Why Was The Original Floyd Fired?

#andygriffithshow #donknotts #barneyfife #andygriffith #mayberry
How many of you know that Howard McNear was not the first Floyd on The Andy Griffith Show? The original actor who played him was fired after one episode. Find out what happened!

[@gamewizard1760]

When Howard Mcnear had a stroke, Andy didn't want him to lose his job, so he arranged for him to keep working and made sure that he was always seated in his scenes, and didn't have to move around much, so nobody would notice his physical incapacity.

[@joemag6032]

His movements were restricted so much that I wondered if there was something wrong with him, but did not find out for sure until years later, when someone finally gave us an explanation. Before he had his stroke he was wonderful as Floyd the barber.

[@joedobbins870]

Howard Mcnear was gold!

[@jayjay-bz3rr]

Absolutely

[@petervance6777]

Howard McNear so owned that role🌍

[@patrickschabel3955]

Big time

[@DonavanAja]

No question Howard McNear was fantastic as Floyd ,in fact as I am writing this I am watching the Andy Griffin show can not ever get enough been watching it for ever love it!

[@bradmad8346]

Howard McNear , was a different kind of fellow, his mannerism made him so distinctive you can spot him in voice acting or on screen, and he was funny, without saying anything.

[@jameseubanks1817]

He never gave Calvin Coolidge the respect that he deserved.

[@STho205]

Q1: Yes as I saw Stranger in Town and the argument with old Floyd was pretty well featured. Q2: NcNeer had played a barber in Leave it to Beaver, been in several Desilu productions and had been Doc on the Gunsmoke radio show

[@bryanhenderson8807]

Mr.Baldwin is not Floyd. McNear had a great personality. Also, Goober was the right fit for George Lindsey. The producers knew what they were doing.

[@AndyTempleman-ot6lu]

This was great! I appreciate you letting us know what happened to Floyd 1....I am a huge fan of Floyd 2! Thanks for the video clips too.

[@TonyBoyOhBoy]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!

[@alartandy]

Even though his character disappeared after just one episode in The Andy Griffith Show, Walter Baldwin was best known for being in the 1946 Oscar winning film, "The Best Years of Our Lives" playing Harold Russell's father.

[@oliverortiz5226]

Howard McNear was the perfect Floyd. I don't even want to imagine anyone else in the role. Yes, I knew about this actor being the first Floyd but thank you for sharing some light on why he left. McNear in any scene was guaranteed to make me laugh.

[@docadams7099]

I love Howard McNear as Floyd Colby, er, Lawson. He was gifted, and you just KNOW he knows everything Calvin Coolidge ever said. Silent Cal, as he was known, wasn't really silent, he said a lot of wise things.

[@FormulaJRay]

If he was on later shows without any anxiety issues, I wonder if maybe he was going through something in his personal life that made him overly anxious when doing the Andy Griffith show.

[@orbyfan]

If you listen to old radio shows, you'll hear Howard McNear in a lot of them. I mainly remember Walter Baldwin as the garbageman in "The Desperate Hours."

[@TonyBoyOhBoy]

I believe he played Doc on the radio Gunsmoke.

[@OldGrooves-eh5uz]

He played Harold Russell's father in "The Best Years of Our Lives."

[@toddfowler4017]

Andy was right, as he usually was. He was right about Floyd and he was right about Gomer. Pretty laid back set, I've always heard from everyone on the Griffith show. If the guy had anxiety issues on the set of the Griffith show, I wonder how he held up on other shows?!🇺🇸📺

[@Russell-rc6qq]

Howard Mcnear was pure gold. A classic tv character.

[@johnandersen6752]

In my perfect world WC Fields in his prime would have been the greatest barber.

[@TonyBoyOhBoy]

🤣

[@tomg6318]

Or Otis Taylor

[@samiam619]

Look it up. WC Fields did do a short movie as a barber…

[@johnandersen6752]

​@@samiam619I saw it a million years ago so maybe it was in the back of my mind. Thanks for motivating me to find it again. "Mr. O'Hare," very punny.

[@Losttouchjs]

It wouldn’t have been the same because you already know who took his spot. Had he continued with the role no one would have known about Howard McNear.

[@driver3605]

Howard McNear was always a great character actor. I listen to the Oldies radio station on satellite radio. McNear was on alot of those shows from the 40's and was very popular. He sounded just like Floyd.

[@larrydemaar409]

He couldn’t cut it.

[@TonyBoyOhBoy]

😂

[@duanedelperdang1749]

I did not know, or perhaps forgot about the original Floyd. Floyd number 2 was a good casting.

