Donnie Dunagan, young Bambi’s voice and decorated marine, dies at 92

Donnie Dunagan, who voiced young Bambi in Disney’s 1942 animated film, has died aged 92. His work as a child actor later became an unexpected part of his life as a decorated Marine, and the film’s enduring appeal brought him lasting connections with audiences.

Dunagan was six when an assistant director asked him to imagine his mother had died for the scene in which Bambi learns his mother has been killed. Bambi was his final film; earlier roles included Son of Frankenstein, where he appeared opposite Basil Rathbone and Boris Karloff. He served in the military for 25 years from 1952, earning a Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts, but kept his acting past from fellow Marines.