Posted on Aug 12, 2023
For 25 years, this Marine kept a dark secret that involved a famous Disney cartoon
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Great story!
Long before he joined the Marines, he was a child actor and his starring role was as the voice of Disney’s famous fawn in “Bambi,” Dunagan explained in a 2015 interview with StoryCorps.
Dunagan’s brief stint as a child actor began when he was 3 years old when he was taught to tap dance by a neighbor and won $100 in a talent contest. From there, he caught the attention of a talent scout and he and his family moved from Memphis, Tennessee, to California. Dunagan went on to act in “Mother Carey’s Chickens,” and the “Son of Frankenstein,” before being cast as the voice of Bambi in Disney’s 1942 classic animation.
However, Dunagan’s time as an actor ended with the cartoon deer. For years, he kept it a closely guarded secret, especially when he received a draft notice in 1952. With the Korean War underway, Dunagan wanted to do his duty and so he enlisted in the Marines at 18, at which point he began to rise quickly through the ranks.
By the time Dunagan was a drill instructor, he had served three tours in Vietnam and was the recipient of three Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star. With a hard-earned reputation, the last thing he wanted was for his recruits, or fellow Marines, to start calling him Major Bambi, so he continued to keep it quiet.
Long before he joined the Marines, he was a child actor and his starring role was as the voice of Disney’s famous fawn in “Bambi,” Dunagan explained in a 2015 interview with StoryCorps.
Dunagan’s brief stint as a child actor began when he was 3 years old when he was taught to tap dance by a neighbor and won $100 in a talent contest. From there, he caught the attention of a talent scout and he and his family moved from Memphis, Tennessee, to California. Dunagan went on to act in “Mother Carey’s Chickens,” and the “Son of Frankenstein,” before being cast as the voice of Bambi in Disney’s 1942 classic animation.
However, Dunagan’s time as an actor ended with the cartoon deer. For years, he kept it a closely guarded secret, especially when he received a draft notice in 1952. With the Korean War underway, Dunagan wanted to do his duty and so he enlisted in the Marines at 18, at which point he began to rise quickly through the ranks.
By the time Dunagan was a drill instructor, he had served three tours in Vietnam and was the recipient of three Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star. With a hard-earned reputation, the last thing he wanted was for his recruits, or fellow Marines, to start calling him Major Bambi, so he continued to keep it quiet.
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Love it. Too bad he wasn't a pilot. Then he could have the greatest jet jockey name ever!
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