[@TonyBoyOhBoy]

Funny, I had the same reaction when I saw the episode - I thought maybe I knew it but forgot. Yes, McNear was hilarious and the older I got the more I realized what a talented guy he was.

[@tomg6318]

The Pete Best of the Andy Griffith Show

[@Johnny35130]

I've never heard anyone say they like Sprague or Emmett for that matter. Neither were funny. I remember McNear on an Elvis movie too btw.

[@TonyBoyOhBoy]

I agree, many of the later characters were not as funny as the first cast.

[@bonesjackson81]

I think it was Calvin Coolidge. Haha. Thank the stars they made the change.

[@lilajagears8317]

He was one of our best presidents though, in fact he was Reagans favorite president.

[@bigred997]

disingenuous. it wasn't a firing but a business decision to use a different actor in subsequent appearances. he didn't have a regular role to begin with. it's called charisma with the other actors. i'm sure the guy did not sweat it.

[@robertjolly3021]

Didn't know that, thankyou !!

[@TonyBoyOhBoy]

You're welcome!

[@DhonaTimm]

I knew this. But, I'd like to know who played Mr. Schwamp??? lol

[@TonyBoyOhBoy]

I've wanted to do an episode on him, but to this day I've never come across anything that gives a definite answer. I imagine at this point, the only one living who might even have a chance at answering that question is Ron Howard.

[@DhonaTimm]

I wish you could ask him

[@billysutton3337]

Walter Baldwin had one of the funniest lines in the show: Barney (fussing about the haircut that Floyd just gave him): "The next time I want a haircut I'll just stick my head in a pencil sharpener!" Floyd (Walter Baldwin): "Yes sir, and it'll fit, too!" LOL!

[@timfitzgerald1035]

Howard Mcnear was the original Doc Adams, when Gunsmoke was on the radio.

[@cameroncook3863]

I must of missed that episode. Had no idea Floyd wasnt the original

[@markfreckmann2366]

I do remember the episode with Baldwin as Floyd. Howard McNear played the role at another level. He was hilarious Howard McNear is one of the reasons why I still watch reruns of the show to this day.

[@mr.blackhawk142]

L0L Yes! The episode where Floyd and Barney are held hostage in a cabin by 3 female escaped convicts is my ALL-TIME FAV episode! Ernest T. Bass was another HILARIOUS character!

[@rentslave]

Maybe he tried to pass a counterfeit $20.

[@kevinsmith5288]

I just watched The Lost Weekend, with Ray Milland. The clip you showed with Baldwin in the bar is from that film, I thought he looked familiar 😮.

[@TonyBoyOhBoy]

On my list of films to see.

[@billsmith1770]

2:35 bill erwin , who played the grouchy old man seinfeld "adopted" .

[@TonyBoyOhBoy]

😂

[@Paulftate]

that's show business 👌

[@bobmumford7088]

The calendar on the wall seems out of place for Mayberry

[@jamesj9998]

I was going to say that.

[@wb3381]

Howard Mcnear appeared on Leave it to Beaver as a Barber

[@LetsGoChaseThatTrain]

I actually knew that Walter Baldwin originated the role of Floyd. Howard McNear truly made it his, though.

[@utz3710]

I know EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!😊 I would have fired Otis and opea.................😮

[@lilajagears8317]

Opie.

[@roberttaylor1931]

Now, you need to do a special feature on that "busty" calendar that hung on the original Floyd the barber's wall. 🙂

[@TonyBoyOhBoy]

You're not the first one to notice that! 😂 I hadn't until someone pointed it out to me!

[@SADFORIAN]

There was an early '80s comedian commenting on the second Floyd the Barber and his psychotic nature who asked the crowd, "Would you have let this man put a knife to your throat?" Still cracks me up.

[@gagsta55]

It was NOT Edmund GWENN who is reputed to have said "Dying is easy: comedy is hard" when on his deathbead. It was the great British Shakespearean actor Sir Edmund KEAN (1787-1833).

[@TonyBoyOhBoy]

Interesting. Here's an article on that quote. quoteinvestigator.com/2010/10/26/comedy-is-hard/

[@freespirit1975]

I think probably his funniest scenes were the episode where he and Barney were captured by the female prison escapees.

[@averydaymond1560]

IRONIC one of the reasons Baldwin was relieved of his part was forgetfulness. The Floyd character would trail off in the middle of a conversation changing the subject. It was kinda what the Floyd character was known for. Howard Mcnear owns that role no doubt.

