Which McDonald's character was a clown created for television advertising in 1963?

Ronald McDonald was the clown character created for McDonald's television advertising in 1963.

The character was developed to give McDonald's a distinctive human-like figure who could connect the restaurant with children and family entertainment. Television made a colorful mascot especially useful because the character could appear repeatedly in short stories and promotional scenes.

Willard Scott played Ronald McDonald in some of the earliest television appearances. Later performers and redesigned costumes shaped the character's long-running public image, so the first performer should not be confused with the character's creator or with every actor who later portrayed him.

Ronald's arrival also marked a shift in McDonald's branding. Speedee represented the chain's early emphasis on fast service, while Ronald became the central figure in the broader McDonaldland universe. Other characters were added afterward, but Ronald remained the most internationally recognizable mascot.