Adapted from a German novel from 1923, Bambi was a particularly difficult passion project for Disney that took 5 years to make. For one, the original Felix Salten novel, Bambi, a Life in the Woods wasn’t exactly a light-hearted kids’ book. In fact, it’s actually quite the opposite. Then there was the challenge of animating deer realistically. Not to mention, the other projects Disney was working on at the time so the production was put on hold until 1939. Yet as soon as work began in earnest, the Disney animators not only visited the Los Angeles Zoo, but the studio also set up a small zoo with animals like rabbits, ducks, owls, skunks and a pair of fawns they named Bambi and Faline. All so the animators can see how these animals moved firsthand. Although they used actress Jane Randolph and Ice Capades skater Donna Atwood as live-action reference models for Bambi and Thumper in the icy pond scene. The animators learned a lot about animals during Bambi’s production, giving them a broad spectrum of animation styles to use in future projects. And due to rising production costs amid financial difficulties, Disney had to cut 12 minutes of the film from the final animation. For a project of such ambition from Disney and a film of such beauty and artistry, you’d think Bambi would be a major hit. But due to World War II that closed off much of the European market, Bambi was a box office failure upon its 1942 release. Not only that, but it opened to mixed reviews from critics mainly due to lack of fantasy elements and objection towards a dramatic story about animals struggling to survive the woods and avoid the human threat. The New York Times claimed that, “In the search for perfection, Mr. Disney has come perilously close to tossing away his whole world of cartoon fantasy.” The New Republic’s Manny Farber wrote that “Bambi is interesting because it’s the first one that’s been entirely unpleasant…Mickey wouldn’t be caught dead in this.” Adding that “In an attempt to ape the trumped-up realism of flesh and blood movies, he has given up fantasy, which was pretty much the magic element.” Even Walt Disney’s own daughter Diane wasn’t too happy about the movie, complaining that Bambi’s mom didn’t need to die. Although Walt claimed that he was only following the book, Diane stuck to her guns saying that he had taken other liberties before and that Walt Disney could do whatever he wanted. Still, no matter how you look at it, it seems that the world wasn’t really ready for Bambi. Today, Bambi is seen as a masterpiece. In this post, we’ll meet two more of the actors behind two of the Dumbo crows, sound guy Jimmy MacDonald and actors J. Pat O’Malley and Billy Bletcher, as well as the voices behind Bambi, Faline, Young Adult Thumper, Mr. Mole, and Friend Owl.

21. James Baskett

Dates: 1904-1948

Early Life and Career: Born James Franklin Baskett in Indianapolis, Indiana. Father owned a barber shop. Studied pharmacology as a young man but gave it up to pursue acting. Moved to New York City where he joined Bill “Bojangles” Robinson. Appeared with Louis Armstrong on Broadway in the 1929 black musical revue Hot Chocolates and in several all-black New York films. Later he moved to Hollywood where he mostly found himself in supporting roles and bit parts. In 1945, he auditioned for a bit part as one of the animals in Song of the South. However, Walt Disney was impressed with Baskett’s talent and hired him on the spot to play Uncle Remus. This was one of the first Hollywood portrayals of a black actor as a non-comic character in a leading role in a film meant for general audiences.

Movies and Cartoons: Dumbo (1941) and Song of the South (1946)

Characters: Fats Crow, Brer Fox, Brer Rabbit in one sequence, and Uncle Remus

Also Known For: Was an actor who often played African American stereotypes because racism and mainly because they were mostly the only roles they could find. Played Gabby Gibson in the Amos n’ Andy radio show from 1944 to 1948. Anyway, his role as Uncle Remus was an acting gig of a lifetime.

Personal Life: Had a wife named Margaret to whom he was married to until his death.

Later Life: Couldn’t attend the Song of the South’s premiere in Atlanta due to racial segregation. Although his role in that film attracted controversy due to it portraying a racial stereotype, his acting was almost universally praised. Was in poor health during filming Song of the South due to suffering from diabetes. Had a heart attack shortly after the premiere and his health continued to decline that he was often absent from Amos an’ Andy during its 1947-1948 season. Died of a heart failure caused by diabetes at his Los Angeles home at 44. Was survived by his wife and his mother Elizabeth. Buried at Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Trivia: Was awarded an Honorary Academy Award for his performance as Uncle Remus in 1948. Was the last adult actor to receive an honorary Oscar for a single performance.

22. Nick Stewart

Dates: 1910-2000

Early Life and Career: Born Horace Winifred Stewart in Harlem, New York City as the son of immigrants from Barbados. He began his show business career as a dancer at both the Cotton Club and the Hoofers Club. Later graduated onto Broadway shows, radio programs, film, and television.

