Following military service in World War II, he acted in productions in Los Angeles in addition to drawing sketches and cartoons.

[2] In addition to his commercial work for Marlboro cigarettes, McLean starred as the title character in the NBC Western television series, Tate, which was a summer replacement for half of Perry Como's program in 1960.

[6] In 1963, McLean was cast as the gangster Frank MacErlane in the episode "Open Season" of the CBS anthology series, GE True, hosted by Jack Webb.

In the story line, James Best portrays the courageous Wisconsin game warden Ernie Swift, who faces the reprisal of the mob after he tickets MacErlane for illegal fishing.

[citation needed] That year, he also appeared on Perry Mason as the title character and defendant Trevor Harris in "The Case of the Lawful Lazarus."

McLean appeared as Stephen F. Austin in the 1964 episode, "A Book of Spanish Grammar", on the anthology series, Death Valley Days.