Thurl Arthur Ravenscroft (February 6, 1914 - May 22, 2005) was an American voice actor and singer with a deep, booming voice. For 53 years, he was best-known as the voice of Tony the Tiger in more than 500 television commercials for Kellogg's Frosted Flakes (also known as "Frosties"). After his death, Lee Marshall replaced him as the voice of Tony the Tiger in the Kellogg's commercials.
Ravenscroft was the vocalist of the song "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" in the Christmas television special based on the Dr. Seuss classic How the Grinch Stole Christmas!. His name was accidentally left off of the credits, however, leading many to believe (erroneously) that the cartoon's narrator, Boris Karloff, sang the song. Ravenscroft also sang No Dogs Allowed in the Peanuts animated motion picture Snoopy, Come Home.
Born in 1914, raised in Norfolk, Nebraska, Ravenscroft served as a navigator in the WWII Air Transport Command before settling in Hollywood. An accomplished singer, he has 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 mellifluous voiceovers, and he has "Tony the Tiger" in both English and Spanish. In 1996, he and his wife June were retired in southern California, although he still does occasional work as "Tony."
