Donnie Dunagan is a decorated retired Marine. By the time he ended his 25-year long career in 1977, he held the rank of Major. During his service Dunagan was promoted 13 times, did three tours of Vietnam, received there Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star, and was once the youngest drill sergeant in the Marines' history.
However, while serving Donnie was always terrified that someone might find out his secret: as a child he was a successful actor appearing in seven films. Most notably, in 1942, Donnie voiced the title character of Disney's classic and iconic film Bambi.
It's hard to believe anyone would keep something so amazing a secret but it wouldn't be the first time; Sir Nicholas Winton saved 669 children during the Holocaust and never told anyone about it.
Donnie never told anyone his secret, not even his wife who had to find out on her own! I don't think there is a single family in America who hasn't watched Bambi together at one point or another — knowing that a veteran was a part of it makes that all the more sweet.
See Donnie's amazing "secret history" below!
h/t: Cody Rodriguez/KHOU
Donnie Dunagan is a decorated retired marine. Throughout his 25 years in the Marine Corps, he made many notable achievements, including earning three Purple Hearts and working in counterintelligence during the Cold War.
Yet, Dunagan kept one secret from his fellow marines, and even his wife.
Donnie feared that if his comrades found out his secret they would respect him less. Little did he know, his boss already knew…
One day, his General asked him to audit the auditors.
General, when do you think I’m going to have time to do that?” Donnie replied.
“You will audit the auditors. Won’t you, Major Bambi?” The General said. His secret was out.
That's right, when Dunagan was a kid he voiced the title character of the classic Disney film Bambi. Dunagan was selected by Walt Disney himself. At the time it was only the studio's fifth film yet.
"I was born in Texas, but we had moved to Memphis, TN, after the Depression. A man would dance on the corner down the street from our little two-room flat. He could dance like you would not believe. One day my mom took me down there and I started imitating him," he tells KHOU.
"We became a duet, and soon after there was a major talent show in Memphis. I won the darn thing. Someone in the audience got in touch with my parents asking if I could go to Hollywood to audition for a couple roles — they needed a runt kid like me."
Dunagan would go onto play Peter in Son Of Frankenstein, and was later cast as the voice of Bambi.
"Walt Disney was a wonderful guy. I remember he was very concerned about forest fires and wanted to give the forestry department an icon for billboards to raise awareness. He offered the image of Bambi, and took me to the meeting in Los Angeles. 'Look at this face,' he said. 'This is the face of Bambi.'"
Soon after he would quit acting, by the time he 13 he been orphaned and was living in a boarding house. Then in 1952 he enlisted in the Marine Corps.
In 1977, when Disney planned on re-releasing the film, they were planning to do so with credits. That meant his name would appear on screen.
“If they put credits on that thing and they show it at the base theater or anywhere and one of the drill instructors or Captain that reports to me or recruits, ‘Dear mom guess what. My commanding officer is Major Bambi!’ I pushed my chicken button and said I’m not saying anything to anyone.”
His General may have found him out but even after that, he never told anyone.
Years later, after he had already married her, his wife was looking through some old boxes. She found tons of clippings of old photos from Donnie's acting days.
His secret was out again!
Donnie said in retrospect he probably would have chosen to tell people instead of letting them find out on his own.
“Maybe I should have told people earlier myself instead of someone discovering it. More children would have had fun with it. More grandmothers would have come up and given me hugs," he joked. "My wife thinks I’m flirting sometimes… I’m not I get more hugs because of Bambi than anything on this earth!”
Watch this American hero talk about how he was serving our nation's children long before he was serving our country in the video below!
Well, isn't that one life well-lived?!
Please SHARE to thank Donnie Dunagan for his amazing service on and off screen!
