It all started at a McDonalds in Washington D.C. around 1959. For a few years the drive-in restaurant had been enlisting television sensation Bozo the Clown to come to their establishment and entertain the children. More children meant more families and more families meant more meals at McDonalds. Bozo would continue to make regular appearances until 1962, when WRC-TV pulled the plug on Bozo the Clown and the D.C. McDonalds found themselves without a star. The restaurant asked Bozo star and local radio personality, Willard Scott, to come up with an alternative character, since the likeness of Bozo the Clown could no longer be used. Scott designed a new costume and persona and 'Ronald McDonald, the Happy Hamburger Clown' was born. The McDonalds restaurant immediately began work on television promotions with local Channel 5, WTTG-TV to generate interest in their new mascot and in 1963, with the help of his on-air radio partner (Ed Walker) as narrator, Willard Scott brought a future company icon to life. By 1965, McDonalds had taken notice of the marketing success of the local store, and adopted Ronald McDonald as it's nationwide spokesman. The campaign was a major success and became larger than anyone could imagine. The company created the new corporate position of 'Boss Clown' (I am not making that up) to handle hiring, training, commercials, promotions, and local appearances. Within a year Scott had become a small drop in a large bucket and hung up his big, red shoes for good. Don't feel too bad for him, though. Scott has gone on to spend decades as everyone's favorite weatherman on NBC's The Today Show.
[Here is Ronald McDonald's very first appearance. How this creepy clown brought in the kids I'll never know. And I don't even want to know what, "I like to do everything boys and girls like to do." means. If you look closely you'll notice that by the end of it, he's just given up.]
[Here's Ronald in his second commercial and this time he's teaching kids a valuable lesson: Don't talk to or accept gifts from strangers unless you've seen them on TV. "Hey! I know you. You were on America's Most Wanted last night. Sure, I'd love to enjoy some candy while you give me a ride home in your van. Thank you!"]
[Willard Scott did get the chance to be the official national spokesperson, but that meant he had to lose the witness protection clown makeup and adopt the new corporate sanctioned version. Scott then expresses his newly found self-loathing by tying nooses around the necks of multiple likenesses of himself and hanging them until dead for all the world to see.]
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