Floyd the Barber - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Steve Carras · 01-24-2006, 04:05 AM

Famous radio/TV character actor Howard MacNear (d.c.1968)played "The (original,1960-1968) Andy Griffith Show"'s barber Flloyd, then REPRISED that role 9while doing it on TAGS!) on "Flinstones" as vairous short sized glasse-sweairng docs..

BUT, obviously due to a second season (both Griffith and "Flinstone" debuted in 1960!) John Stephenson took over for two episodes, IIRC unless others exist too, as a taller doctor, "The X-Ray Story" & "The Kleptomaniac Caper" then again Howard MacNear returned as a SHROT sized doc, in the third season episode (the ONYL one remaining from the "Chinese Fonts Lettering" Screen Gems show era, when SG and HB were still sister companies, to retaine its oriignal lettering in contrast to the standard credits, listing (among voices alone) John Stephenson and Hal Smith and stuck on earlierr episodes due to Winston sponsor tags, having the earlier theme,and also possibly no onscreen mention of--Mel Blanc OR Bea Benadaret aka The Rubbles!-and healirer open.,.before "The Twitch" which appeared around the same time (fall 1962_ which debuted HB's OWN lettering used through the very early 1970s on ":Globetrotters"<""josie" (though Scooby, Abbot and Costtelo and most post-960s toons had dedicated credits), this being "Barney the Invisible". ThenMacNear(who died in 1969 at 65) seemed to have dropped off the entrie fac eof the ehart (said to hjave reitred around then, he's also gone from "The Andy Griffith Showe too>"..like Frank "Yesss" Nelson he is known for a disctinve gimmick,.,."Oh yes, now lessee lesse..OOOH".;/btw too bad Howard McNear never did an owl's voice..that absnent mindedness would work well.Disney itronically never either him OR Frank nelson..the way HB did..ironic huh?>)

tv star collector · 01-24-2006, 08:40 AM

I can easily visualize Howard McNear as the voice of an absent-minded owl.
That would have been a great addition to, say, a Winnie-the-Pooh cartoon.

TV Knowledge Fan · 08-28-2006, 07:02 PM

...in late 1962, McNear suffered a massive stroke that left him partially paralyzed and his speech slightly affected. He did no more voice-over work for Hanna-Barbera, but Andy Griffith wanted him back on HIS show as soon as possible. Beginning in 1964, when he was well enough to appear again, "Floyd the Barber" returned, but only in scenes where he was either sitting down, or standing on a special platform behind his barber chair. Thus, he was able to continue appearing on Andy's series until he decided to retire in 1967. Howard McNear died a year later.

01-24-2006, 04:05 AM	#1
Steve Carras Sandra Bullock RULES! Forum Regular Join Date: Jun 30, 2002 Location: Riverside County, CA Posts: 807	Floyd the Barber Famous radio/TV character actor Howard MacNear (d.c.1968)played "The (original,1960-1968) Andy Griffith Show"'s barber Flloyd, then REPRISED that role 9while doing it on TAGS!) on "Flinstones" as vairous short sized glasse-sweairng docs.. BUT, obviously due to a second season (both Griffith and "Flinstone" debuted in 1960!) John Stephenson took over for two episodes, IIRC unless others exist too, as a taller doctor, "The X-Ray Story" & "The Kleptomaniac Caper" then again Howard MacNear returned as a SHROT sized doc, in the third season episode (the ONYL one remaining from the "Chinese Fonts Lettering" Screen Gems show era, when SG and HB were still sister companies, to retaine its oriignal lettering in contrast to the standard credits, listing (among voices alone) John Stephenson and Hal Smith and stuck on earlierr episodes due to Winston sponsor tags, having the earlier theme,and also possibly no onscreen mention of--Mel Blanc OR Bea Benadaret aka The Rubbles!-and healirer open.,.before "The Twitch" which appeared around the same time (fall 1962_ which debuted HB's OWN lettering used through the very early 1970s on ":Globetrotters"<""josie" (though Scooby, Abbot and Costtelo and most post-960s toons had dedicated credits), this being "Barney the Invisible". ThenMacNear(who died in 1969 at 65) seemed to have dropped off the entrie fac eof the ehart (said to hjave reitred around then, he's also gone from "The Andy Griffith Showe too>"..like Frank "Yesss" Nelson he is known for a disctinve gimmick,.,."Oh yes, now lessee lesse..OOOH".;/btw too bad Howard McNear never did an owl's voice..that absnent mindedness would work well.Disney itronically never either him OR Frank nelson..the way HB did..ironic huh?>)
	__________________ "And that's showbiz......kid" -Roxie Hart (Renee Zellweger, Chicago, 2002)

08-28-2006, 07:02 PM	#3
TV Knowledge Fan Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 29, 2006 Location: Long Branch, N.J. Posts: 2,577	No, Howard McNear didn't "retire"... ...in late 1962, McNear suffered a massive stroke that left him partially paralyzed and his speech slightly affected. He did no more voice-over work for Hanna-Barbera, but Andy Griffith wanted him back on HIS show as soon as possible. Beginning in 1964, when he was well enough to appear again, "Floyd the Barber" returned, but only in scenes where he was either sitting down, or standing on a special platform behind his barber chair. Thus, he was able to continue appearing on Andy's series until he decided to retire in 1967. Howard McNear died a year later.

01-24-2006, 08:40 AM	#2
tv star collector I Love Susie Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 18, 2005 Location: South Carolina Posts: 4,487	I can easily visualize Howard McNear as the voice of an absent-minded owl. That would have been a great addition to, say, a Winnie-the-Pooh cartoon.