Who played the role of Floyd the barber?

Howard McNear played Floyd the barber on The Andy Griffith Show.

McNear portrayed Floyd Lawson, the chatty, absent-minded barber of Mayberry, beginning in 1961. Floyd became one of the show’s best-known recurring characters, often serving as a source of local gossip and comic misunderstandings in his barbershop.

There is one small detail that can cause confusion: actor Walter Baldwin played Floyd in the character’s first appearance, “Stranger in Town.” McNear then took over and became the actor audiences normally associate with “Floyd the Barber.” The character’s surname was initially inconsistent, too; an early appearance called him Floyd Colby before the series settled on Floyd Lawson.

McNear suffered a serious stroke in 1963 but later returned to the show. Production adapted scenes around his limited mobility, frequently showing Floyd seated. McNear’s final appearance came during season seven, after which Floyd was said to have retired and his barbershop location was used by Emmett Clark.