"GRRRRRRREEEEAT!" VOICE GONE FOREVER

Sad to read in USA Today that one of the most recognizable commercial voices in American television is now gone. Thurl Ravenscroft, who for over a half century provided the voice of Tony the Tiger touting Kellogg's Frosted Flakes, passed away over the weekend from prostate cancer at his home in Fullerton, California. He was 91 years young.

Ravenscroft's career dates back to the Golden Age of Radio, where he was a regular during the 1930s and by the latter part of that decade was singing backup for Bing Crosby. After military service during World War II he sang with the Mellomen, who performed with many of the top singers of the Big Band era such as Sinatra, Rosemary Clooney, and Danny Kaye as well as Elvis. His music career continued as late as the 1970s, when he performed with the Johnny Mann Singers.

He did his first Kellogg's commercial in 1952, where his line "They're GRRRRRRRREEEEAT!" became a staple for Frosted Flakes and is still used today.

Mr. Ravenscroft was also involved with Disney from the opening of Disneyland in 1955, when he was the announcer for many of the ceremonies. His voice is featured on a number of the rides throughout the park, as well as many of it's movies throughout four decades. It also is his voice that sings "You're A Mean One Mr. Grinch" from the Dr. Seuss animated feature How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and that led to his work in the other Seuss features Horton Hears a Who and The Cat in the Hat.

Here is his obit from the Orange County Register.