"His work was legendary," said his publicist
Edward Lozzi. "What baby boomer doesn't know cuckoo for Cocoa
Puffs?"
The Brooklyn, New York, native died of congestive heart failure
at a Los Angeles hospital at age 83, Lozzi said.
Showbusiness was in his blood, Lozzi said. He practically grew
up in an orchestra pit where his father was a big band leader at
New York's Roxy Theatre. His grandfather also performed in
Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show.
Through his family, McCann was exposed to some of the best
comedians of the 1930s and 1940s and he would have his
classmates in stitches imitating them at school, Lozzi said.
He got his professional start in local radio and television
doing voices, puppetry work and standup comedy. McCann later
starred in scores of children's television programs such as
"Lunch with Soupy Sales" and "The Captain Kangaroo Show" and "Rootie
Kazootie," Lozzi said.
McCann later moved to Los Angeles and worked as a character
actor on shows including; "Little House on the Prairie",
"Bonanza", and "Columbo."
But he is best known for voicing the hungry bird Sonny for
General Mills cereal.
"We all grew up with him," Lozzi said. "He was a pioneer."
He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Fanning, and two
daughters.
(Reporting by Rich McKay and Kanishka Singh; Editing by Toby
Chopra)
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