Who played Ronald McDonald in McDonald's earliest television commercials?

Willard Scott played Ronald McDonald in McDonald's earliest television commercials.

Scott portrayed the character in the early 1960s, helping establish Ronald McDonald as a recognizable advertising figure. At that time, the character's costume and appearance were simpler than the version that later became familiar worldwide.

Ronald's first television appearances were designed to make McDonald's especially appealing to children and families. The character became the centerpiece of a broader McDonaldland world that later included the Hamburglar, Grimace and other fictional figures.

A common mix-up is to identify Ray Kroc as Ronald's first performer. Kroc was the businessman who expanded McDonald's through franchising, whereas Scott was the television personality who portrayed the clown in the early commercials.