Who played Ronald McDonald in his first major television advertising appearances?

Willard Scott played Ronald McDonald in his first major television advertising appearances.

Scott portrayed the clown character in early 1960s advertisements for the Washington, D.C., area. At the time, Ronald McDonald was being developed as a friendly television character who could connect the restaurant with children and families.

The character’s appearance evolved over time. Early advertisements used unusual food-themed costume elements, while later campaigns established the recognizable red-haired clown associated with McDonald’s restaurants around the world.

Willard Scott is also widely known for his later career as a television weather presenter on NBC’s Today. That later fame can make the Ronald McDonald connection easy to miss, but his early advertising work helped launch the mascot’s public identity.