Voice of Tony the Tiger Dead -- Lee Marshall Dies at 64

There is nothing grrrrrrrreat about this news ... the guy who voiced Tony the Tiger has passed away.

Lee Marshall died of esophageal cancer on April 26 at the age of 64 at a hospital in Santa Monica, his son told the LA Times.

Marshall first got the Kellog's gig in 1999, filling in for the original Tony, Thurl Ravenscroft. He took over the gig full time in 2005 when Ravenscroft passed away at the age of 91.

Marshall got his first job in radio at the age of 14. He was said to have had such an unusually deep voice as a child, that he lied about his age in order to get work.

He also had several news radio gigs and worked as an announcer for professional wrestling.

Marshall is survived by his wife, son, stepdaughter and granddaughter.