Willard Scott was the first actor to portray Ronald McDonald in television advertising.
Scott played Ronald in early McDonald’s commercials in the Washington, D.C., market during the early 1960s. At the time, he was known as a television personality and weatherman, and his performance helped establish the visual identity of the clown character.
Ronald’s appearance evolved after those first commercials. Later performers and advertising teams shaped the character into the familiar national mascot associated with red hair, white face paint, yellow clothing, and oversized shoes.
A common mix-up is to treat the actor who first played Ronald as the creator of all later versions of the character. The early portrayal was one stage in a broader branding campaign that eventually included McDonaldland and a large supporting cast.