Original voice of Bambi Donnie Dunagan dies aged 92

American actor Donnie Dunagan, best known for voicing Bambi in Disney's 1942 animated classic, has died at the age of 92 following a battle with lung cancer.

The news of his death was confirmed by his representatives, Kris Jones and Nery Lemus, who paid tribute to his acting career and his service in the US military, CE Report quotes Kosova Press.

"We were proud to represent a Marine who was loved by fans around the world for his roles in Bambi and Son of Frankenstein," they said.

Dunagan was born on August 16, 1934, and entered the film industry as a child after being discovered by a talent scout at a dance competition.

He made his film debut in Mother Carey's Chickens in 1938, before starring alongside Boris Karloff in Son of Frankenstein (1939).

His film career also included Tower of London (1939), Vigil in the Night (1940) and Meet the Chump (1941).

In 1942, he voiced the young deer Bambi, a role that became one of the most recognisable performances of his career.

Following the film, Dunagan stepped away from acting and joined the United States Marine Corps in 1952.

During his military career, he served three tours in Vietnam and received the Bronze Star and three Purple Heart medals. He retired from military service in 1977 with the rank of major.

In a 2015 interview, Dunagan revealed that he had kept his acting career a secret from his military colleagues for many years because he did not want to be nicknamed "Major Bambi".

Despite his long military career, he remained internationally recognised as the voice of Disney's beloved character.

Photo: Chat GPT