Willard Scott first portrayed Ronald McDonald in a 1963 McDonald’s advertisement.
Scott was a television weather presenter who appeared as the character before Ronald developed the standardized costume and appearance familiar from later national campaigns. His portrayal drew on his earlier television work as Bozo the Clown, connecting McDonald’s early mascot advertising with an already recognizable clown performance style.
People often associate Ronald McDonald only with later performers, costume designers, or the character’s fictional McDonaldland setting. Those elements developed over time. The 1963 advertisement is historically important because it introduced the clown figure who became McDonald’s principal public-facing mascot for decades.