McDonaldland

**McDonaldland** is a fantasy world where McDonald's food grow from plants, and fun-filled characters live in. It was used in many, many McDonald's commercials from 1971 until 2003.

## Life

McDonaldland consists of Apple Pie Trees, Thick Shake Volcanoes, French Fry Thatches, Hamburger Patches and a Filet-O-Fish lake. In The Wacky Adventures of Ronald McDonald, there is also an urban city setting.

McDonaldland weather is almost the same in McDonaldland, but according to a 1973 commercial named Rainy Day, rain appears in McDonaldland due to the fact that someone is unhappy.

## Cast of characters

* **Ronald McDonald:** Known as the primary mascot of McDonald's and main character of McDonaldland, Ronald McDonald is a clown with red hair, yellow suit and red shoes with yellow laces. He first appeared in 1963, when he was portrayed by Willard Scott; although his first McDonaldland appearance was in 1971 when he was portrayed by Bob Brandon.
* **Grimace:** A large, purple character in McDonaldland, known for his love for McDonald's shakes and coke. He originally appeared in 1971 as "Evil Grimace", with four arms instead of two. He also stole shakes and coke. In 1972, he was reintroduced as just "Grimace" and got a re-design in 1973 when he now had only two arms. He got another re-design in 1985 when he was given eyebrows that could move, and eyelids along with a more friendlier smile. He was first portrayed by Patti Saunders from 1971 until 1984.
* **Hamburglar:** A pint-sized burglar who usually steals McDonald's hamburgers and cheeseburgers. He was introduced in 1971, with grey hair and a big nose. In 1973, he was given a re-design and was made less scarier, with a more smaller nose. He got his second re-design in 1985 when he became shorter, more friendlier and was given reddish hair instead of grey hair. From 1971-1985, he mostly spoke gibberish, saying things such as "rubble rubble" but after 1985, he also spoke some English along with "rubble rubble". He was voiced in most commercials by Howard Morris.
* **Birdie the Early Bird:** A yellow bird who wears a pink jumpsuit, scarf and flight cap who likes McDonald's breakfast. She was first introduced in 1980, and got a re-design in 1985. She is known for being a clumsy, poor flyer. In commercials, she was portrayed by Patty Maloney.
* **Mayor McCheese:** The mayor of McDonaldland with a cheeseburger for a head. He was first introduced in 1971 with a bigger head and longer nose. He eventually got a re-design in 1973, making him more taller and his head became smaller. He appeared in many McDonaldland commercials until 1985, when the character was mainly retired. He was voiced by Howard Morris in commercials.
* **Officer Big Mac:** A police officer in McDonaldland with a Big Mac for a head. As a part of his job, he usually tries to stop Hamburglar from stealing hamburgers. He was first introduced in 1971, before getting a re-design in 1973. He appeared in many McDonaldland commercials until 1985, when the character was mainly retired. He was voiced by Ted Cassidy from 1971 until his death in 1979.
* **Fry Kids:** Pom-pom-like and colorful creatures who are known for their strong appetite for french fries. They were first introduced in 1971 as the Gobblins with big goggles for eyes and very small eye pupils, attached on using springs. They were re-named, becoming the Fry Guys in the 1980s, and were re-named the Fry Kids after the Fry Girls were introduced in 1985. They appeared in many McDonaldland commercials until 1996, when the characters were mainly retired.
* **Captain Crook:** A mischievous pirate who commonly steals Filet-O-Fish sandwiches. He was first introduced in 1971, with a beard that covered his month, and with grey hair. He got a re-design in 1973 with brown hair in-order to make him less threatening. He got another re-design in around 1983-1984 when the character became more of a realistic human with a pirate suit and even got his own parrot. This didn't last too long, and eventually he got another re-design the following year in 1985 when he was given a more muppet kind of look. He appeared in many McDonaldland commercials until 1987, when the character was mainly retired.
* **The Professor:** A bearded scientist-like character who is known for inventing things in McDonaldland. He first appeared in 1972 as the "Mad Scientist". After just one commercial, he was re-designed in-order to not look scary. He was given a light-bulb helmet, and a mustache. He appeared in many McDonaldland commercials until 1987, when the character was mainly retired.
* **Hamburger Patch:** A patch with talking hamburgers with googly eyes from the surroundings of McDonaldland. They were introduced in 1971, and appeared in some McDonaldland commercials up until 1986, when the characters were mainly retired.
* **The Happy Meal Gang:** An anthropomorphized regular-sized pack of french fries, hamburger, soft drink and toy. They were introduced in 1979 along with the release of the Happy Meal and were joined with cookies as well. They appeared in some McDonaldland commercials until 2003, when the characters were mainly retired.
* **The McNugget Buddies:** An athropomorphized set of talking Chicken McNuggets. They first appeared in 1984 along with the release of the McNugget Happy Meal. They appeared in many McDonaldland commercials until 2003, when the characters were mainly retired.
* **Uncle O' Grimacey**: Grimace's Irish uncle who is colored green and wears a frock coat. He first appeared in 1977 to promote the Shamrock Shake around St. Patrick's Day. He made some minor appearances in McDonaldland commercials until 1985, when the character was mainly retired.
* **Wastebaskets:** Singing wastebaskets who wore red bow-ties and were fed with packaging and other litter from McDonald's meals. They first appeared in 1972, in a commercial about feeding them. They made some minor appearances in commercials until about 1974, when the characters were mainly retired.

*To view the **McDonaldland**  commercials gallery, click here.*