Ronald McDonald may be well-liked by kids as well, but some adults find him downright frightful. He is undoubtedly the most well-known clown in the world and has represented McDonald's since the character's alleged creation by Willard Scott in the early 1960s. Ronald is dressed in his well-known yellow jumpsuit over a red and white striped jumper and pants ensemble. His hair and lips are also bright red. Although he tries to be amiable and personable, he does have a slightly unsettling appearance.

Since its debut in 1963, McDonald's makeup has been worn by thousands of different individuals. Ronald has appeared in McDonald's global advertising, including in commercials and in-store appearances. Ronald continues to cause controversy despite the fact that he is recognized by 95% of Americans, according to estimates. He was placed 2,109th out of 2,800 celebrities in the Wall Street Journal's 2011 assessment of consumer likability. It appears that not everyone like it.

The role of Weary Willie made American circus performer Emmett Kelly famous. He was modeled by Great Depression hobos, and unlike most clowns, he never looked to have a smile on his face. He dressed shabbily and shuffled as he performed, portraying the oppressed who struggled in their late 20s and early 30s in American history.

People could identify with Kelly's Weary Willie character, which helped him become a tremendous sensation. A star of The Greatest Show on Earth, which won the 1952 Academy Award for Best Picture, he has performed with some of the most well-known circuses acts in the world, including the Ringling Brother circus.

He was the most well-known clown in the world when he passed away in 1979 at the age of 80.

Krusty the Clown, everyone's favorite animated clown, is a supporting character on The Simpsons. Krusty is a hard-drinking, cigarette-smoking, gambling junkie who seems to have little interest in the art of clowning. He was inspired by a number of real-life clowns.

Krusty is a character on The Simpsons who was born Herschel Schmoeckel Pinchas Yerucham Krustofsky and is infamous for his propensity to cheat on his taxes, owe money to the mob, and sell shady goods. When not performing, he is frequently depressed and sad and only seems happy when on camera.

Bart and Lisa still admire Krusty despite all of his shortcomings, especially Bart. No matter how many times he mistreats them, they will always have his back and think the best of him. Thankfully, the rumors that Krusty might die off in 2014 never came to pass.

Pennywise, the terrible adversary in Stephen King's horror book It, is thought to be the scariest clown ever. The movie versions are considerably more horrific than the book version, which should be enough to have you check the locks on your doors. Tim Curry's portrayal of Pennywise in the recent It Chapter One and It Chapter Two remakes is what really resonates with audiences, despite Bill Skarsgard's impressive performance (thanks to his eerie facial expressions).

One of the demonic's forms is the wicked clown. It presumes to murder a large number of kids in the imagined Derry, Maine. Curry is a very scary star of the 1990 miniseries adaptations. He succeeds in making the persona both endearing and terrifying. Every time he shows up on the television, there is a genuine feeling of fear. Given that Pennywise is still among the most well-known clowns of all time, Curry is undoubtedly to blame for the dread of clowns that many people have. Following a spate of ominous clown sightings in 2016, it was thought to have sparked a clown panic.

Not all clowns are made-up figures. The fear of clowns was possibly first introduced by John Wayne Gacy. Over a six-year period in the 1970s, Gacy raped, tortured, and killed 33 young boys. Gacy earned the moniker "Killer Clown" because he performed at charity events while posing as Pogo the Clown and visited children's hospitals. He fit the description of an evil clown.

After investigations into the disappearance of missing teenager Robert Priest connected Gacy to his disappearance, the serial killer was eventually apprehended. 26 of Gacy's victims were buried in the crawl space of his home. He was found guilty in 1980 and put to death by lethal injection in 1994 despite saying that "clowns can get away with murder." He was considered one of the creepy clowns of all time.

Bozo the Clown was another of the greatest clowns to ever appear on television. Although he may not be well-known to younger readers, Bozo was a common figure throughout the 1960s and 1970s. He had his own show in America called Bozo's Circus, which was followed by The Bozo Show, where he was portrayed by a number of actors. The success of Bozo the Clown led to the character being syndicated internationally, with Bozo appearing in places including Brazil, Mexico, Thailand, and Australia.

Despite not being a clown, in particular, DC's The Joker is renowned for his cheesy and unsettling clown makeup. This figure has appeared in a variety of comic books, TV shows, animated series, video games, and films in dozens of distinct variations. Although it's challenging to single out one Joker as the best, it's difficult to ignore actor Heath Ledger's portrayal in the film The Dark Knight. Many people see this performance as the benchmark for The Joker in movies, and it is truly a once-in-a-lifetime achievement.

The frenzied performance of the role by the late Heath Ledger in the 2008 film "The Dark Knight" earned him a posthumous Oscar and frightened throngs of spectators. Some people have even suggested that Ledger may have overdosed on drugs as a result of playing the character.

