Newly Uncovered Video Shows Original Ronald McDonald, Creepy and Played by Willard Scott.
Ever see the movie "IT"? Willard Scott of the Today show played the original Ronald and he was way off the scare or creepy scale. Today Ronald has a friendly pleasant look. He appears in real and cartoon form. The perfect salesman to kids.
If you're one of the many people with an irrational fear of clowns, then odds are you haven't been missing Ronald McDonald. With parents becoming more health-conscious, ol' Ronald has taken on a lower profile at the Golden Arches.
Of course, that wasn't always the case. Back in the day, the good-natured clown with questionable eating habits was everywhere. And if you think Ronald McDonald is a little creepy now, you should have seen him in 1963, when the fast food mascot made his commercial debut.
A Very different Ronald in this video.