Movies and Cartoons: Dumbo (1941) and Song of the South (1946). Also did the voice of Brer Bear for the Splash Mountain ride at Disneyland and Disney World.

Characters: Specks Crow and Brer Bear

Also Known For: Best known as “Lightnin’” Willie Jefferson from the radio show Amos n’ Andy. On Broadway, he created a character named “Nicodemus” and playing that role in various productions. Appeared in the 1954 film White Christmas. Was Willy-Willy on the TV show Ramar of the Jungle. Made numerous appearances in film and television mostly as a character actor. Wrote his own musical called Carnival Island.

Personal Life: Married his wife Edna in 1941 and had 3 children. Couple remained married until his death.

Later Life: In 1950, Stewart and his wife founded Los Angeles’ Ebony Showcase Theater, which provided a venue to performers of all races including Al Freeman Jr., Yuki Shimoda, William Schallert, Tom Ewell, John Amos, Nichelle Nichols, Isabel Sanford, B. B. King, Phil Collins, Eartha Kitt, Gladys Knight, and Chaka Khan. He would devote much of his life to this place filling the seats with quality productions and hosting his own variety show from there for a time. That at one point, he got fired from Amos n’ Andy shortly before its cancellation due to becoming too invested in his passion project. In 1973, he and his wife would be honored by the Los Angeles mayor Tom Bradley and the California Museum of Science and Industry’s advisory board for their work at the Ebony Theater Showcase. Unfortunately, the Stewarts lost title to the theater complex in 1992 due to financial problems caused by an LA law requiring all older brick buildings to meet earthquake standards. Yet, they were allowed to stay and operate the place. To secure a loan to save the theater, they used the two homes they owned to use as collateral but to no avail. While the buildings were later demolished after the Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency took possession through eminent domain. Died at his son’s Los Angeles home of natural causes in 2000 at 90. And a week after attending the groundbreaking ceremonies for the Performing Arts Center named for local politician Nate Holden, which was built on the very site where the Ebony Theater once stood. This allowed the Ebony Showcase to transform, adapt, and remain open. And today, it continues to provide entertainment, resources, and charitable services on the internet and the community.

Trivia: Founded the Ebony Showcase so black actors could have a place where they can play more roles beyond that of the servant type roles they were normally cast at the time. Friends with Milton Berle who was a frequent visitor to his theater. Received a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Beverly Hills/Hollywood NAACP and the Living Legend Award from the National Black Theatre Festival in 1995. Was one of the first inductees in the Academy of Television Arts and Science’s Archive of American Television.

23. Billy Bletcher

Dates: 1894-1979

Early Life and Career: Born William Bletcher in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Made first film in 1916 after a year in vaudeville. Began his career for Disney in the 1930s.

Movies and Cartoons: Dumbo (1941), Sleeping Beauty (1959) and numerous shorts including “The Three Little Pigs.”

Characters: Pete, Big Bad Wolf, Clown, and Goon.

Also Known For: Appeared onscreen in films and television from the 1910s to the 1970s. Worked in over 450 films. Appeared with Our Gang, Three Stooges, Laurel and Hardy, and Marx Brothers comedies. Career took off in his films where he played opposite Billy Gilbert during his time with Hal Roach. Did voice work for other studio cartoons including Warner Bros and MGM. Occasionally provided the voice of Tom and Spike the Bulldog in the Tom and Jerry cartoons. Did munchkin voice work for The Wizard of Oz as mayor and as head of the Lollipop Guild. Also voiced the gas cloud during a WWII Private Snafu training film called Gas as well as the Captain in The Captain and the Kids cartoons.

Personal Life: Married Arlyn Roberts in 1915 and had a daughter named Barbara. Marriage lasted until his death.

Later Life: Died in Los Angeles in 1979 at 84.

Trivia: Auditioned to play one of the dwarfs in Snow White but was turned down due to his booming, baritone voice being too recognizable in the cartoon shorts.

24. Donald Dunagan

Dates: 1934-present

Early Life and Career: Born Donald Roan Dunagan in San Antonio, Texas but his family soon moved to Memphis, Tennessee where they struggled with poverty. At 3, he won a talent contest prize of $100. Spotted by a Hollywood talent scout not long after, the family moved to Hollywood where Dunagan made a series of films and soon became his family’s main breadwinner.

Movies and Cartoons: Bambi (1942)

Characters: Young Bambi

Also Known For: Also played Baron Frankenstein’s young son in Son of Frankenstein.

Personal Life: Currently resides in San Angelo, Texas with his wife Dana.

