The origin of Ronald McDonald involves Willard Scott (at the time, a local radio personality who also played Bozo the Clown on WRC-TV in Washington, D.C., from 1959 until 1962), who performed using the moniker "Ronald McDonald, the Hamburger-Happy Clown" in 1963 on three separate television spots. He also periodically did the program from Washington D.C., which he still considered his home. Willard Scott appears as "Ronald McDonald" in a television commercial. Willard Scott was born on March 7, 1934 in Alexandria, Virginia, USA as Willard Herman Scott Jr. He appeared on WRC-TV in Washington, D.C., playing characters such as Commander Retro and Bozo the Clown. Other awards include:During the 1980s, Scott routinely did weather reports on the road, interviewing locals at community festivals and landmarks. In 1970, Scott began appearing on WRC-TV as a weekday weatherman. He complied when in New York, but refused when outside of the studio, resulting in a strange dichotomy on the air.
He is an actor, known for Bozo the Clown (1959), Valerie (1986) and McDonaldland (1963). These were the first three television ads featuring the character.
One of his TV gigs in the 1960s was dressing up as an early prototype of Ronald McDonald, the “hamburger clown” pitchman for … Scott, 81, has a long history in front of the cameras. He was previously married to Mary Ellen Dwyer. During this time, NBC executives told the bald Scott to wear a hairpiece. He has been married to Paris Maguire Keena since April 1, 2014. Scott spent the 1960s balancing his radio career with jobs as the host of children's television programs.
Willard Scott as Ronald McDonald We now have the first three Ronald McDonald commercials in video format! In 1990 & 1992, Scott also hosted the Pillsbury Bake Off on CBS (although under contract with NBC).In 1985, Scott was given a Private Sector Award for Public Service by U.S. President Ronald Reagan.
In the early 1960s, in addition to his radio work, Willard Scott played Bozo the Clown on a local children's TV show.