Which clown character became McDonald's best-known mascot in 1963?

Ronald McDonald became McDonald's best-known clown mascot in 1963.

The character was created for McDonald's advertising and was first portrayed by television personality Willard Scott. Ronald's bright clothing, red hair, and clown makeup gave the brand a child-focused figure who could appear in commercials, restaurant promotions, and later the fictional McDonaldland setting.

Ronald McDonald is sometimes confused with the many other McDonaldland characters. The Hamburglar, Grimace, and Mayor McCheese were separate figures, while Ronald functioned as the central humanlike mascot and host of the brand's fantasy world.

His prominence was especially strong in late twentieth-century advertising. Although McDonald's later reduced the use of several character-based campaigns, Ronald McDonald remains closely associated with the company's historical branding.