Ronald McDonald | |
---|---|
McDonald's character | |
First appearance | 1963 |
Portrayed by | Willard Scott (1963–1965) Michael Polakovs (1965–1968) Ray Rayner (1968–1969) King Moody (1969–1985) Squire Fridell (1985–1991) Jack Doepke (1991–1999) David Hussey (2000–2014) Brad Lennon (2014–) |
Voiced by | Squire Fridell (Ronald McDonald and the Adventure Machine, The Adventures of Ronald McDonald: McTreasure Island) Jack Doepke ( The Wacky Adventures of Ronald McDonald ; ep. 1–3) David Hussey ( The Wacky Adventures of Ronald McDonald ; ep. 4–6, McKids Adventures: Get Up and Go with Ronald) Bob Stephenson ( Logorama ) |
In-universe information | |
Gender | Male |
Occupation | Clown mascot for the McDonald's fast food chain |
Home | McDonaldland |
Ronald McDonald is a clown character used as the primary mascot of the McDonald's fast-food restaurant chain. He inhabits the fictional world of McDonaldland, with his friends Mayor McCheese, the Hamburglar, Grimace, Birdie the Early Bird, and The Fry Kids. [1]
Many people work full-time making appearances as Ronald, visiting children in hospitals and attending regular events. At its height, there may have been as many as 300 full-time Ronald McDonalds at McDonald's restaurants. [2] There are also Ronald McDonald Houses, where parents can stay overnight with their sick children in nearby chronic care facilities.
"Ronald McDonald, the Hamburger-Happy Clown" debuted in 1963 on three separate local television spots. The advertisements were created by the advertising agency of Oscar Goldstein, who doubled as a McDonald's franchisee in the Washington, D.C., area, and featured Willard Scott as Ronald. Scott had played Bozo the Clown on WRC-TV in Washington from 1959 to 1962 and was an employee of Goldstein at the time. [3] [4]
Scott, who went on to become NBC-TV's Today Show weatherman, recounted the creation of the character in his book Joy of Living:
At the time, Bozo was the hottest children's show on the air. You could probably have sent Pluto the Dog or Dumbo the Elephant over and it would have been equally as successful. But I was there, and I was Bozo ... There was something about the combination of hamburgers and Bozo that was irresistible to kids ... That's why when Bozo went off the air a few years later, the local McDonald's people asked me to come up with a new character to take Bozo's place. So, I sat down and created Ronald McDonald. [4]
McDonald's does not specify a creator of the character in its official statement of the character's history:
"The smile known around the world," Ronald McDonald is second only to Santa Claus in terms of recognition. (According to one survey, 96% of all schoolchildren in the United States of America recognize Ronald (stunning-stuff.com)). In his first television appearance in 1963, the clown was portrayed by Willard Scott.
On March 28, 2000, Henry Gonzalez, McDonald's Northeast Division President, thanked Scott for creating Ronald McDonald during a taped tribute to Scott on the Today Show.
The character first appeared in national TV advertising in 1965, during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and followed with spots during the 1965 NFL Championship Game. [5]
Circus performer Coco the Clown (real name Michael Polakovs) was hired in 1966 to revamp Ronald's image, creating the now familiar costume and make-up. [6]
In 2010, the Corporate Accountability International in Boston, Massachusetts, suggested Ronald McDonald should retire due to childhood obesity. [7] However, McDonald's CEO Jim Skinner said there are no plans to retire him. [8]
In April 2011, McDonald's announced that Ronald McDonald will reappear in their commercials, but Ace Metrix stated Ronald McDonald ads are no longer effective. [9] On May 18, 2011, Corporate Accountability International renewed their call to retire Ronald McDonald by running ads in major newspapers and launching several web pages dedicated to the retirement of the character. [10] However, McDonald's CEO Jim Skinner defended Ronald McDonald by saying that he is an ambassador for good and "it's all about choice". Shortly after, McDonald's announced that Ronald McDonald was "here to stay". [11]
In April 2014, McDonald's announced that Ronald McDonald would have a whole new look and new outfits. They also announced that he would be featured in their new commercials as well as on social media websites like Twitter. [12] As part of Ronald's makeover, his jumpsuit has been dropped in favor of yellow cargo pants, a vest and a red-and-white striped rugby shirt; his classic clown shoes remain part of the official uniform. [13] [14]
At any given time, there are dozens to hundreds of actors retained by McDonald's to appear as Ronald McDonald in restaurants and events. It is assumed, however, that the company uses only one actor at a time to play the character in national television commercials. Following is a list of primary American Ronald McDonald actors.
