# Not so grrrrrrrrreat! Voice of Tony the Tiger has died
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-so-grrrrrrrrreat-voice-of-tony-the-tiger-has-died/305248
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [May 24, 2005, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-so-grrrrrrrrreat-voice-of-tony-the-tiger-has-died/305248 "2005-05-24T12:34:47Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2005, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-so-grrrrrrrrreat-voice-of-tony-the-tiger-has-died/305248/1 "2005-05-24T12:34:47Z")
[CNN story](http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/TV/05/24/ravenscroft.ap/index.html)
One of the, uh, greatest product icons ever.
> [@](#):
>
> “I’m the only man in the world that has made a career with one word: Grrrrreeeat!”
---
### Author:  [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2005, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-so-grrrrrrrrreat-voice-of-tony-the-tiger-has-died/305248/2 "2005-05-24T12:39:43Z")
Oh no!! He sang the “You’re a mean one, Mr. Grinch” song, too!!
---
### Author:  [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2005, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-so-grrrrrrrrreat-voice-of-tony-the-tiger-has-died/305248/3 "2005-05-24T12:46:33Z")
A great voice actor and an outstanding vocalist. G’bye, Thurl.
---
### Author:  [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2005, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-so-grrrrrrrrreat-voice-of-tony-the-tiger-has-died/305248/4 "2005-05-24T12:49:49Z")
The three words that best describe this news are as follows, and I quote: “Stink. Stank. Stunk.”
---
### Author:  [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2005, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-so-grrrrrrrrreat-voice-of-tony-the-tiger-has-died/305248/5 "2005-05-24T13:12:14Z")
Nobody will ever surpass his original recording of “You’re A Mean One Mr. Grinch.”
---
### Author:  [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2005, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-so-grrrrrrrrreat-voice-of-tony-the-tiger-has-died/305248/6 "2005-05-24T13:13:50Z")
Damn!
No offense and all, but I was under the impression he’d died _years_ ago.
---
### Author:  [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2005, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-so-grrrrrrrrreat-voice-of-tony-the-tiger-has-died/305248/7 "2005-05-24T13:17:04Z")
RIP Mr. Ravenscroft. A fabulous name and a fabulous voice.
---
### Author:  [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2005, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-so-grrrrrrrrreat-voice-of-tony-the-tiger-has-died/305248/8 "2005-05-24T13:17:28Z")
We’ve brought Thurl up in past threads – he did a lot of voices for Disney, including some still used at the Haunted Mansion. I believe he sang as part of the Mellotones. Although I haven’t found anything to substantiate it, I suspect he sings Shere Khan’s ending to “That’s what friends are for” in **The Jungle Book** (the part otherwise voiced by George Sanders). And I think he was the voice of Paul Bunyan in the Disnery cartoon.
Pretty distinctive voice.
---
### Author:  [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2005, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-so-grrrrrrrrreat-voice-of-tony-the-tiger-has-died/305248/9 "2005-05-24T13:31:06Z")
He also had the coolest name in show business.
☹ You were a great one, Mr. Grinch…
---
### Author:  [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2005, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-so-grrrrrrrrreat-voice-of-tony-the-tiger-has-died/305248/10 "2005-05-24T13:36:58Z")
And another Grim Grinning Ghost joins the chorus. But I bet he had fun down on Earth.
---
### Author:  [@GrizzRich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrizzRich)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2005, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-so-grrrrrrrrreat-voice-of-tony-the-tiger-has-died/305248/11 "2005-05-24T15:07:59Z")
His was a voice that I LOVED.
What I wouldn’t give to be able to BOOM like that.
---
### Author:  [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2005, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-so-grrrrrrrrreat-voice-of-tony-the-tiger-has-died/305248/12 "2005-05-24T15:15:19Z")
I wish he’d done some opera. What I wouldn’t have given to hear his Mephistopheles in Faust, or Commendatore in Don Giovanni…
RIP, Thurl.
---
### Author:  [@Susie\_Derkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susie_Derkins)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2005, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-so-grrrrrrrrreat-voice-of-tony-the-tiger-has-died/305248/13 "2005-05-24T15:38:06Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#):
>
> We’ve brought Thurl up in past threads – he did a lot of voices for Disney, including some still used at the Haunted Mansion. I believe he sang as part of the Mellotones. Although I haven’t found anything to substantiate it, I suspect he sings Shere Khan’s ending to “That’s what friends are for” in **The Jungle Book** (the part otherwise voiced by George Sanders). \
According to his [Disney Legends page](http://legends.disney.go.com/legends/detail?key=Thurl+Ravenscroft), he was indeed a member of the Mellomen and “lent his voice to…‘The Jungle Book’”.
