[citation needed] He enlisted as a private in the United States Army Air Corps on November 17, 1942, during World War II.

In a 1958 episode of Leave it to Beaver, McNear made a TV appearance as a barber named "Andy", who gave Wally his first shave.

In a 1960 episode of Peter Gunn, titled "A Slight Touch of Homicide", McNear used the mannerisms he later developed as Floyd the barber to play Barnaby, a vigilante chemist who killed 15 mobsters with explosives.

In a 1964 episode, "Otis Sues the County", McNear's character is heard, but not seen, walking into the courthouse; the next scene shows Floyd already seated in a chair.

According to Jack Dodson, who played Howard Sprague on The Andy Griffith Show, McNear began having difficulty remembering his lines and became anxious and frustrated during his last season.

In the eighth season episode, "Goober the Executive," Andy addresses the replacement by saying "Floyd decides he's got enough money and wants to retire, Emmett moves right in."

On January 3, 1969, McNear died at San Fernando Valley Veterans Hospital in California at the age of 63 of complications from pneumonia caused by a stroke.