Various forms of the name "Ronald McDonald" as well as costume clown face persona, etc. are registered trademarks of McDonald's. McDonald's trains performers to portray Ronald using identical mannerisms and costume, to contribute to the illusion that they are one character. McDonald's marketing designers and stylists changed elements of the Ronald McDonald character, persona, style, costume and clown face when they adopted the clown as a trademark.
An actor named Joe Maggard claimed to have performed as Ronald McDonald from 1995 to 2007, though these dates overlap with the portrayals by Jack Doepke and David Hussey. In a 2003 article by The Baltimore Sun , a spokesperson for McDonald's said that Mr. Maggard was simply a stand-in for Ronald for one commercial shoot in the mid-1990s, and stated that "he is definitely not Ronald McDonald." [20]
In Thailand, Ronald McDonald greets people in the traditional Thai wai greeting gesture of both hands pressed together. The Thai version of the company mascot was created in 2002 by the local Thai franchise, McThai, as part of a "McThai in the Thai Spirit" campaign. The figure has also been exported to India and other countries where a similar gesture is used. [21] In China, out of respect for Ronald McDonald as an adult, children refer to him as "Uncle McDonald" (麦当劳叔叔; Màidāngláo Shūshu). In Japan, Ronald McDonald is called "Donald McDonald" (ドナルド・マクドナルド, Donarudo Makudonarudo) due to a lack of a clear "r" sound in Japanese enunciation [22] and to not cause confusion with the first English teacher in Japan, Ranald MacDonald.
Charlton Comics obtained the license to publish four issues of a Ronald comic sold on newsstands in 1970–1971. [23] Over the years, several giveaway comics have also been produced starring the character. [24]
Ronald (with Grimace) appeared in the 1984 Little Golden Book Ronald McDonald and the Tale of the Talking Plant, which was written by John Albano and illustrated by John Costanza. [25]
In 1991, Ronald appears in the Discover the Rainforest activity book series consisting of Paint It Wild: Paint & See Activity Book, Sticker Safari: Sticker and Activity Book, Wonders in the Wild: Activity Book, and Ronald McDonald and the Jewel of the Amazon Kingdom: Storybook, which are written by Mike Roberts and Russell Mittermeier, Gad Meiron, and Randall Stone, and illustrated by Donna Reynolds and Tim Racer, in which he is seen here as a nature show host and tour guide. [26] [27]
In 1987, Ronald McDonald (with Birdie, Hamburglar, Grimace and the Professor) appeared in an eight-minute animated short film titled Ronald McDonald and the Adventure Machine, which was only shown during birthday parties at McDonald's restaurants.
In 1990, a 40-minute animated direct-to-video film titled The Adventures of Ronald McDonald: McTreasure Island and produced by DIC Entertainment was released on VHS by Hi-Tops Video.
From 1998 until 2003 a series of direct-to-video animated episodes titled The Wacky Adventures of Ronald McDonald and produced by Klasky Csupo were released in participating McDonald's worldwide on VHS.
Ronald McDonald is the protagonist of three video games: Donald Land , developed by Data East for the Famicom console, released only in Japan in 1988; [28] McDonald's Treasure Land Adventure , developed by Treasure for the Mega Drive console and released in 1993; [29] and Ronald McDonald in Magical World, developed by SIMS for the Game Gear handheld, released only in Japan in 1994. [30] Interestingly, when the cartridge is inserted into a Western Game Gear, the game will automatically play in English and Ronald's original English name is also retained. [31]
He is also featured in two more video games: M.C. Kids for NES, Game Boy, C64, Amiga, Atari ST, and MS-DOS; and Global Gladiators for Genesis, Master System, Game Gear and Amiga.
