McNair's Broadway credits include "The Body Beautiful" (1958), "No Strings" (1962, replacing Diahann Carroll), and a revival of "The Pajama Game" (1973, co-starring with Hal Linden and Cab Calloway). McNair starred in her own 1969 television variety series "The Barbara McNair Show", becoming one of the first black women to host her own musical variety show. The show, which was produced in Canada by CTV (at CFTO/Toronto), lasted three seasons in first-run syndication in the United States until 1972. The show starred A-list guests including Tony Bennett, Sonny and Cher, Little Richard, The Righteous Brothers, Johnny Mathis, Freda Payne, Mahalia Jackson, Della Reese, Lou Rawls, Rich Little, B.B. King, Ethel Waters, Debbie Reynolds, Lionel Hampton, and The Irish Rovers.