Ronald McDonald was McDonald's first national television mascot.
The character appeared in a 1963 television commercial and was played by Willard Scott, who had earlier portrayed Bozo the Clown. Ronald's design was adapted into a clown associated with McDonald's products, using recognizable restaurant items in his costume.
Ronald is often discussed alongside the later McDonaldland cast, but his national advertising role came first. Characters such as Mayor McCheese and the Hamburglar expanded the fictional world afterward. Ronald McDonald eventually became the chain's most internationally recognizable character and a central part of its family-oriented branding.