Jobe Cerny, Beloved Pillsbury Doughboy Voice, Dies at 78
WHO:
The Hollywood Reporter - Cerny’s parents, Joe and Bea, combined their names to create his first name.
The Hollywood Reporter - Cerny is survived by his wife of 56 years, Eileen; sons Tim and Patrick; daughters-in-law Andrea and Lily; and grandchildren Archer and Cleo.
Variety - JoBe Cerny voiced the Pillsbury Doughboy and was 78.
TMZ - Cerny’s son, Tim Cerny, spoke to TMZ about his father.
Reddit Movies - The post title also identifies Cerny as an actor in *Road to Perdition* and *Legally Blonde 2*.
WHAT:
The Hollywood Reporter - Cerny owned and operated Cerny/American Creative Recording Studio for more than 30 years; it completed thousands of projects, including commercials, feature films and audiobooks.
The Hollywood Reporter - He directed *The Word of Promise*, a 98-hour dramatized audio production of the New King James Version of the Bible featuring more than 500 actors.
The Hollywood Reporter - He adapted episodes of *The Twilight Zone* into radio programs and wrote new installments for a podcast series.
The Hollywood Reporter - He joined The Second City in the 1970s, performing improv on its Chicago mainstage and national touring company.
The Hollywood Reporter - Cerny also appeared in *Somewhere in Time*, *My Best Friend’s Wedding*, *Rent-a-Cop*, *Mo’ Money*, *Love and Action in Chicago*, *Novocaine* and *Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde*, and on *Lady Blue*, *Early Edition* and *Chicago Hope*.
The Hollywood Reporter - He voiced the Pillsbury Doughboy after Paul Frees and Jeff Bergman, continuing in the role until about 2020.
The Hollywood Reporter - Cerny portrayed “The Cheer Man” in Cheer detergent commercials, appeared as bugs in Raid commercials and voiced a Scrubbing Bubble in Dow Bathroom Cleaner commercials.
The Hollywood Reporter - He wrote the weekly *Screen Magazine* column “ADventures in Advertising,” drove go-karts into his 60s and collected model trains.
Variety - Cerny, who voiced the giggling Pillsbury Doughboy in recent years, died at 78.
TMZ - Cerny, described as the voice actor who brought the Pillsbury Doughboy to life, died after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s disease.
Reddit Movies - The post reported Cerny’s death at 78.
WHERE:
The Hollywood Reporter - Cerny lived in Grayslake, Illinois; his recording studio was in Chicago’s River North neighborhood.
The Hollywood Reporter - He graduated from Morton East High School in Cicero.
Variety - Cerny was born and raised in Cicero, Illinois.
Variety - He earned a bachelor’s degree in speech and drama from Valparaiso University and a master’s degree in theater from Northwestern University.
WHEN:
Variety - Cerny died on Oct. 30.
WHY:
TMZ - Cerny’s death followed a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s disease.
HOW:
The Hollywood Reporter - Cerny said he had planned to enter the seminary before pursuing his studies in speech and drama.
The Hollywood Reporter - In a 2007 interview, Cerny recalled an executive’s attempt to stop the Doughboy from speaking, then said he later voiced the character twice as much after the executive was fired and a floor of staff members were let go.
The Hollywood Reporter - Cerny 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,” adding, “It allows me to live happily ever after … every day.”
Variety - Cerny used the skills he learned through his studies to cultivate his career; the article excerpt does not provide further detail.
(UPDATED November 11, 2026 07:01 UTC)
JoBe Cerny, the beloved voice of the Pillsbury Doughboy, has died at 78. He also acted, directed audio productions and ran a Chicago recording studio. Cerny is survived by his wife, children and grandchildren after Alzheimer’s disease.
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(UPDATED November 11, 2026 06:00 UTC)
JoBe Cerny, the giggling voice of the Pillsbury Doughboy, has died at 78. His son said Cerny died after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Born and raised in Cicero, Illinois, Cerny also acted in “Road to Perdition” and “Legally Blonde 2.”