JoBe Cerny Brings Pillsbury Doughboy to Life for Three Decades
The Cicero native, who also voiced the Cheer Detergent Silent Demonstrator, passed away on Oct. 30.
By Anthony Foster ·
JoBe Cerny, the voice actor behind the giggling Pillsbury Doughboy, died on Oct. 30. He was 78 years old.
Cerny was born and raised in Cicero, Illinois, where he later established his recording studio. He earned a bachelor’s degree in speech and drama from Valparaiso University and a master’s degree in theater from Northwestern University. His career began in the 1970s when he joined The Second City’s Mainstage and National Touring Company. For more than 30 years, he owned Cerny/American Creative Recording Studio in Chicago’s River North neighborhood, where he produced thousands of projects including commercials, audiobooks, and feature films.
He took over the Doughboy voice role in 2014, succeeding Paul Frees and Jeff Bergman. The character is now voiced by Rich Orlow. Cerny also provided the voice for the Silent Demonstrator in Cheer Detergent advertisements. His on-screen credits include small roles in films such as Road to Perdition, Legally Blonde 2, My Best Friend’s Wedding, and Somewhere in Time.
Reflecting on his long career, Cerny stated, “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.” He was also known for his hobbies, driving go-karts into his 60s and collecting model trains. Friends described him as having a friendly and gregarious personality, noting his ability to run into acquaintances almost everywhere he went.
Cerny is survived by his wife of 56 years, Eileen Cerny. He is also survived by two sons, Tim Cerny and Patrick Cerny, and two grandchildren, Archer and Cleo.
