Which McDonald's character was first portrayed publicly by Willard Scott in 1963?

Ronald McDonald was first portrayed publicly by Willard Scott in 1963.

Scott, then a local television personality in Washington, D.C., played the character in early McDonald's advertising. The original portrayal used a simple costume and food containers as costume elements, including a cup-like hat and a tray. Ronald was designed as a friendly clown who could appeal especially to children and families.

McDonald's later refined the character's appearance and made Ronald the central figure of a larger fictional world populated by characters such as the Hamburglar, Grimace, and Mayor McCheese. His visual identity became more standardized as the company expanded its national advertising.

Ronald McDonald should not be confused with Speedee, the company's earlier mascot from the 1940s. Nor was the character created by a later celebrity associated with the role. Willard Scott's 1963 appearances mark the beginning of Ronald's public McDonald's history.