Later Life: Retired from acting after Bambi. It’s said that his parents divorced and his mother died, which resulted in Dunagan ending up in an orphanage. By 13, he lived in a boarding house and worked as a lathe operator after school. At 18, he enlisted in the US Marines where he reputedly became a drill instructor, served 3 tours in Vietnam where he was wounded several times, and retired with the rank of major in 1977. Received a Bronze Star and 3 Purple Hearts. In 2004, he was located and exhaustively interviewed by horror film historian Tom Weaver for a special of Video Watchdog magazine.

Trivia: As of 2025, he is among the last 3 surviving Bambi cast members along with Peter Behn (Young Thumper) and Stan Alexander (Young Thumper). Tried to keep his involvement with Bambi a secret from his fellow Marines but was outed shortly before his retirement. Said his work on Bambi made him forever unable to shoot an animal.

25. Sam Edwards

Dates: 1915-2004

Early Life and Career: Born in Macon, Georgia to a show business family with his debut playing a baby in his actress mother’s arms (her name was Edna Park Edwards and she has her own Wikipedia entry). Appeared in radio during the 1930s on Adventures of Sonny and Buddy, one of the first syndicated radio serials and later The Edwards Family, a fictionalization of life with his family. He was also an early cast member in One Man’s Family, one of the first radio soap operas.

Movies and Cartoons: Bambi (1942)

Characters: Young Adult Thumper. On LPs, he also voiced the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion on the Oz series as well as Tigger, Owl, and the Heffalumps on the Winnie the Pooh albums. Also voiced Ollie the Owl opposite Burl Ives for the America Sings Disneyland attraction.

Also Known For: Best known as banker Bill Anderson from Little House on the Prairie. Appeared in movies like Twelve O’Clock High, Operation Pacific, Gangbusters, The Absent-Minded Professor, and Hello Dolly! In radio, he had starring roles in The First Hundred Years and Meet Corliss Archer. Also had roles on shows like Crime Classics, Father Knows Best, Guiding Light, For Laramie, and Dragnet. TV appearances include episodes of Dragnet, Gunsmoke, The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, The Andy Griffith Show, Petticoat Junction, Green Acres, Mission: Impossible, The Streets of San Francisco, Adam-12, Happy Days, The Dukes of Hazzard, and Days of Our Lives.

Personal Life: Married a single mom of 3 named Beverly Motley in 1969. Marriage lasted until his death.

Later Life: Drafted into the Army shortly after working on Bambi, Edwards entertained troops in Africa, Italy, and Asia during his 3-year tour of service in World War II. Retired from acting in 1983. Died of a heart attack in Durango, Colorado in 2004 at 89.

Trivia: Brother of actor Jack Edwards Jr.

26. Will Wright

Dates: 1894-1962

Early Life and Career: Born William Henry Wright in San Francisco, California. Worked as a newspaperman before beginning his show business career in vaudeville, stage, and radio. Made his film debut in 1940.

Movies and Cartoons: Bambi (1942)

Characters: Friend Owl

Also Known For: Was frequently cast in Westerns and as a curmudgeonly and argumentative old man. Appeared in more than 200 films and TV roles as well as more than 5,000 radio programs. Radio programs include My Little Margie, Glamour Manor, The Amazing Mr. Tutt, The Charlotte Greenwood Show, and The Jack Benny Program. Films include Shadow of the Thin Man, The Major and the Minor, So Proudly We Hail!, Road to Utopia, Mother Wore Tights, Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House, River of No Return, All the King’s Men, and The Man with the Golden Arm. TV appearances include I Love Lucy, Schlitz Playhouse of Stars, Our Miss Brooks, Father Knows Best, The Real McCoys, The Donna Reed Show, Tales of Wells Fargo, The Rough Riders, Leave It to Beaver, Riverboat, Bat Masterson, The Lone Ranger, December Bride, Maverick, Perry Mason, and Bonanza.

Personal Life: Married Nell Ida Peabody in 1917. Marriage produced 1 child and lasted until his death.

Later Life: Last screen appearance was in 1962. Died of cancer at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital in Los Angeles at 68.

Trivia: None

27. Cammie King

Dates: 1934-2010

Early Life and Career: Born Eleanore Cammack King in Los Angeles, California. Dad was a chemical plant manager. Mom was a schoolteacher. Older sister Diane was also a child actress. Parents divorced after Gone with the Wind. Mother remarried Herbert Kalmus, co-founder of Technicolor. Film career lasted only a few years. Was one of 250 girls who auditioned for the role of Bonnie Blue Butler, including her own sister.

