American weather presenter and television personality (1934–2021)
For the U.S. Army general, see Willard Warren Scott Jr.
Willard Scott
Scott in 1997
Born
Willard Herman Scott Jr.
(1934-03-07)March 7, 1934
Alexandria, Virginia, U.S.
Died
September 4, 2021(2021-09-04) (aged 87)
Delaplane, Virginia, U.S.
Education
American University
Occupations
Weather presenter
author
television personality
actor
clown
comedian
narrator
radio personality
Years active
1950–2015
Notable work
Weather Reporter on Today
Creator and original portrayer of Ronald McDonald
Joy Boys Radio Program
Birthday greetings for centenarians
Narrator of NASA TV programs
Spouses
Mary Dwyer Scott
(m. 1959; died 2002)
Paris Keena
(m. 2014)
Children
2
Willard Herman Scott Jr. (March 7, 1934 – September 4, 2021) 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 is 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.[1]
The 6' 3", 290 lb. (191 cm, 130 kg) Scott was described by The New York Times as a "garrulous, gaptoothed, boutonnière-wearing, funny-hatted, sometimes toupee-clad, larger-than-life American Everyman". Scott parlayed his national exposure as weather presenter into a highly successful career as a pitchman who promoted an ever-widening range of products the fees for which outstripped his million dollar annual salary at NBC (equivalent to $2.14 million in 2023).[2][3] Scott said "I run me like a conglomerate, because that's what I am. I always keep lots of balls in the air".[4]
Scott credited his success to his efforts to make everyone, his audience, his clients feel loved. Scott said "If you watch, you’ll see that I am trying to weave a web of love. I want to make the whole country feel as if we are one. I may be a cornball, but I am me — not a sophisticated, slick New York wazoo act."[2] Early radio contemporary Johnny Holliday, said of Scott "Everybody he came in contact with just loved the guy. He just had that magic about him, that he made everybody feel special."[5]
In Scott's autobiography The Joy of Living he summed his life, saying "If you were to look at my resume, you’d see that I’m ...bald, I’m overweight, I don’t make all the smooth moves and I dress like a slob. I take tremendous pride in the fact that I beat the system".[2]
^Cite error: The named reference Joy was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ abcLevey, Bob (April 29, 1982). "Willard Scott, Today show weatherman and resident merrymaker, dies at 87". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
^Johnston, Louis; Williamson, Samuel H. (2023). "What Was the U.S. GDP Then?". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved November 30, 2023. United States Gross Domestic Product deflator figures follow the MeasuringWorth series.
^Kleinfield, N. R. (April 5, 1987). "STAR WEATHERMAN: Willard Scott A Huckster For All Seasons". New York Times. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
^"'He made everybody feel special': Local media personalities remember Willard Scott". WTOP. January 3, 2008. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
Willard Herman Scott Jr. (March 7, 1934 – September 4, 2021) was an American weather presenter, radio and television personality, actor, narrator, clown...
McDonald's franchisee in the Washington, D.C., area, and featured WillardScott as Ronald. Scott had played Bozo the Clown on WRC-TV in Washington from 1959...
on KTTV), Bob McNea (1959-1966), Earl Frank Cady (WJRT-TV, 1967-), WillardScott (1959–1962), Frank Avruch (1959–1970), Bob Bell (1960–1984), and Joey...
weatherman since 1996; Anchor of Wake Up With Al on The Weather Channel. WillardScott (born 1934) weatherman on The Today Show from 1980 to 1998. Bob Costas...
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Frederic Charles Willard (September 18, 1933 – May 15, 2020) was an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his work with Christopher Guest...
substituted on the weekday edition of Today when WillardScott was ill or away. In early 1996, Scott announced his semi-retirement from Today. On January...
such as WRC in Washington, D.C. where future Today Show personality WillardScott was an NBC page. Selection is highly competitive, with only 212 pages...
held annually on the Thursday before Derby. NBC Today Show weatherman WillardScott was the host of WAVE TV's broadcast coverage of the Pegasus Parade from...
by Smuckers. The tradition was created in 1983 by weather presenter WillardScott, and is now presented by his successor Al Roker. Japanese centenarians...
Weems (seasons 3–6; previously made guest appearances in season 2) WillardScott as Peter Poole (seasons 3–4) Angela Lee as Brenda Walker (seasons 5–6)...
mascot clown, Ronald McDonald, from the Bozo character in the 1960s. WillardScott, who had played Bozo during 1959–1962, performed as the mascot in 1963...
Donny & Marie Episode aired November 15, 1998 2000 Celebrity Deathmatch WillardScott Ep. "Turn on Your TV Day" 2000 Brak Presents the Brak Show Starring...
including Christian Elliott, Mike Ditka, Charlie Sheen, Robert Shapiro, WillardScott, Oliver Stone, Phil Gramm, David Kaczynski, and Pat Buchanan. After...
popularized by Ray Kroc. Ronald McDonald was originally portrayed by WillardScott, a former Bozo the Clown actor. In 1963, he and Washington, D.C. franchisee...
Betty White, Florence Henderson, James Brown, Soupy Sales, Dan Marino, WillardScott, Nick Santa Maria and Nino Cerruti appear as themselves. According to...
program's co-hosts WillardScott and Ed Walker. The two did various skits and satirized prominent people of the day, such as Scott's character "Arthur...
Ratzenberger, Ross Shafer, Graham Kerr, Gene Siskel, Roger Ebert, Bob Ross, WillardScott, Richard Karn, Soundgarden, Kenny G, Pat Sajak, Vanna White, Cirque...
sofa by Bryant Gumbel. Featuring Chet Zumditch, Emily Fingerhut and WillardScott. Fight 2: Mills Lane shoves a lamp on Judge Judy while she is knocked...
studies. Notable guest stars during the season include Fred Willard as Leon's husband, Scott, Ed McMahon as himself, John Popper (with Blues Traveler) as...
hamburger, such as the Ronald McDonald clown character designed by WillardScott who first appeared on television in 1963, soon became a recognizable...
which was broadcast live nationally from the square by Today weatherman WillardScott. The machine costs $60,000. During its daily two-minute sequence, which...
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