Ronald McDonald appears for a few seconds in the 1988 film Mac and Me during a birthday scene set at a McDonald's. He is played by Squire Fridell, but is credited as "Ronald McDonald as himself". He won a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst New Star for his appearance in the film. The character also prominently appears in the theatrical trailer for the film. [32]
Ronald McDonald's prominence has made him a symbol for McDonald's as well as Corporate America, capitalism and globalization.[ citation needed ] His costume and iconography are often appropriated by protestors and artists wishing to subvert the icon and communicate an anti-corporate message. For example, in 2000, protestors in Hong Kong dressed as Ronald McDonald to protest the labor policies of McDonald's in China. [33]
In 2010, the Oscar-winning animated short Logorama prominently featured a depiction of Ronald McDonald as a criminal on the run from the police. [34]
Critics claimed that a clown mascot targeting children for fast food is unethical. A group of 550 physicians and other health professionals took out newspaper ads in 2011, saying that Ronald McDonald should be retired. [35]
Ronald McDonald has made fewer appearances since 2016 due to the 2016 clown sightings. However, as of 2017 [update] , he was still appearing at live events and on social media. [36]
A clown is a person who performs physical comedy and arts in an open-ended fashion, typically while wearing distinct makeup or costuming and reversing folkway-norms. The art of performing as a clown is known as clowning or buffoonery, and the term "clown" may be used synonymously with predecessors like jester, joker, buffoon, fool, or harlequin. Clowns have a diverse tradition with significant variations in costume and performance. The most recognisable clowns are those that commonly perform in the circus, characterized by colorful wigs, red noses, and oversized shoes. However, clowns have also played roles in theater and folklore, like the court jesters of the Middle Ages and the jesters and ritual clowns of various indigenous cultures. Their performances can elicit a range of emotions, from humor and laughter to fear and discomfort, reflecting complex societal and psychological dimensions. Through the centuries, clowns have continued to play significant roles in society, evolving alongside changing cultural norms and artistic expressions.
McDonaldland is a McDonald's media franchise and the fictional fantasy world inhabited by Ronald McDonald and his friends. Starting with the creation of Ronald McDonald in 1963, it is primarily developed and published by McDonald's. Initial attempts to expand the McDonaldland universe by marketing agency Needham, Harper & Steers were seemingly retconned due to legal issues, but ongoing aspects were expanded in McDonald's projects in collaboration with Data East, Virgin Interactive, Treasure, SEGA, and Klasky Csupo.
Bozo the Clown, sometimes billed as "Bozo, The World's Most Famous Clown", is a clown character created for children's entertainment, widely popular in the second half of the 20th century. He was introduced in the United States in 1946, and to television in 1949, later appearing in franchised television programs of which he was the host, where he was portrayed by numerous local performers.
A Happy Meal is a kids' meal usually sold at the American fast food restaurant chain McDonald's since June 1979. A small toy or book is included with the food, both of which are usually contained in a red cardboard box with a yellow smiley face and the McDonald's logo. The packaging and toy are frequently part of a marketing tie-in to an existing television series, film or toyline.
Willard Herman Scott Jr. was an American weather presenter, radio and television personality, actor, narrator, clown, comedian, and author, whose broadcast career spanned 68 years, 65 years with the NBC broadcast network. Scott was best known as a weather reporter on NBC's Today show where he also celebrated US centenarian birthdays and notable anniversaries. Scott was the creator and original performer of McDonald's mascot clown Ronald McDonald.
Nicolai Poliakoff OBE was the creator of Coco the Clown, arguably the most famous clown in the United Kingdom in the mid-20th century.
The International Clown Hall of Fame and Research Center (ICHOF), located in Baraboo, Wisconsin, United States, is dedicated to the preservation and advancement of clown art and achievement. Represented by professional and amateur clown associations, it pays tribute to outstanding clown performers, operates a museum of clowning with resident clown performers, conducts special events, and maintains a national archive of clown artifacts and history.
