Willard Scott

Willard Scott
Scott in 1990.
Born	Willard Herman Scott, Jr. (1934-03-07) March 7, 1934 Alexandria, Virginia, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Weather presenter, television personality, radio personality, Clown.
Years active	1950–present
Spouse(s)	Mary Dwyer Scott (1959 – 2002)
Children	Mary and Sally Grandchildren = John and Sally

Willard Herman Scott, Jr. (born March 7, 1934) is an American media personality and author best known for his television work on NBC's The Today Show and as the creator of the Ronald McDonald character.

Early years

Scott grew up in the Rosemont section of Alexandria, Virginia, 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 (1951–1953). 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.

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 1956-1958 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". 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".

Washington, D. C., television 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 (1959–1962). In 1970, Scott began appearing on WRC-TV as a weekday weatherman.

"Ronald McDonald" character

Willard Scott as Ronald McDonald, from one of the first three pre-recorded television advertisements to feature Ronald. Note the "food-tray hat".

Another television role he performed regularly from 1963–1966 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.

In Morgan Spurlock's documentary film Super Size Me, Eric Schlosser claims that McDonald's replaced Scott on account of his weight, supposedly concerned about McDonald's image.

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 did 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. The memo was leaked to the media. 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." This garnered enough of a backlash that Gumbel was shown making up with Scott on the show.

Although he is no longer The Today Show's full-time weatherman, Scott continues to appear twice a week on the long-running morning program to wish centenarians a happy birthday and to substitute for regular weatherman Al Roker during his absences. He appears from the studio lot of WBBH, the NBC affiliate in Fort Myers, Florida. He is also currently the commercial voice—taking over the job from the late Mason Adams—of Smucker's jellies which sponsors his birthday tributes on The Today Show.

Other TV Work and Awards

Scott had a small role as Mr. Peter Poole on the NBC sitcom The Hogan Family (1986-1991), where his character was married to Mrs. Poole, played by Edie McClurg. Scott also hosted the NBC telecast of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade from 1987 until 1997 when he was replaced by Al Roker upon Scott's retirement as Today's full-time weatherman.

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

• "Distinguished Virginian", Virginia Association of Broadcasters (1990)
• "Washingtonian of the Year", Washingtonian magazine (1979)
• "Humanitarian in Residence", National Society of Fund Raisers (1985)
• "National Partner in 4-H Citations", National 4-H, US Dept of Agriculture(1984)

In 1990 Scott was granted an Honorary Doctorate from Johnson & Wales University

• "Spoke at his grandson's (John Swiatek) graduation at Middleburg Academy (2011)

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.

Writings

Scott has published several fiction and non-fiction books:

• The Joy of Living
• Down Home Stories
• Willard Scott’s All-American Cookbook
• America Is My Neighborhood
• The Older the Fiddle, the Better the Tune
• If I Knew It Was Going To Be This Much Fun, I Would Have Become A Grandparent First

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

• Murder Under Blue Skies
• Murder in the Mist

External links

• Willard Scott at IMDb
• Centenarian Birthday Biographies from a media production company's website
• The Joyboys tribute site.
• Willard as a top 40 DJ on the Great98 WRC tribute site.
• Booknotes interview with Scott on The Older the Fiddle, the Better the Tune, July 13, 2003.