McNear was born in Los Angeles to Luzetta M. Spencer and Franklin E. McNear.[3] He studied at the Oatman School of Theater and later joined a stock company in San Diego.[4] McNear also worked in radio from the late 1930s, distinguishing himself in the 1937–1940 radio serial Speed Gibson of the International Secret Police as ace operator Clint Barlow.[5] McNear could be effective in such authoritative roles, but he gravitated more toward character roles, often comic.

He enlisted as a private in the U.S. Army Air Corps on November 17, 1942 during World War II.[6]

As "Doc" in the Gunsmoke radio cast

He created the role of Doc Charles Adams in CBS Radio's Gunsmoke (1952–1961).[7] McNear was under contract to CBS for many years and was featured in many of the network's radio and TV programs. From 1955 to 1960 he appeared frequently, in various quirky roles, in the popular radio detective series Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar.[8]

McNear made his film debut in an uncredited role in the 1953 film Escape from Fort Bravo. Over the course of his career, he would appear in over 100 film and television guest spots. In 1958, McNear guest starred as a barber named Andy on an episode of Leave It to Beaver, a role which proved prophetic.[9] In 1961, he was cast as the vague, chatty barber Floyd Lawson on The Andy Griffith Show. During the show's run, McNear suffered a stroke that rendered the left side of his body nearly paralyzed.[10] McNear left the series for nearly a year and a half to recover. Andy Griffith later asked McNear to return to the series. McNear agreed but was unable to walk or stand. The production crew accommodated his disability and McNear was usually seen seated or standing with the support of a stand.[4] According to Jack Dodson (who playedHoward Sprague on Andy Griffith), McNear began having difficulty remembering his lines and became anxious and frustrated.[11] He left the series in 1967.

On January 3, 1969, McNear died of complications from pneumonia caused by a stroke at San Fernando Valley Veterans Hospital in San Fernando, California.[12] He was interred in the Los Angeles National Cemetery.[13] Actor and old friend Parley Baer, a practicing Episcopalian, delivered his eulogy. His wife Helen and son Christopher survived him

In two episodes of the comedy sketch program Second City Television, actor Eugene Levy played McNear's Floyd the Barber. His first appearance as Floyd the Barber was in a parody of The Godfather, in the opening scene as Amerigo Bonasera, in which he asks the Don to hurt Opie for breaking his barber pole. The last line delivered by Floyd is "Ohh, and would you kill Howard Sprague for me?", referring to another character from the Andy Griffith Show. His other appearance was The Merv Griffith Show (a combination parody of the Andy Griffith Show and the Merv Griffin Show), in which he is in his barber shop cutting hair and at a surprise party for Gomer.

Howard T McNear