Ronald McDonald was McDonald’s first clown mascot, played by Willard Scott in a 1963 television commercial.
Scott, who was already known as a television personality, appeared in an early McDonald’s advertisement wearing a costume assembled from restaurant-related items. The character was designed to attract children and give the growing chain a memorable personality beyond its food and architecture.
Ronald’s appearance changed over time. Later versions received a more standardized costume and became the central figure in McDonaldland, a fictional setting populated by characters such as Grimace, the Hamburglar, and Mayor McCheese.
The character is sometimes confused with the broader McDonaldland cast or with the restaurant’s earlier mascot, Speedee. Ronald McDonald is specifically the clown character introduced in the early 1960s, while Speedee represented the company’s earlier emphasis on fast service.