Thurl Ravenscroft (February 6, 1914 – May 22, 2005) was an American voice actor and singer who is best known for voicing Tony the Tiger in the Kellogg's Frosted Flakes television commercials for more than five decades. Outside of Tony the Tiger in the Kellogg's Frosted Flakes television commercials, he did the voice of Eeyore in the Disneyland Records.
Biography[]
Thurl Ravenscroft was born in Norfolk, Nebraska. He served as a navigator in the WWII Air Transport Command before settling in Hollywood.
As an accomplished singer, he performed with The Sportsmen, The Mellomen, The Johnny Mann Singers, and many major stars, including Jim Nabors and Elvis Presley. He is best known, however, for his booming bass voice and mellifluous voiceovers, particularly as the voice of Tony the Tiger in both English and Spanish commercials for Kellogg's Frosted Flakes cereal from 1953 to 2004. He also sang "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" in the 1966 Chuck Jones Dr. Seuss holiday special How the Grinch Stole Christmas. In 1996, he and his wife June retired in Southern California, although he still did occasional voice-over work as Tony the Tiger until his death.
His voice can be heard in several Disney theme park attractions, including The Haunted Mansion (as the lead singing bust), Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room (as Fritz, Tangaroa and some of the Tiki Masks), Country Bear Jamboree (as Buff), Pirates of the Caribbean (as several singing pirates), and as a former narrator on the Disneyland Railroad. He also voiced the herald declaring Sleeping Beauty Castle open during Disneyland's opening day.
In 1995, he was honored as a Disney Legend.
He died in his home in Fullerton, California on May 22, 2005 due to prostate cancer aged 91.
Portrayals[]
- Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree (1966) - Bass Vocals
- Winnie the Pooh and Tigger (1968) - Eeyore
- Winnie the Pooh and the North Pole Expotition (1968) - Eeyore (1968 album), Mr. Narrator (1974 story tape)
- Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day (1968) - Black Honeypot (member of The Mellomen)
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977) - Bass Vocals, Black Honeypot