Donnie Dunagan, the child actor who voiced the title character in Disney's 1942 animated film Bambi, has died of lung cancer, his agents confirmed. Dunagan died Nov. 4. He was 92.
Dunagan's brief acting career spanned just seven films over a few years but included two enduring roles. At age four, he made his film debut in 1938's Mother Carey's Chickens. In 1939, he starred in Son of Frankenstein alongside Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi, playing the son of Baron Wolf von Frankenstein. Walt Disney personally selected Dunagan to be the facial model for Bambi because of his brown eyes, having animators sketch his expressions before offering him the voice role. Dunagan later called the work the thrill of his young life.
After his acting career ended, Dunagan volunteered for the Marines in the early 1950s and served 21 years, including combat in the Korean and Vietnam wars. He earned a Bronze Star and Purple Heart and rose to the rank of major. He kept his Bambi role secret throughout his military service, fearing it would undermine his authority. He said in 2005 that if the troops he led had found out about Bambi, they would have ridden him out on a rail.
Disney tracked Dunagan down in the early 2000s for a DVD release of Bambi, returning him to public life. He became a Disney ambassador and appeared at fan conventions. His agents said Dunagan loved his fans, rallied other veterans, and had an infectious smile and warmth that never lost the childlike spirit of his acting youth.