Willard Scott, TODAY show weatherman, dies at 87

The TODAY show's legendary weatherman died this week at 87, NBC's Al Roker confirmed.

Scott started working on the TODAY show in 1980, and was best known for wishing happy birthday to his fans turning 100. He worked with NBC for 65 years.

Born March 7, 1934 in Alexandria, Virginia, Scott’s broadcasting career began in the 1950s, after he graduated from American University in Washington.

Scott also had the distinction of being the first person to play Ronald McDonald, appearing in commercials in the Washington area starting in 1963.

No gimmick was too much for Scott. In 1985, he did the weather dressed as Boy George while the singer was at the height of his fame. He also dressed up as a giant Cupid on Valentine’s Day, in a barrel on the day taxes were due and a groundhog to celebrate Groundhog Day.

In 1985, President Reagan awarded Scott a Private Sector Award for Public Service. He was married to wife Mary Dwyer Scott from 1959 until she died in 2002. They had two children. He is survived by wife Paris Keena, whom he married in 2014.