Did you know that Howard McNear suffered two separate strokes over the course of The Andy Griffith Show and that he filmed many episodes of the series without the use of the left side of his body? There were many beloved characters on The Andy Griffith Show, but Howard McNear’s Floyd the barber was arguably one of the most popular. Even though he wasn’t the focal point of the series, the character of Floyd the barber provided a much-needed comedic backbone to the show that it couldn’t survive without. This comedic backbone came as a result of actor Howard McNear’s studied comedic chops. Prior to taking his role in the series, Howard had been working in the industry for many years.
▬Contents of this video▬ 00:00 - Intro 00:29 - Floyd the Barber Was One of Mayberry’s Best Residents 01:03 - Howard McNear Brought Floyd to Life 02:07 - Howard McNear Suffered a Stroke During Filming 03:10 - The Andy Griffith Show Couldn’t Work Without Floyd 03:39 - Howard Continued Performing While Paralyzed 04:00 - Floyd the Barber Returns! 04:58 - Howard’s Final Appearance 05:31 - The Actor Started Out on Radio 06:07 - Howard’s Personal Life 06:34 - Outro
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The character of Floyd the barber was introduced in 1961, while The Andy Griffith Show had premiered in 1960. Howard came on the show while it was still in its first season, and ended up staying on the show until 1967. However, during the timespan, the actor was forced to take a nearly two-year-long break as a result of a debilitating stroke that he suffered in 1963. Sadly, this wouldn’t be the last stroke that he would suffer while filming the series.
Following his 1963 stroke, Howard McNeal lost the use of the left side of his body. The actor thought he was never going to return to work, but Andy Griffith ended up asking him to come back. Andy felt that Howard was important enough to the series that it would be worth filming around the actor’s new handicap. Instead of writing Howard’s paralysis onto the show, the crew simply found ways to film Howard from the side. Both the audience and the show’s creative staff were apparently happy with the result, and Floyd the barber was back! Sadly, he wouldn’t be back for very long. Join Facts Verse as we take a look at how Howard McNear suffered TWO strokes during The Andy Griffith Show.
Howard McNear Suffered TWO Strokes During the Andy Griffith Show
By: Facts Verse Title: Howard McNear Suffered TWO Strokes During the Andy Griffith Show Sourced From: www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSsqYs2S6TM
