Donnie Dunagan

Donnie Dunagan
Pickwick Oct. 30, 2014
Born	Donald Roan Dunagan (1934-08-16) August 16, 1934 (age 82) San Antonio, Texas
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1938–1942
Military career
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Marine Corps
Years of service	1952–1977
Rank	Major
Battles/wars	Vietnam War

Donald "Donnie" Roan Dunagan (born August 16, 1934) is a retired American former child actor and United States Marine Corps drill instructor. He was a voice actor in the Bambi film, providing the voice of Young Bambi.

Dunagan was born in San Antonio, Texas, but his family soon moved to Memphis, Tennessee, where they struggled with poverty. There at the age of three-and-a-half he won a talent contest prize of $100. Spotted by a studio talent scout, the family moved to Hollywood, where Dunagan appeared in a series of films and soon became his family's main breadwinner. His career ended after he provided the voice for the young fawn in Walt Disney's Bambi.

By the age of 13, Dunagan was living in a boarding house and working as a lathe operator. In 1952, at the age of 18, he enlisted in the Marine Corps. He became the Marines' youngest-ever drill instructor and served three tours in Vietnam, where he was wounded several times, before finally retiring in 1977 with the rank of Major.

For his service he received a Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts. Dunagan kept his acting career a secret while serving in the Marines but in 2004 he was located and exhaustively interviewed by horror movie historian Tom Weaver in a special "Donnie Dunagan issue" of "Video Watchdog" magazine. Dunagan is retired and is currently living in San Angelo, Texas, with his wife.