Actor and singer Thurl Ravenscroft was born on this day in 1914 (he died in 2005.) What, you never heard of him?
How 'bout this guy?
Yes, that's Ravenscroft's voice coming out of Tony's mouth. As for his vocals being "augmented", well, watch, and especially listen to, him in 1980s interview:
I sense not all that augmentation was needed.
One notable credit was oddly missing in that interview (perhaps because for years it went, again oddly, uncredited), so I'll include it here. First, some background:
You see, when Chuck Jones (right) set out to turn a book by Dr. Suess (left) into a TV Christmas special, he wasn't content merely to have top-notch animation. He wanted it to be musically top-notch too, and so to that end hired Thurl to sing this now iconic song:
Sounds like he's describing an ICE agent.
I had fully forgotten about Tony the Tiger for what was called here, Frosties. Memories are mixed up with a petrol company advertisements, Put a Tiger in Your Tank. Yes, the connection to ICE is apparent.
ReplyDeleteAndrew, I vaguely remember that slogan. I looked it up and it's Esso (Exxon.) Two different tigers, but who knows, maybe one a copywriter was influenced by another.
DeleteThat voice! I had no idea he also sang the Grinch song. Of course!
ReplyDeleteMitchell, I recall first reading about him doing both Tony and the Grinch song in Ravenscroft's own obituary.
DeleteCan't say I've heard of him Kirk, Chuck Jones on the other hand yes.
ReplyDeleteVery few people have heard of him, Ananka. That's why he's "Under the Radar."
DeleteNot nearly as despicable as an ICE agent. Thank goodness in my country ice still means ice.
ReplyDeleteI wish it still meant that in my country, David.
DeleteI always assumed it was Boris Karloff who sang the Grinch song since he voiced the cartoon, but now I know better. I guess that's why Thurl Ravenscroft's singing was uncredited in the cartoon (according to Wikipedia)? Karloff must have been a bad singer!
ReplyDeleteI imagine Karloff just wasn't a singer, Debra. He didn't even sing "Monster Mash", though it SOUNDS like he did.
DeleteHello Kirk, I used to collect records (all in storage here and there in Cleveland) and Ravenscroft used to record the old basso-profundo songs. Here is Asleep in the Deep I found on Youtube:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW19OY7Dl1o&pp=ygUkdGh1cmwgcmF2ZW5zY3JvZnQgYXNsZWVwIGluIHRoZSBkZWVw
--Jim
I listened to the link, Jim. Deep is right!
DeleteGreat post, Kirk. I remember Tony the Tiger 🐅 and the Frosted Flakes TV ads.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing these memories ❤️
Linda, even if you don't know Thurl, everyone knows Tony!
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