Unbelievable pictures reveal the real people behind popular brand mascots - from KFC to Wendy's

You cognize nan logos - but did you cognize nan stories being immoderate of nan astir iconic animation faces of America's astir celebrated chains?

While they whitethorn beryllium successful nan onshore of takeaway, immoderate of nan astir recognizable logos successful nan world are based connected existent group - immoderate of whom are still live today.

Here, FEMAIL looks astatine each nan iconic - and recognizable - logos that you whitethorn spot connected a regular basis.

Wendy's 

You cognize nan accelerated nutrient chain's logo for nan agleam reddish hairsbreadth and cheeky grin - but did you cognize nan adorable animation woman is based connected a existent person? 

Fast nutrient concatenation Wendy's was founded by Dave Thomas successful Columbus, Ohio, successful 1969.

Their logo features an adorable red-headed girl, pinch a smattering of freckles and bluish bows successful nan hair.

The existent life Wendy, whose existent sanction is Melinda - pinch Wendy being her nickname, is nan girl of nan founder. 

At eight-years-old, Wendy was chosen by her begetter arsenic nan look of chain, posing successful a red-and-white dress to beryllium immortalized arsenic nan emblem of nan accelerated nutrient restaurant.

In a portion for People in 1990, Wendy recalled beating retired her 2 older sisters, Pam and Molly, and her brother, Kenny, for nan grant arsenic nan mascot.

In a 2019 blog post, Wendy said she still loves being nan look of nan celebrated accelerated nutrient concatenation - moreover aft each these years.

'I will ever emotion this brand, but not because my sanction is connected nan buildings,' Wendy wrote successful a station published to nan website.

'I emotion our products. I emotion our hamburgers. I conscionable emotion everything. Why wouldn't I? It's our business. Our family business.' 

KFC 

The iconic KFC logo was conceived successful 1952, utilizing a image connected Colonel Harland David Sanders - nan chain's founder.

Harland Sanders was calved successful 1890 and grew up connected a workplace successful Indiana, he started trading fried chickenhearted from his edifice successful 1930. 

As per Business Insider, Sanders received nan title of Colonel successful 1950 from Kentucky's politician and began dressing successful a achromatic suit and increasing a signature goatee, making him a perfect, recognizable mascot and logo. 

The existent iconic logo features a achromatic outline of nan Colonel, pinch his glasses on, a goatee, and a front tie, pinch reddish stipes connected either side. 

The celebrated edifice laminitis stayed arsenic nan look of nan accelerated nutrient concatenation moreover aft he sold nan institution successful 1964.

Little Debbie

Little Debbie, nan marque of mini snack cakes that originates from nan south, features a logo of an adorable small woman - who is based connected a existent person.

The creation shows a rosy-cheeked young woman pinch curly brownish hairsbreadth resting conscionable supra her shoulders complete pinch a straw chapeau and a light-blue colored dress.

The adorable animation is an almost identical to nan image of nan existent Debbie McKee-Fowler - who was 4 years aged erstwhile she was snapped.

The girl of nan brand's laminitis O.D. McKee and his wife, Ruth, who founded McKee Foods successful 1934.

Debbie McKee-Fowler is still successful nan business today, and presently holds nan position of Executive Vice President and serves connected nan McKee Foods Board of Directors. 

Ronald McDonald

He's nan astir recognizable comedian location is - and Ronald McDonald is based connected a existent person.

Although he whitethorn look excessively unrealistic to beryllium true, nan mascot was successful truth based connected a comedian from Washington, D.C.

According to nan Wall Street Journal, nan McDonald's mascot is based connected TV big Willard Scott. 

Scott, who was a tv presenter and broadcaster successful D.C, played a characteristic called Bozo nan Clown in 1959 to 1962.

McDonald's advertizing executives reached retired to Scott, who worked arsenic a comedian for respective years. 

But they ended up dumping him arsenic nan famed comedian successful 1966 erstwhile they decided to present different Ronald McDonald's and make nan comedian a nationalist fig - noting it would beryllium difficult to find group successful each marketplace pinch nan aforesaid large build.

Chef Boyardee 

Chef Boyardee is simply a beloved marque of Italian canned pasta products - and nan animation cook himself is based connected a existent person.

The logo features a smiling cook successful his whites pinch a siren-red scarf. A noticeable quality successful nan modern logo to nan existent cook is Chef Hector's acheronian moustache.

Hector Boiardee was an Italian cook calved successful 1897 successful Piacenza, Italy, and immigrated to New York City and started moving successful restaurants.

He yet made his measurement to caput cook astatine nan the celebrated Plaza Hotel, and later opened his ain restaurant, Il Giardino d'Italia, successful Cleveland successful 1924.

He launched nan Chef Boyardee Company pinch his brothers Mario and Paul, successful 1928.

They made nan determination to spell nan sanction phonetically truthful American's could pronounce it.

Sun-Maid 

Sun-Maid are known for their raisins and dried consequence - and their logo, featuring a smiling female successful a agleam reddish bonnet, is based connected a existent girl.

Lorraine Collett Petersen was 17 erstwhile she became immortalized successful nan logo, aft being asked to clasp a handbasket and airs for a watercolor coating successful 1910.

The Missouri autochthonal worked arsenic a seeder, packer, and promoter for a subsidiary of nan Sun-Maid institution successful Fresno, California, astatine nan time.