Willard Scott originally played Ronald McDonald in McDonald’s 1963 commercials.
Scott was a television personality and weather presenter who portrayed the character in early Washington, D.C., advertising. His version helped establish Ronald as a recognizable on-screen mascot, although the costume and visual design were not yet identical to the standardized character used in later national campaigns.
The fact is sometimes muddled with later performers who portrayed Ronald at public appearances or in advertisements. It is also easy to confuse Scott with other children’s television personalities of the same period. Scott’s role was specifically the first televised portrayal of Ronald McDonald, not the creation of every later version of the character.