Which McDonald's mascot appeared in the company's 1963 television advertising campaign?

Ronald McDonald appeared in McDonald's 1963 television advertising campaign.

McDonald's introduced Ronald as a friendly clown character in early television commercials aimed at children. The character helped turn the company name and restaurant experience into a broader family-oriented brand world.

The first televised Ronald McDonald was played by Willard Scott in Washington, D.C. commercials. Scott later became widely known as a television weather presenter, but his earlier advertising role is an important part of Ronald's origin story.

Ronald should not be confused with McDonaldland characters introduced later, such as Grimace and the Hamburglar. Those figures joined a larger fictional setting, while Ronald was the central humanlike mascot associated with the restaurant chain.