Joe Cerny dies at 78

Voice actor behind the iconic Pillsbury Doughboy is no more

In 2014, Cerny took over the voice role of the Pillsbury Doughboy from Paul Frees and later Jeff Bergman. The character is currently voiced by Rich Orlow. His decades-long career included scores of roles in commercials, movies, television and theater. Of his career, Cerny once said, “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.”

Cerny also had small roles in films including Road to Perdition, Legally Blonde 2, My Best Friend’s Wedding and Somewhere in Time.

Cerny began his acting career after joining The Second City’s Mainstage and National Touring Company in the 1970s. He also ran Cerny/American Creative Recording Studio in Chicago’s River North neighbourhood for more than three decades, producing thousands of projects.