Donnie Dunagan, who voiced Bambi in the Disney animated film, dies — Rolling Stone

Actor Donnie Dunagan, who voiced the main character in Disney’s 1942 animated film “Bambi” as a child, has died. He was 92. As Rolling Stone reports, Dunagan’s agents confirmed that he died of lung cancer on November 4.

The voice and model for Bambi

Dunagan’s film career lasted only a few years and included seven films. In 1939, he played Peter, the son of Baron Wolf von Frankenstein, in the horror film “Son of Frankenstein.” He worked on the film alongside Basil Rathbone, Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi.

Dunagan’s best-known work was “Bambi.” Walt Disney personally selected him as a model for the animators because of his brown eyes. While working on the animated film, the boy posed to show different emotions and later also voiced Bambi. Dunagan called his participation in the film “the greatest thrill of my childhood.”

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Service in the Marine Corps

After ending his acting career, Dunagan attended school, worked odd jobs, boxed and played American football. He received a football scholarship to the University of Alabama and volunteered to join the U.S. Marine Corps in the early 1950s.

Dunagan served in the military for 21 years, took part in the Korean and Vietnam wars, received the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart, and rose to the rank of major. During his service, he concealed his involvement in “Bambi” from his colleagues. After retiring, Dunagan did not appear in public for a long time, but in the early 2000s Disney invited him to take part in the animated film’s DVD release. He later served as a company ambassador and attended fan gatherings.