Willard Herman Scott, Jr. (born March 7, 1934 in Alexandria, Virginia) is an American media personality and author best known for his work on NBC's The Today Show and as the original creator and performer of the Ronald McDonald character.
Scott showed an early interest in broadcasting as a teenager, working as a 16-year old in 1950 as an NBC page at WRC-AM, NBC's owned-and-operated television station in Washington, D.C.. Scott then attended American University, where he worked alongside fellow student Ed Walker at WAMU-AM, the university's radio station (1951-1953). Scott became a member of Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity while at American University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy and religion.
Began career as an NBC Page.
In the 1960s he became McDonald's very first redhead clown, Ronald McDonald (originally named Donald McDonald).
McDonalds dropped him as Ronald McDonald when they went nationally with the character in favor of somebody thinner.
His "Happy Birthday" segements on Today began in 1983 when a viewer wrote in to ask him to wish her mother happy 100th birthday on air.
in "Willard Scott's Down Home Stories," he recounts from his radio days when he received his all-time favorite letter from a fan: "Dear Mr. Scott - I think you're the best disc jockey in Washington. You play the best music and have the nicest voice of anyone on the air. Please excuse the crayon - they won't let us have anything sharp in here."
Father of two daughters.
