JoBe Cerny, the voice actor best known as the voice of the Pillsbury Doughboy has died. He was 78.
Videos by Suggest
Cerny’s death was confirmed by his son, Tim Cerny, to TMZ. According to his son, JoBe Cerny died on Oct. 30 in Illinois.
Tim said that his father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2020 and it eventually led to his death. His diagnosis caused him to step away from his role as the iconic spokesperson.
While Cerny spent his career doing a lot of voice acting and other acting roles, he was most known for voicing Poppin’ Fresh, the tiny mascot for biscuits with the most iconic giggle.
“I’ve gone through phases over the years. Sometimes they get a new executive. One guy said, ‘You know, I’ve always hated the voice of the Doughboy. And that’s you. I’m gonna do everything I can to not let the Doughboy talk anymore,’” he said in a 2007 interview with Reader.
Over his five-decade career, he appeared in thousands of commercials. He wasn’t just the voice of Poppin’ Fresh — he was also the silent spokesperson for Cheer detergent.
Cerny also appeared in films including My Best Friend’s Wedding and Legally 2: Red, White & Blonde.
“I’m lucky, I get to be somebody different every day and in the end, I’m glad I stuck with my irresponsible decision to have fun. It allows me to live happily ever after… every day,” his obituary reads.
Outside of show business, Cerny’s family says he enjoyed racing go-karts and collecting model trains.