Willard Scott played the first widely recognized television version of Ronald McDonald in 1963.
Scott portrayed the clown in early Washington-area McDonald’s television advertising. His version helped establish Ronald as a recognizable advertising character before the mascot developed the standardized appearance used in later national campaigns.
People sometimes assume that the person who first played Ronald was also responsible for creating every later version of the character. In reality, Ronald’s appearance and supporting cast evolved over time as McDonald’s expanded its advertising. The character became the central human mascot of McDonaldland and was eventually portrayed by many performers.
Ronald McDonald should also be distinguished from Speedee, the earlier McDonald’s mascot. Speedee represented the restaurant’s original fast-service concept, while Ronald was a clown designed to appeal especially to children and families. Scott is best known later as a television weather presenter, but his earlier advertising role is part of McDonald’s branding history.