Willard Scott

Willard Scott

Scott at the 1990 Emmy Awards
Born Willard Herman Scott, Jr.
March 7, 1934
Alexandria, Virginia
Nationality American
Occupation Weather presenter, television personality, radio personality, clown
Years active 1950–present
Spouse(s) Mary Dwyer Scott
(1959–2002; her death);
Paris Keena (2014–present)
Children Mary and Sally

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.[1]

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.[2] Scott then attended American University, where he worked alongside fellow student Ed Walker at WAMU-AM, the university's radio station (1951–1953). 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.[2]

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 (Walker 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".[3] The Joy Boys show played on WRC until 1972 when they moved to cross-town station WWDC for another two years. Scott wrote in his book, The Joy of Living, of their close professional and personal bond which has continued to the present, saying that they are "closer than most brothers".[1]

Washington, D.C., TV roles

Scott spent the 1960s balancing his radio career with jobs as the host of children's television programs. He appeared on WRC-TV in Washington, D.C., playing characters such as Commander Retro and Bozo the Clown.[4] In 1970, Scott began appearing on WRC-TV as a weekday weatherman.

Ronald McDonald character

Main article: Ronald McDonald

Another TV role he performed regularly from 1963 to 1966 and occasionally as late as 1971 was Ronald McDonald for a McDonald's franchise in Washington, D.C. Scott wrote in his book The Joy of Living that he originally created the Ronald McDonald character at the fast-food restaurant chain's request.[1]

In his book Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser claims that McDonald's replaced Scott on account of his weight, supposedly concerned about McDonald's image.[5]

The Today Show

Scott was tapped by NBC in 1980 to become its weatherman for The Today Show, replacing Bob Ryan, who replaced him at WRC-TV until 2010. After being inspired by a viewer request, Scott began his practice of wishing centenarians a happy birthday on-air in 1983.

During the 1980s, Scott routinely did weather reports on the road, interviewing locals at community festivals and landmarks. He also periodically performed on the program from Washington D.C., which he still considered his home. During this time, NBC executives told the bald Scott to wear a hairpiece. He complied when in New York, but refused when outside of the studio, resulting in a strange dichotomy on the air.

In 1989, The Today Show co-host Bryant Gumbel wrote an internal memo critical of the show's personalities, a memo that was later leaked to the media. In the memo, Gumbel said Scott "holds the show hostage to his assortment of whims, wishes, birthdays and bad taste…This guy is killing us and no one's even trying to rein him in."[6] This garnered enough of a backlash that the next time they appeared on camera together Scott kissed Gumbel on the cheek to show he'd forgiven him, and also later said he hoped the whole thing would go away.[7]

From the late 1980s until the early 1990s, Scott served as the spokesperson for True Value Hardware Stores, alongside Pat Summerall.

In 1992, Scott, who was the first incarnation of Ronald McDonald, recorded a commercial for McDonald's archrival Burger King.

Scott went into semi-retirement in 1996 and was succeeded by Al Roker. Scott continued to substitute for Roker for over a decade afterward, an arrangement that mostly ended after NBC acquired The Weather Channel in 2009 and started using that channel's meteorologists as substitutes. He continues to appear twice a week on the morning program to wish centenarians a happy birthday. He appears from the studio lot of WBBH, the NBC affiliate in Fort Myers, Florida. He is also the commercial voice of Smucker's jellies, which sponsors his birthday tributes on Today.

Other TV work and awards

Scott had a small role as Mr. Peter Poole on The Hogan Family, where his character was married to Mrs. Poole, played by Edie McClurg. From 1961 to 1963 Scott portrayed Bozo the Clown, in the classic children's television program. Scott also hosted the NBC telecast of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade from 1987 until 1997 when he was replaced by Matt Lauer the following year. For several years in the 1980s, Scott donned a Santa Claus costume for the broadcast of the National Tree-Lighting Ceremony in Washington, D.C.

In 1990 & 1992, Scott also hosted the Pillsbury Bake-Off on CBS.

In 1985, Scott was given a Private Sector Award for Public Service by U.S. President Ronald Reagan.[2] Other awards include:

In 2001, American University reissued some of the old Joy Boys radio broadcasts of the 1960s on CDs. He has also played Santa Claus at various White House events.

Scott spoke at his grandson John Swiatek's graduation at Middleburg Academy in 2011.

Writings

Scott has published several fiction and non-fiction books:[2]

He has also co-authored two books with Bill Crider:

He preached a sermon at the 185th anniversary of his home church, First Baptist Church in Alexandria, Virginia, that was published in Best Sermons 2, edited by James W. Cox [Harper & Row, 1989].

Personal life

Scott was married to Mary Dwyer Scott from 1959 until her death in 2002. The couple had two children, Mary and Sally. On April 1, 2014, at age 80, Scott married Paris Keena, whom he first met in 1977 while she was working at WRC-TV in Washington, D.C. They have been together as a couple since 2003.[8]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Willard Scott, The Joy of Living. New York: Coward, McCann & Geoghegan, 1982 (ISBN 0-698-11130-3).
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Willard Scott — Weather Reporter and Centenarian". MSNBC. 2004-12-10. Retrieved February 4, 2008.
  3. ↑ Marc Fisher, "Washington Comes of Age", The Washington Post, September 13, 1999
  4. ↑ Listed References on Wikipedia's "Bozo the Clown" Discussion Page
  5. ↑ Schlosser, Eric. Fast food nation : The dark side of the all-American meal (1st Mariner Books ed. ed.). Boston: Mariner Books/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. p. 41. ISBN 9780547750330. Scott came up with the name Ronald McDonald, and a star was born. Two years later, the McDonald's Corporation introduced Ronald McDonald to the rest of the United States through a major ad campaign. But Willard Scott no longer played the part. He was deemed to overweight; McDonald's wanted someone thinner to sell its burgers, shakes, and fries.
  6. ↑ Monica Collins, "Memo to NBC: We Love Scott", USA Today, March 1, 1989.
  7. ↑ Brian Donlon, "On Today, it's kiss and make up", USA Today, March 14, 1989.
  8. ↑ Miller, Kyle Michael (April 2, 2014). "Willard Scott got married! 'Today' legend weds longtime love". Today. Retrieved 2014-04-02.

External links