 willard herman scott, jr. (born march 7, 1934) is an american actor, author, media personality, clown, and comedian, best known for his tv work on today and as the creator and original portrayer of ronald mcdonald. ==early years== scott was born in alexandria, virginia, on march 7, 1934, and attended george washington high school. he showed an interest in broadcasting as a 16-year-old, working in 1950 as an nbc page at wrc-am, nbc's owned-and-operated radio 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&ndash;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. ==career== ===the joy boys radio show=== from 1955 to 1972, scott teamed with ed walker as co-host of the nightly joy boys radio program on wrc-am. (this was interrupted from 1956 to 1958 when scott served on active duty with the u.s.navy.) scott routinely sketched a list of characters and a few lead lines setting up a situation, which walker would commit to memory or make notes on with his braille typewriter (he was blind since birth). in a 1999 article recalling the joy boys at the height of their popularity in the mid-1960s, the washington post said they "dominated washington, providing entertainment, companionship, and community to a city on the verge of powerful change".marc fisher, "washington comes of age", the washington post, september 13, 1999 the joy boys show played on wrc 
1934_births American_University_alumni American_male_comedians American_male_television_actors American_television_personalities Living_people Male_actors_from_Virginia McDonald\'s_people NBC_News People_from_Alexandria,_Virginia Radio_personalities_from_Washington,_D.C. Weather_presenters