Russia produced the renowned circus clown Oleg Popov. Before deciding to make a career out of clowning, he was an apprentice typewriter. Popov joined the Moscow Circus and traveled around Europe before heading across the Atlantic to perform in America. During his act, Popov integrated a number of various abilities. His show included tightrope walking, mime, and juggling.

Popov combined his skills as a tightrope walker, juggler, and mime to perform as a clown. He was honored for his outstanding career by receiving the prestigious Gold Clown medal at the 8th International Circus Festival of Monte-Carlo in 1981. His clown persona adhered to the tradition of the Russian folk figure "Ivanushka," who plays practical jokes on others while also receiving taunts. Known as the “Sunshine Clown,” Popov created a “positive character,” one who was noted for his optimism.

He lived in Germany for a while after touring there for a number of years with a Moscow Circus unit in the early 1990s following the fall of the Soviet Union. Later, he gave several performances in Germany, whether it was with his own touring show, in circus performances, or on television. In 1991, he wed German circus performer Gabriela Lehmann. Popov accepted an invitation to perform in the 30th Monte Carlo International Circus Festival in 2006. He received a standing ovation at the age of 75. The Russian clown performed and traveled the world up until his untimely death in 2016 at the age of 86.

This is one clown you don't want to run into in a pitch-black alley. Rob Zombie developed Captain Spaulding, a fictional clown who also happens to be a mass murderer. He appears in the Rob Zombie horror films House of 1000 Corpses, The Devil's Rejects, and 3 from Hell and is portrayed by the late, great Sid Haig. In the animated movie The Haunted World of El Superbeasto, Haig also provided the voice for Captain Spaulding. The persona is portrayed as a filthy, deadly clown.

Captain Spaulding is distinguished by his sour disposition and less-than-stunning clown makeup. He is a clown you don't want to bring over for a birthday party because he is also a murdering sociopath who lacks empathy.

In the movie House of 1000 Corpses, Spaulding plays the owner of a Texas petrol station that also serves fried chicken. The location also houses Captain Spaulding's Museum of Monsters and Madmen, a roadside haunted house attraction. The business is attacked by robbers at the start of the movie, who Spaulding shoots dead. Later in the movie, when four individuals learn about Dr. Satan's local lore while visiting his business, Spaulding points them in the direction of the homicidal Firefly family. The relationship between Spaulding and the Firefly family is left unclear for the majority of the movie.

Unsettling killer clowns are the subject of the classic 1980s horror film Killer Klowns From Outer Space. Pennywise joined a lengthy list of spooky clowns on the big screen when the first It movie debuted in 2017 (it had previously been produced as a 1990 TV miniseries). The violent aliens from Killer Klowns from Outer Space are notable among them. The Chiodo Brothers (Stephen, Charles, and Edward Chiodo), a group of American special effects artists, have only made one other full-length film. A bunch of aliens known as "Klowns" cause mayhem in the neighborhood in this horror comedy film.

Given Killer Klowns From Outer Space's budget, the film's use of actual performers alongside claymation and bizarre visual effects are quite astounding. The theme tune Killer Klowns, a surprise smash by the Dickies punk band, is also included. Although these clowns aren't particularly frightening, they nonetheless deserve a spot on this list because they make people laugh a lot.

If you've ever wondered where the clown vehicle came from, your search is over. This amusing machine was created by American clown Lou Jacobs, who was born in Germany. You may be aware that clowns often fit themselves into these little automobiles at the circus in order to get a few quick chuckles. Along with the clown automobile, Jacobs is credited with being the first to wear a bright red nose, which is now a necessary component of every clown outfit.

For more than 60 years, Jacobs performed for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Along with the tiny clown automobile, Jacobs' performance also included a one-man band in which he played various instruments by moving his limbs.

Jacobs appeared in The Greatest Show on Earth alongside Emmett Kelly. He was the first person to have their likeness appear on an American postage stamp and was elected into the International Clown Hall of Fame in 1989.

Because Terrifier broke the template in that genre, making a horror movie need not always involve a village. According to Variety, several moviegoers have reportedly passed out or puked during the film, and some have even been seen needing medical care outside the theaters. Art differs from other villains in that he doesn't have a backstory explaining why he wants to wreak havoc, making him such a terrifying horror movie clown. Again, it's creepy that Art stalks and kills everybody who gets in his way because there's really no good reason for it.

He initially gives off a semi-friendly impression before abruptly changing his entire approach. He also doesn't say a word the whole movie, which adds to his mystique and heightens the tension.

As Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton) goes on another bloody killing spree, the Terrifier sequel has received more positive reviews from critics and much more attention from horror fans. Despite Damien Leone's public declaration that he doesn't want viewers to pass out or suffer injuries while watching the film, we can't help but think that a small part of him enjoys the attention it has received.