M.C. Kids is a 1992 platform video game developed and published by Virgin Games. It was initially released for the Nintendo Entertainment System in February 1992 in North America, and by Ocean Software in May 1993 in Europe. As a licensed product for the McDonald's fast food restaurant chain, the game stars two children named Mack and Mick who venture into the fantasy world of McDonaldland in order to return Ronald McDonald's magical bag which has been stolen by the Hamburglar. The game was created by four people in eight months: Darren Bartlett Gregg Iz-Tavares and Dan Chang (programming) and Charles Deenen (audio).
Donald Land (ドナルドランド) is a 1988 platform video game produced by Data East in association with the McDonald's Corporation for the Family Computer, based on the McDonaldland franchise.
The Bozo Show is a children's television program that aired on WGN-TV in Chicago and nationally on its superstation feed from 1960 to 2001. It was based on a children's record-book series, Bozo the Clown by Capitol Records. The series was a locally produced version of the internationally franchised Bozo the Clown format and is the longest-running in the franchise. Recognized as the most popular and successful locally produced children's program in the history of television, it only aired under this title for 14 of its 40+ years: it also aired under the titles Bozo (1960–1961), Bozo's Circus (1961–1980), and The Bozo Super Sunday Show (1994–2001).
Roy Thomas Brown was an American television personality, puppeteer, clown and artist known for playing "Cooky the Cook" on Chicago's Bozo's Circus.
McDonald's Treasure Land Adventure is a 1993 platform game developed by Treasure and published by Sega for the Sega Genesis. Based on the McDonald's fast food restaurant chain, specifically its McDonaldland marketing campaign, players control Ronald McDonald in his efforts to retrieve the missing pieces of a map that lead to the location of a buried treasure from a group of villains. Ronald can defeat enemies by using a magic attack and can latch onto hooks with his scarf to reach higher platforms.
Squire Fridell is an American retired actor, author, and winemaker who appeared in over three thousand television commercials; he also appeared as Ronald McDonald in McDonald's commercials from 1985 to 1991.
Don Sandburg was an American writer, actor, and producer who worked in television, most notably as producer of The Banana Splits for Hanna-Barbera as well as WGN-TV's Bozo's Circus.
The Teenie Beanies are miniature Beanie Babies that were offered as McDonald's promotions in Happy Meals from 1997 to 2000.
The Wacky Adventures of Ronald McDonald is an American animated retail direct-to-video television series, produced by Klasky Csupo in association with the McDonald's Corporation. It centers on McDonald's mascot Ronald McDonald and the gang in McDonaldland going on many adventures and learning lessons.
Logorama is a 2009 French adult animated crime disaster black comedy short film produced by the French graphic design and animation studio H5 as their first and only animated project. Co-written and directed by François Alaux, Hervé de Crécy and Ludovic Houplain, the film is set in a stylized version of Los Angeles and portrays various events as being told entirely through the extensive use of more than 2,000 contemporary and historical company logos and mascots. The short's voice cast consists of Bob Stephenson, David Fincher, Aja Evans, Sherman Augustus, Joel Michaely, Matt Winston, Gregory J. Pruss, Josh Eichenbaum, Jaime Ray Newman and Andrew Kevin Walker.
Michael Polakovs was a Latvian-born American circus clown and actor, who performed in the US under the name of Coco the Clown, a moniker that his father, Nicolai Poliakoff, had made famous in Europe.
Mac Sabbath is an American parody heavy metal tribute band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 2014. The self-appointed founders of "Drive Thru Metal", the band is primarily a parody of English heavy metal group Black Sabbath, using lyricism and imagery centered on fast food.
The Grimace Shake is a berry-flavored milkshake that was first sold at McDonald's restaurants in the United States, from June 11, 2023, to July 11, 2023, to celebrate the 52nd birthday of Grimace, the purple, milkshake-loving character from McDonaldland. The shake was then introduced in Canada the following year, starting on May 14, 2024. A third limited run took place in the United Kingdom for one week, starting on August 28, 2024, celebrating McDonald's 50th anniversary in the country. The shake was also introduced to Norway on September 4, 2024. It released in Australia on October 4, 2024; in South Africa on October 22,2024; in New Zealand on October 23, 2024; and Japan on October 30, 2024.
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