Who played the first television version of McDonald's Ronald McDonald?

Willard Scott played the first television version of McDonald’s Ronald McDonald. Before becoming widely known as a television weather presenter, Scott appeared as a clown character in children’s programming and was selected to portray McDonald’s new mascot.

Scott’s earlier association with Bozo the Clown helped him perform the energetic, brightly colored character McDonald’s wanted for its advertising. Ronald’s first commercials were aimed at children and families, giving the restaurant a memorable personality beyond its food and architecture.

The character changed substantially after the early commercials. Different performers portrayed Ronald over the years, and the costume became more standardized. This is why the creator of the character, the first performer, and later performers are sometimes incorrectly treated as the same person. Scott is specifically associated with the first television portrayal.