Ronald McDonald was played by actor Willard Scott when the character was introduced in 1963.
Scott portrayed the character in early McDonald's television advertising for the Washington, D.C., market. The advertisements used familiar McDonald's food packaging as part of Ronald's costume, helping connect the fictional character directly with the restaurant's products.
Ronald soon developed into McDonald's principal advertising mascot. Later performers portrayed him in commercials, public appearances, and promotional events, so Willard Scott is specifically linked to the character's first television-era portrayal rather than to every later appearance.
Ronald is sometimes confused with Speedee, McDonald's earlier mascot from 1948. He is also frequently grouped with the later McDonaldland characters, including the Hamburglar and Mayor McCheese. His 1963 debut marked a major shift toward character-based family advertising.