Who played Ronald McDonald in McDonald’s earliest major television advertising?

Willard Scott played Ronald McDonald in McDonald’s earliest major television advertising.

Scott portrayed the character in commercials beginning in 1963. At that time, Ronald McDonald was presented as a friendly clown who introduced the restaurant to children and helped establish a recognizable family-oriented identity. Scott had already become known to television audiences through his work as a broadcaster and performer.

Ronald McDonald was not the company’s first mascot; the earlier Speedee character belonged to McDonald’s pre-Ronald branding. Ronald gradually became the chain’s best-known advertising figure, appearing in television commercials, print materials, restaurant promotions, and later the fictional McDonaldland setting.

Later performers also portrayed Ronald, so the character’s long history is sometimes incorrectly credited entirely to one actor. Scott’s role specifically concerns the earliest nationally recognized television version of the mascot.