[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 12173]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  TRIBUTE TO THURL ARTHUR RAVENSCROFT

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. FRED UPTON

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 9, 2005

  Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, my colleague Mr. Schwarz of Michigan and I 
rise today to honor the life of Thurl Arthur Ravenscroft, the voice of 
Tony the Tiger, the orange-and-black-striped spokesman for Kellogg's 
Frosted Flakes. We would like to express our heartfelt condolences as 
all of us in Southern Michigan lost a friend and neighbor on May 22, 
2005.
  Thurl had a long, distinguished career, most notably as the voice of 
Tony the Tiger for over 53 years. However, his contributions to the 
entertainment industry didn't stop there. While a celebrity in his own 
right, he sang backup with other celebrities such as Bing Crosby, Elvis 
Presley, Frank Sinatra and Rosemary Clooney. Thurl also provided 
voiceovers for the Grinch in Dr. Seuss' ``How the Grinch Stole 
Christmas,'' ``The Cat in the Hat,'' in ``Horton Hears a Who,'' and 
``The Lorax.''
  With his contributions to Kellogg and Dr. Seuss novels, the world of 
Walt Disney wouldn't be the same without Thurl's voice. His vocal works 
played important roles in the themes of ``The Mickey Mouse Club,'' 
``Davy Crockett,'' and ``Zorro,'' while contributing to the making of 
``Cinderella,'' ``Dumbo,'' and ``Lady and the Tramp.'' Thurl's voice 
was also used in both song and narration for two of Walt Disney's most 
popular theme rides, ``Pirates of the Caribbean'' and ``The Haunted 
Mansion.''
  While most of his career was spent entertaining both the young and 
old, Thurl courageously served in the U.S. Military for 5 years. In 
1942, he enlisted in the Air Transport Command, where he flew numerous 
special missions over the North Atlantic as an expert navigator. In 
addition to his work outside the entertainment business, Thurl devoted 
time to activities in the Christian field that included recording the 
Book of Psalms for the visually impaired.
  All of us in Southern Michigan are deeply saddened with the passing 
of Thurl Ravenscroft and appreciate all of his service as an 
entertainer, soldier, and Christian. We will forever be able to enjoy 
his wonderful works whether we are watching great Kellogg commercials, 
a Disney movie, or attending an amusement park.
  Southern Michigan will not be the same without Thurl Ravenscroft. He 
was GRRRRREEEEAT!

                          ____________________