[@TonyBoyOhBoy]

Great point! 😂

[@allengreg5447]

80% of people suffer from some degree of stage fright. Why would someone with this condition go into show business?

[@kenvelickoff4275]

George did some really good Suspense radio shows

[@fazbell]

I was not aware of this. Howard was certainly a better choice.

[@joeanderson9852]

👍👍

[@burrburr6816]

Wasn’t Walter Baldwin the same barber that had Barbara Eden as the manicurist ? That would have been at least 2

[@TonyBoyOhBoy]

As far as I know, Howard McNear was the only one who played that

[@rogerallenjr.6359]

I think barney was the funniest out of all of them

[@driver3605]

Not me. I thought Barney was the most annoying one on the show. He was very funny in the episode where he was telling everyone's fortune though.

[@thomaswolf723]

Why was the character Warren, who replaced Barney Fife as deputy sheriff after he left Mayberry, given such a short time to establish himself as Barney’s successor? Was not the comedian Jack Burnes who played the role not considered funny enough?

[@TonyBoyOhBoy]

Yeah, that story is one I'll probably do in the future. The whole thing was devastating to Burns.

[@scottgetty5547]

because he stunk

[@robertburatt5981]

"Goober" I found far funnier then "Floyd

[@TonyBoyOhBoy]

For me, it depended on the episode and what the characters were doing.

[@pavanatanaya]

Thats a spicy calendar for Mayberry

[@TonyBoyOhBoy]

Ha! I hadn't noticed that, you're right!

[@samiam619]

Floyd #2 was creepy as all get out. You never saw new people in town ‘cause he had them in his basement dungeon!

[@TonyBoyOhBoy]

😂

[@adrianrobey7716]

Who’s the chick in the calendar? Behind him.

[@WesleyBailey0722]

I kind of liked the first Floyd, but I have to admit, Howard McNear was far better. He was perfect for Floyd.

[@reg5381]

I remember that guy he was ok they could have made him Floyds uncle or something and why not it was all bullshit anyway.

[@nightstalkerck]

Floyd was my favorite character, and that's saying something because all the characters was great, except that British guy that replaced barney,

[@mynorthshore]

Maybe he gave crappy haircuts.

[@TonyBoyOhBoy]

😂

[@mrliberty8468]

Floyd was funny because he was weird really weird harmless but wierd.weird. 2nd Floyd was nervous and forgetful too. 2nd Floyd had the personality for the part.

[@Unknown17]

The second Floyd was about as funny as death. He seemed like he was mentally incompetent, which I don't find humorous. Did he actually have some sort of disorder?

[@Mike___Honcho]

i never really liked george lindsey in anything. he was goofy, but annoying goofy. not funny goofy. jim nabors was endearingly goofy. i don't think anyone could see george lindsey as gomer pyle in the marines. if he couldn't carry his part as goober, he certainly couldn't carry the part of gomer.

[@baronvonnembles]

I agree with this 100%, Gomer was endearing, Goober was annoying. Gomer was an original, Goober was just a hack actor playing a part already worn out by a thousand others.

[@Colorado_Native]

The sad part is Goober was considered for the role of Capt. Kirk of Star Trek(!).

[@Mike___Honcho]

@@Colorado_Native are you kidding ? i can't see george lindsey in that role at all ! not as an action guy or a drama guy.

[@Colorado_Native]

@@Mike___Honcho My mistake. He was considered for a part on Star Trek, but it was actually for Spock (!). Thanks for catching my error.

[@Mike___Honcho]

@@Colorado_Native no problem ! but i think it is just as unlikely to see george lindsey as spock. i saw him in some sort of a bad guy role once and i didn't buy it. there is a reason george lindsey's two biggest roles were as goober on andy of mayberry and hee haw. i think he was fortunate to have those two roles that lasted maybe 25 years on syndicated TV, even though he was a one trick pony.

[@zekeonstormpeak4186]

Thank god they replaced him with Howard Mcnear, he was the best actor ever for that part.

[@timothyortiz2222]

I don't care. We all get chite canned at one time or another.

[@user-tw4ke4py1l]

Gary Burbank as Gilbert Gnarley G N A R L E Y was the best Floyd of all time. You' d have to have listened to WLW radio in the 80's and 90's to under stand. The door to door proctologist episode was the ultimate in funny...................Titties!

[@docadams7099]

And to think that Gilbert Gnarley (that's G-N-A-R-L-E-Y) was a retired interior decorator to boot. And a Doo-to-Door proctologist! That's quite a resume'.

[@mariamercer472]

How did you find out and why do you need to make money in this!!!!