In 1942 Ravenscroft left the group to enlist in the Air Transport Command, serving five years as a navigator. Upon returning to Hollywood in 1947 he attempted to rejoin the Sportsmen, but the wife of his replacement, Gurney Bell, threatened a lawsuit if Bell was dismissed from the lineup; when Smith left the group the following year, he and Ravenscroft simply formed a new combo, the Mellomen. As a member of the Mellomen and as a solo gun-for-hire, Ravenscroft backed many of the most successful artists of the 1950s, including Frank Sinatra, Doris Day, Peggy Lee, and Tennessee Ernie Ford; he is prominently featured on Rosemary Clooney's 1954 classic This Old House, cut a handful of duets with Roberta Lee and was spotlighted on the Spike Jones His City Slickers efforts Bottoms Up and Dinner Music for People Who Aren't Very Hungry.
The Mellomen also were at the heart of the famed Norman Luboff Choir, but the group was even more successful in their voice-over work for television, film, and commercials. For Disney, they recorded the themes for the TV hits #Davy Crockett, #Zorro, #The Mickey Mouse Club, and #The Wonderful World of Color in addition to appearing on literally hundreds of the studio's children's recordings. Beginning in 1952, Ravenscroft was the voice of Tony the Tiger, coining the character's trademark tag line, "They're gr-r-r-r-r-r-reat!" In 1963, the Mellomen appeared opposite Elvis Presley in #It Happened at the World's Fair, and three years later Ravenscroft was cast for the animated adaptation of the Dr. Seuss book -How the Grinch Stole Christmas, a project highlighted by his immortal vocal turn on the song You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch; he subsequently was cast in #Horton Hears a Who, #The Cat in the Hat, and #The Lorax.
Ravenscroft's career as a solo artist was far more limited -- in 1955, he cut his first solo single, Mad, Baby, Mad, followed a year later by Dr. Geek. In conjunction with the 1962 World's Fair in Seattle, he also released the single Big Paul Bunyan. The Thurl Ravenscroft Singers were credited for the LP 12 Great Hits, and in 1970 he issued perhaps his most successful solo recording, the Light Records release Great Hymns in Story and Song. Customcraft later released another Christian project, God's Plan for You. In later years Ravenscroft backed artists ranging from Jim Nabors to Arlo Guthrie and was an active member of the Johnny Mann Singers. He eased into retirement during the 1980s but continued serving as the voice of Tony the Tiger well into the 21st century. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi