Who created the Hamburglar character for McDonald's advertising?

The advertising agency Needham Harper Steers created the Hamburglar character for McDonald's.

The Hamburglar debuted in 1971 as part of McDonald's expanding group of fantasy characters. His early appearance was darker and more mischievous than the later version: he was a small, masked character who tried to steal hamburgers. The character's black-and-white costume and exaggerated speech made him easy to identify in television commercials.

McDonald's later redesigned the Hamburglar into a younger-looking character with a red cape and striped clothing. The redesign made him fit more comfortably with the company's family-oriented advertising alongside Ronald McDonald, Grimace, and other members of the McDonaldland cast.

The Hamburglar's creator is sometimes confused with Leo Burnett, the advertising agency associated with McDonald's campaigns and the development of McDonaldland. The specific credit for creating the character is generally given to Needham Harper Steers, which handled McDonald's advertising at the time.