, rapid delivery followed by long, drawn out words, really suited his character and made him seem more of a "character." While I agree with other posters who have mentioned his last episode as sad (and it was...you could tell he was struggling), for most of the time after the stroke he was, IMO, wonderful and still my favorite character on the show.