The Andy Griffith Show: Howard McNear hid a secret in plain sight

Floyd Lawson was a beloved character

Howard McNear began portraying Floyd Lawson on The Andy Griffith Show in 1960, taking over for Walter Baldwin. The actor first appeared in the season one episode, A Stranger in Town.

Floyd was beloved and often shared sage wisdom as he cut hair in his barber shop or sat in front of his establishment with other Mayberry residents. The Mayberry Barber was a widower with a son, Norman, by his wife, Melba.

He had a niece, Virginia Lee, and his nephew, Warren Ferguson, served briefly as town deputy. Another cousin, Lamar Tuttle, was in one episode.  Floyd also had a secret that was cleverly hidden in plain sight.

McNear had a secret

Howard McNear had a medical condition that some fans may not have been aware of. Midway through season three, he suffered a severe stroke that affected his ability to move his limbs. He could only stand for short periods and had only partial use of his right hand. His left hand was affected even more.

The series' producers and Andy Griffith wanted McNear to return as Floyd as soon as his health allowed it, but he had reservations. The actor considered not returning to the series, and Floyd was missing for more than a year. The actor decided to rejoin the sitcom, and concessions were made.

McNear's limitations were hidden from viewers

Floyd began to appear regularly again near the end of season four. Fans may not have noticed, but for the next three years, the character was seated most of the time because the stroke rendered him only able to stand for short periods.

The Andy Griffith Show had a special chair constructed for McNear, so he could remain seated most of the time while on the set. Kudos to the series' powers that be for encouraging McNear to return.

Perhaps you never noticed this, but when you watch seasons four through seven (now on MeTV and streaming services), Floyd is no longer standing behind his clients as he was cutting hair. He is shown sitting in front of his barbershop or other locations throughout Mayberry.

In the cover photo, Floyd is seated with his left arm (the affected the most) on his leg. He is holding his right arm in the manner that is common for some stroke victims.

McNear did not share Floyd's quirkiness

If you believed Floyd's unique and quirky mannerisms were based on McNear's personality, they were not. In other roles, the actor was low-key and serious, not nervous or anxious like his Andy Griffith character.

McNear first used Floyd's distinctive gestures when he portrayed Barnaby, a vigilante chemist who murdered 15 mobsters with explosives in the 1960 Peter Gunn episode "A Slight Touch of Homicide."

Floyd's last appearance in Mayberry

Howard McNear was last seen as Floyd the Barber on the final season seven episode #30 of The Andy Griffith Show, Goober's Contest. The series was colorized at this time. Sadly, the actor's health declined, and he could not return for the eighth and final season.

It was announced that Floyd had earned enough money to retire. A new character named Emmett Clark (a fix-it man) was brought in to try to fill in his loss on the series. Emmett was portrayed by veteran character actor Paul Hartman. His fix-it shop moved from his home into Floyd's old barber shop location.

Howard McNear passed away about a year after leaving The Andy Griffith Show. He died on January 3, 1969, at San Fernando Valley Veterans Hospital in California. His cause of death at the age of 63 was the result of complications from pneumonia caused by a stroke.