Donnie Dunagan

Donnie Dunagan
Dunagan in 2014
Born	Donald Roan Dunagan (1934-08-16) August 16, 1934 (age 90) San Antonio, Texas, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1938–1945 (as an actor)
Known for	Original voice of Young Bambi in Walt Disney's Bambi
Military career
Allegiance	United States
Service / branch	United States Marine Corps
Years of service	1952–1977
Rank	Major
Battles / wars	Korean War Vietnam War
Awards	Bronze Star Purple Heart

Donald Roan Dunagan (born August 16, 1934) is an American former child actor and retired U.S. Marine Corps major. He is best known for portraying the young son of Baron Frankenstein in Son of Frankenstein and for providing the voice of young Bambi in Bambi (1942). As of 2025, he, Peter Behn (the voice of young Thumper) and Stan Alexander (the voice of young Flower) are the last three surviving cast members of the film.

Biography

Dunagan was born in San Antonio, Texas, but his family soon moved to Memphis, Tennessee, where they struggled with poverty. ^[1] There, when he was at the age of three-and-a-half, he won a talent contest prize of $100. Spotted by a studio talent scout, the family moved to Hollywood, where Dunagan appeared in a series of films ^[2] and soon became his family's main breadwinner. After he provided the voice for the titular character in Walt Disney's Bambi (1942), he retired from voice acting. ^[3]

By the age of 13, Dunagan lived in a boarding house and worked as a lathe operator. In 1952, at the age of 18, he enlisted in the Marine Corps. ^[4] He became the youngest drill instructor in the history of the Corps ^{[5] [ dubious – discuss ][ additional citation(s) needed ]} and served three tours in Vietnam, where he was wounded several times, before finally retiring with the rank of major in 1977. ^[5]

For Dunagan's service he received a Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts. ^[6] Dunagan kept his acting career a secret while serving in the Marines, but was eventually found out shortly before his retirement. ^[7] In 2004, he was located and exhaustively interviewed by horror film historian Tom Weaver in a special "Donnie Dunagan issue" of Video Watchdog magazine.

Dunagan is retired and (as of 2018) resides in San Angelo, Texas, with his wife, Dana. ^[8]

Filmography

• Mother Carey's Chickens (1938) as Peter Carey (film debut)
• Son of Frankenstein (1939) as Peter von Frankenstein
• The Forgotten Woman (1939) as Terry Kennedy Jr.
• Tower of London (1939) as Baby Prince
• Vigil in the Night (1940) as Tommy (uncredited)
• Meet the Chump (1941) as Little Boy (uncredited)
• Bambi (1942) as Young Bambi (voice, final film role)

Awards and decorations

1st Row	Bronze Star Medal						Purple Heart w/ 2 award stars
2nd Row	Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal w/ Combat V				Army Commendation Medal				Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal w/ 1 award star
3rd Row	Combat Action Ribbon				Navy Presidential Unit Citation w/ 1 service star				Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
4th Row	Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal w/ 3 service stars				National Defense Service Medal w/ 1 service star				Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
5th Row	Vietnam Service Medal w/ 3 service stars				Vietnam Gallantry Cross unit citation				Vietnam Campaign Medal
Badges	Rifle Expert Badge						Pistol Expert Badge

References

1. "A Discussion With Donnie Dunagun: The Voice Of Bambi". MouseInfo.com. Archived from the original on July 14, 2011. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
2. Murray, Angus Wolfe (2011). "A profile of Donnie Dunagan, The Voice of Bambi". iofilm.co.uk. Retrieved February 27, 2011.
3. NPR Staff (July 31, 2015). "Major Bambi: Meet The Marine Who Was Disney's Famous Fawn". NPR .
4. Brooks, Xan (February 16, 2005). "How Bambi fought the Viet Cong". The Guardian . London: GMG. ISSN   0261-3077. OCLC   60623878 . Retrieved February 27, 2011.
5. Westbrook, Bruce (March 7, 2005). "Marine reflects on being the voice of Bambi". Houston Chronicle . Retrieved 9 April 2012.
6. "Retired Marine honored during classic movie screening".
7. "Maj. Bambi: Meet the Marine Who Was Disney's Famous Fawn". NPR.
8. "Voice of Bambi, Donnie Dunagan, supports Goodfellow". 16 November 2018.

External links

• Biography portal

• Donnie Dunagan at IMDb