The Legend’s page sums up his career nicely, I think.
---
### Author:  [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2005, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-so-grrrrrrrrreat-voice-of-tony-the-tiger-has-died/305248/14 "2005-05-24T18:24:13Z")
Thurl also sang a very deep, stern song called “No Dogs Allowed” in one of those early Peanuts feature-length animated films (perhaps _A Boy Named Charlie Brown_).
---
### Author:  [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2005, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-so-grrrrrrrrreat-voice-of-tony-the-tiger-has-died/305248/15 "2005-05-24T18:44:12Z")
> [@Big Bad Voodoo Lou](#):
>
> Thurl also sang a very deep, stern song called “No Dogs Allowed” in one of those early Peanuts feature-length animated films (perhaps _A Boy Named Charlie Brown_).
It was whichever the one was where Charlie Brown went to New York (?) for the big spelling bee (you know, the one where he misspelled “beagle”).
---
### Author:  [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2005, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-so-grrrrrrrrreat-voice-of-tony-the-tiger-has-died/305248/16 "2005-05-24T18:55:12Z")
Uh-oh.
Frank Gorshin, Henry Corden (Fred Flintstone), Howard Morris (Ernest T. Bass) form a complete a cartoon-voice actor death troika. With Thurl Ravenscroft, a new one has to be started.
So how is Paul Winchell doing these days?
---
### Author:  [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2005, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-so-grrrrrrrrreat-voice-of-tony-the-tiger-has-died/305248/17 "2005-05-24T19:24:22Z")
Regarding _Peanuts_ films: _Snoopy Come Home_ is the film which features the song “No Dogs Allowed” (composed by the great Richard and Robert Sherman, also frequent Disney contributors). The film **jayjay** is thinking of is _A Boy Named Charlie Brown_.
Nothing else to add except that Tony is probably one of the most well-known and best cereal mascots ever created. He’s…well, you know. Thurl’s deep voice was an important part of the character, and hopefully a good replacement can be found.
“There’s kind of a weight shift. Grrrr…and then ea…t.”
---
### Author:  [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2005, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-so-grrrrrrrrreat-voice-of-tony-the-tiger-has-died/305248/18 "2005-05-24T19:26:18Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#):
>
> We’ve brought Thurl up in past threads – he did a lot of voices for Disney, including some still used at the Haunted Mansion. I believe he sang as part of the Mellotones. Although I haven’t found anything to substantiate it, I suspect he sings Shere Khan’s ending to “That’s what friends are for” in **The Jungle Book** (the part otherwise voiced by George Sanders). And I think he was the voice of Paul Bunyan in the Disnery cartoon.
> Pretty distinctive voice.
[Nerdy Disney Nitpick]
It was the Mellomen.
[/Nerdy Disney Nitpick]
RIP Thurl, you will be missed.
---
### Author:  [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2005, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-so-grrrrrrrrreat-voice-of-tony-the-tiger-has-died/305248/19 "2005-05-24T19:28:21Z")
**MEMORANDUM**
**TO:** Robert Shaw, Conductor of the CelestialChoir
**FROM:** Saint Peter, The Gatekeeper
\*\*RE: \*\* Thurl Ravenscroft
* * *
Okay Bob, you win. It isn’t often that the Big Guy gives in like this, but He really, _really_ doesn’t want you to resign. Upon reflection, The Almighty has seen fit to grant your request and has called Thurl Ravenscroft home. The Mellowman should be reporting to your office shortly.
Oh, and Bob? Just one other thing. I know it’s kind of unusual, but this is also coming from You-Know-Who. Please be sure to include a performance of _You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch_ in next Sunday’s Celestial Choir concert. And make sure nobody books the BIG CHAIR, because HE will be in attendance. Thanks, and _pax tecum_, maestro.
---
### Author:  [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2005, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-so-grrrrrrrrreat-voice-of-tony-the-tiger-has-died/305248/20 "2005-05-24T20:03:57Z")
Ah, DAMN!
One of my favorite voices ever. He did so much, too.
[Someone has found a good portion of the stuff he did, for those interested.](http://members.aol.com/allthurl/thurl2.htm)
Per his role as Tony: I read a year or two ago that Kellogg’s has had five backups all this time, with one heir apparent.
He did so many good things. I’ll miss him. May he rest in peace.
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-so-grrrrrrrrreat-voice-of-tony-the-tiger-has-died/305248.md?page=2)