Remember Marine Sergeant Don Dunagan, who busted your chops way back in the 1950's? That hard-as-nails drill sergeant concealed a secret that could have ruined his career: as a child actor, he voiced the title role in Disney's classic Bambi.
"If I had picked up the nickname "Bambi" I would have been history," he explained why he hid that animated skeleton in his closet, not even telling close friends about his past. But for Bambi's Blu-Ray debut on March 1st, Donnie Dunagan broke his silence and discussed his memories of making the film.
Suite 101: How did you get cast in Bambi? What did you do before that role?
Donnie Dunagan: "You know? No one in my many interviews has asked that question. Mr. Disney called my mother in Westwood, California, near UCLA, and told her he would like me to come to the studio and talk about being the facial model for an animated movie about a little deer. My mother was thrilled. Then the two of us laughed about how I would try to look like a deer. We teased each other about maybe having to put on deer skin and move around on all fours.
"I had been acting since I was 4 years old: Mother Carey's Chickens, as Peter in 1938; Son of Frankenstein, playing another Peter; Peter von Frankenstein in 1939 (released in early '40); Fixer Dugan, Forgotten Women, Tower of London as Prince Richard, all in 1939. In 1940, there was Vigil in the Night, Meet the Chump in 1941, and Bambi in 1942. Thanks for the wise question."
S101: Why do you think Disney cast you?
Dunagan: "I was told specifically that it was my eyes and expressions, and of course a great deal of luck. Mr. Disney had seen me in other films and still photos and wanted to use my eyes and facial expressions to help draw animations on little Bambi."
S101: How long did it take to do the voice recording?
Dunagan: "I am not too certain. My Mother drove me there at least four times through slow L.A. city traffic. We would be at the studio for no more than two hours each recording session."
S101: Who did you work with when you were recording your lines?
Dunagan: "That is a bright question that I wish I could answer very specifically. As a candid man, let me share this: a very nice man who was gracious to my mother and me talked me through some of the words and script. But I had no clue of the story line; had never seen a deer.
"At age 6, I was not jaded nor rude to anyone, but he and my mother could tell that I was bothered by some of those unknowns, in my first voice-over. A wonderful lady took me and Cammie King Conlon (who voiced Young Faline) to a small room and coached us on the storyline, using a book and some drawings. My mother took me to a zoo; I think the L.A. Zoo. I saw one deer. He looked dull and lazy. My mother – I remember this well – said, 'Do not say anything about a lazy deer at the studio.' She was a wise lady."
S101: How much interaction did you have with the other voice actors?
Dunagan: "None, to be honest. I met a young girl, Cammie King Conlon, one day when the story-line was being explained to me by someone from the production team, and only then did I realize that she was playing the cute female deer. I never met Peter Behn, the voice of Thumper."
S101: How much did you deal with Walt Disney and the Disney animators?
Donnie Dunagan: "I saw Walt Disney many times. He talked with me on several occasions I can remember. He was a leader; all over the place, helping, coaching, laughing, and even a kid like me then could sense that he was keenly respected by the air and production people. That was not always the case in other studios when the "Boss" came around. Mr Disney was a class by himself.
"While I was working on my previous movies, I came to understand the differences in crew and actors, responding to the Boss coming around. Many were clearly in fear of the Boss coming in and work being done. This was not so with Mr. Disney. You could see the positive reactions, all the time - of workers, the 'drawing men,' all would say 'Here he comes, ask Walt, he is coming...he will know what to do, Walt is here, show him that....' Etc. That is what real leaders do. He built a major company during a grim economic time in America, and the people at Disney were his family."
S101: Did you work with Milt Kahl who designed Bambi? How was he as a person?
Donnie Dunagan: "Boy, would I love to share with you some memory of Milt Kahl. What an honor that would be. Sorry. I do not recall any action with him.
"While Mr. Disney was a joy to be around, my sense was that the studio hadn't had a lot of children on lot doing voice work. All the animators were wonderful, except for one man who I called 'Grump.' I shot him with a water gun one day and got in a bit of trouble. Mr. Disney confiscated my water gun that I was given on the set of Son of Frankenstein at Christmas, 1939 and I would like to have that back."
S101: Of what scene in Bambi do you have the best memories of recording?
Dunagan: "When Thumper was teaching me a word during our speech lesson like "Flower," or “Bird", I started laughing so hard during rehearsals for that scene, which slowed things down."
(In Part #2 of this interview, Donnie Dunagan talks more about his experiences working on Bambi.)
Dominic von Riedemann - Dominic is the Animated Film Feature Writer, and winner of 11 Suite 101 Editors' Choice Awards.
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