The Complete List Of Actors Who Played Ronald McDonald

Since he first appeared in the early 1960s, Ronald McDonald has been among the most iconic corporate mascots in history. His appearance has been updated many times, but he is immediately recognizable to McDonald's fans worldwide. The colorful clown has been a constant fixture in promotional content and public events since his creation. Until his unofficial retirement from the media in 2016, fans could catch him in television commercials, direct-to-video movies, and video games. Ronald McDonald is also the face of the Ronald McDonald House charity, which provides housing and other services to families of seriously ill children. 

Of course, a mascot's likability depends heavily on the actor wearing the costume. Ronald McDonald's mannerisms are consistent no matter where he's spotted, but the face behind the clown makeup often differs from place to place. Although countless actors donned the iconic costume for local appearances over the years, only a handful have earned the title of the primary actor in television spots and other larger-scale assignments. Some delighted McDonald's fans for years, while others wore the costume for a short time. Regardless, these actors have each done their part to shape the history and aesthetics of this important piece of fast-food pop culture. 

Many early Ronald McDonald actors started as circus clowns, including Michael Polakovs. The Latvian actor gained fame as Coco the Clown, a character created by his grandfather. Like many people born into a family of performers, Polakovs got an early start in his career by following in his father and grandfather's footsteps. After immigrating to the United States in the 1950s, he continued performing in circuses. After decades of being a clown, Polakovs joined the famous Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey circus in 1961 and enjoyed a newfound fame. His success as a circus clown eventually led him to work with McDonald's as the chain's beloved mascot. 

However, Polakovs didn't just play the role — he also innovated it. He helped redesign the Ronald McDonald costume, and his creation became the blueprint for the clown's modern appearance. For example, his version of Ronald McDonald featured a bright red wig, which has since become a standard part of the clown's costume. Polakovs appeared in commercials as the well-known character in the late 1960s but, like many early Ronald McDonalds, his tenure in the role was short-lived. At the end of his career, the actor retired in Kentucky with his second wife. 

While some Ronald McDonald actors appear in national commercials, others have a solid local presence instead. These actors may not enjoy the same fame as their counterparts, but they are nevertheless crucial to the Ronald McDonald story. For example, George Voorhis spent the late 1960s portraying the mascot locally in Southern California. Local appearances for the popular clown typically range from new restaurant openings to special events. His experience performing as the mascot may have been straightforward, but there is debate about how significant his influence was over the character. Since he never appeared in commercials, images of Voorhis are scarce if not completely unavailable.

Voorhis and an associate, fellow clown Terry Teene, claimed to have created the character for an event at a local McDonald's. There have been several conflicting stories about who developed the mascot, but Washington, D.C. franchise owner Oscar Goldstein is widely credited as Ronald McDonald's creator. Willard Scott also claimed responsibility for the clown's birth and included it in his book "The Joy of Living." Since Voorhis lived on the opposite coast of Scott and Goldstein, it's possible he and Teene developed a similar character. However, neither man has received official credit as a Ronald McDonald creator.

Ray Rayner was already a recognizable face on Chicago television before he donned the Ronald McDonald costume. He began hosting a local children's program called "Breakfast With Bugs Bunny" in 1962, a show which eventually became "Ray Rayner & His Friends." This series ran for nearly two decades, helping the actor build a loyal fan base. His tenure as a child-friendly television personality also included the short-lived role of Oliver O. Oliver, a clown in the series "Bozo's Circus," which featured the enduring popular title character. 

The actor first starred as Ronald McDonald in local Chicago commercials in the late 1960s, but his clown makeup-covered face soon appeared on televisions nationwide. Though most of his national Ronald McDonald appearances only spanned a year, Rayner holds a unique distinction among actors who have worn the costume. He was the first actor to speak as Ronald McDonald in nationally aired commercials. Like other 1960s Ronald McDonald actors, the costume Rayner wore featured cartoonishly oversized pants that remained popular until the late 1970s. In addition to his many television performances, Rayner was also a consummate stage performer. Over the years, he took part in productions, including "Guys and Dolls" and 'The Rainmaker." 

Robert "King" Moody had arguably the largest onscreen acting resume of all the actors who joined forces with McDonald's. He got a relatively late start in the acting world, landing his first part at 30 years old in 1959. Throughout his early career, he took on minor roles across multiple genres, appearing in everything from "Teenagers from Outer Space" to "Get Smart," and making cameos in shows such as "Bonanza" and "Dragnet 1967." Moody had been acting for a decade by the time he stepped into Ronald McDonald's clown shoes. 

Moody appeared in commercials throughout the 1970s and into the 1980s, one of the longest tenures of any Ronald McDonald actor. Since he had plenty of experience as a comedic performer, many of the commercials he starred in have a unique, zany quality that makes them especially memorable. After his time in the colorful role, Moody continued his television acting career. In the late 1980s, he made single-episode appearances in two popular series: "Quantum Leap" and "Night Court." He also appeared in "Get Smart, Again!" a made-for-television movie that gave him the opportunity to reprise one of his most beloved roles. 

For '90s kids, Bruce "Jack" Doepke may be familiar because of his time as Ronald McDonald. The actor's enthusiastic performance as the mascot kept him in the role for most of the decade, with his last appearances taking place in 1999. Whereas most Ronald McDonald actors only portrayed the mascot in person or commercials, Jack Doepke also took the character into the world of animation. He lent his voice to the famous clown in three installments of "The Wacky Adventures of Ronald McDonald," a promotional cartoon miniseries following Ronald McDonald and other McDonaldland characters through various, silly situations. 

Doepke's Ronald McDonald voice acting didn't end there: he is also featured in "Ronald McDonald Presents: Silly Sing Along," a cassette tape of kid-friendly songs performed by a variety of artists. This tape was one of a four-part set released in 1995 as collectible Happy Meal toys. Despite his enduring presence as Ronald McDonald, Doepke appears to have largely abandoned acting once his role ended. Instead, he turned to other passions, such as his hometown's history. The Chisago City Heritage Association in the actor's native Minnesota credits him with helping to create three DVDs detailing essential aspects of the city's past.

In 2014, Brad Lennon officially took up the Ronald McDonald baton and began making some local appearances. For instance, The actor was spotted at a Canadian McDonald's restaurant for a special event. This performance was part of a nationwide tour to honor the chain's 10th turn as the official restaurant of the Olympics. Though appearing as Ronald McDonald in person is a typical part of the job, most other actors also had the opportunity to star in commercials while in costume. However, two years into Lennon's tenure, McDonald's made an unexpected choice when the chain retired its longtime mascot. 

Shortly before Ronald McDonald retreated from the limelight, some U.S. and U.K. people took part in an unsettling trend: dressing in scary clown costumes and intentionally startling people. Although it may have been harmless initially, the trend turned sinister when some clowns were spotted carrying weapons. For example, The Mirror reported a disturbing instance of a sledgehammer-wielding clown and three others approaching a young girl. Amid these events, the chain got rid of Ronald McDonald from a national advertising standpoint, but the character is still alive and well. Ronald McDonald still appears at local events and even has his own Instagram page, though it has not been updated since 2021.