Grimace first appeared in the 1970s as a purple, pear-shaped McDonald's mascot.
The character debuted in 1971 under the name Evil Grimace, with four arms intended to steal milkshakes. McDonald's soon changed the character into the friendly, large purple figure more familiar to later audiences, and the extra arms were removed.
This redesign illustrates how McDonald's branding evolved from mischievous food thieves and villains toward softer, family-friendly personalities. Grimace became a close friend of Ronald McDonald and a recurring member of the McDonaldland advertising world.
People sometimes remember Grimace as having always been a gentle character, but his original advertising role was different. The 1971 debut and subsequent redesign explain why early images do not match the simplified mascot used in later decades.