Movies and Cartoons: Bambi (1942)

Characters: Young Faline

Also Known For: Best known as Bonnie Blue Butler in Gone with the Wind. However, she later worked as a production assistant on the CBS anthology series Climax! shortly after graduating from college.

Personal Life: Married twice. First to Walter “Ned” Pollock in 1957. They adopted 2 kids named Matthew and Katherine and remained together until his death from cancer in 1968. Second to Michael W. Conlon in 1971 who adopted her 2 kids. But they divorced in 1975. Former father-in-law from this marriage was Judd Conlon who arranged music for Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan.

Later Life: Although cast in a third role during the early 1940s, King had to drop out due to breaking out with chicken pox. She never acted again. Studied at Marymount High School and graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in communications. Moved to Northern California in 1980 and enjoyed a long public relations career as a marketing coordinator for the Fort-Bragg Medocino Coast Chamber of Commerce. Died from lung cancer at her Fort Bragg, California home at 76.

Trivia: Appeared as guest on To Tell the Truth with John O’Hurley in the early 2000s. Published a small book about her time on Gone with the Wind that she mainly sold to fans directly either in person or on the internet.

28. Perce Pearce

Dates: 1899-1955

Early Life and Career: Born Percival C. Pearce in Waukegan, Illinois to English immigrants. Started drawing at 10. By the time he was a freshman in high school, his work caught the attention of cartoonist J. Campbell Cory. After graduation, he decided to pursue a career as the cartoonist by attending Chicago’s Academy of Fine Arts. Upon US entry into World War I, Pearce worked as a cartoonist for The Chicago Herald and the Publicity Feature Bureau. Briefly enlisted in the US Navy before he was asked to work on a daily comic strip for the Great Lakes Bulletin, a military newspaper serving the Naval Station of the Great Lakes. Created “Seaman Si” series which was later published in 1917 as a soft cover book. At the same time, Pearce drew editorial cartoons and political caricatures for his news agency which were published in the New York Evening Post. In 1919, he moved to Colorado to work as a cartoonist for The Denver Post. Began his career at Disney in 1935 as an in-betweener.

Movies and Cartoons: Bambi (1942)

Characters: Mr. Mole

Also Known For: Pearce is better known for his work as a writer, producer, director, and animator. Was writer, sequence director, and live-action reference for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Was animation director for “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” segment in Fantasia. In addition to voicing Mr. Mole in Bambi, Pearce was also the film’s story director. Also served as story director in the Victory Through Air Power WWII propaganda documentary. After the war, he produced a series of live-action Disney films at its British studio in London throughout the late 1940s and 1950s. Also assisted in developing the Mickey Mouse Club.

Personal Life: Married June Herrig Swan in 1930. Couple had 2 daughters and remained married until his death. Daughter Anne was once the second wife of Stanley Kramer from 1950 to 1963.

Later Life: Pearce’s work at Disney and their establishment of a studio in London led him to reside there due to postwar currency restrictions. Died at his London home of a heart attack in 1955 at only 55.

Trivia: None.

29. Jimmy MacDonald

Dates: 1906-1991

Early Life and Career: Born John James MacDonald in Crewe, Cheshire, England. Family immigrated to the US when he was a month old traveling from the SS Haverford from Liverpool before landing in Pennsylvania. Began his career as a musician on the Dollar Steam Ship Lines, leading him to record music for a Disney cartoon in 1934. Went on to secure a permanent contact with Disney. Became the voice of Mickey Mouse from 1947 to 1976. Was also the original voice of Chip from Chip and Dale.

Movies and Cartoons: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), Fantasia (1940), Fun and Fancy Free (1947), Cinderella (1950), Alice in Wonderland (1951), The Jungle Book (1967), The Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977), Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1968), The Rescuers (1977), and The Fox and the Hound (1981) as well as numerous shorts.

Characters: Dopey (hiccupping and crying), Percussionist, Bongo, Lumpjaw, Chip and Dale, Mickey Mouse, Jaq, Gus, Bruno, Dormouse, Shere Khan and Bagheera (roars), Hyena, Bees, Evinrude, Brutus, Nero, and the Bear. Was also Humphrey the Bear on Chip n’ Dale Rescue Rangers.

Also Known For: In addition to voice acting, MacDonald also worked as a foley artist and was the original head of Disney’s sound effects department. Provided sound effects for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, Dumbo, Bambi, Saludos Amigos, Victory Through Air Power, The Three Caballeros, Make Mine Music, Song of the South, Fun and Fancy Free, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, Sleeping Beauty, One Hundred and One Dalmatians, The Sword in the Stone, Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book, The Aristocats, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Robin Hood, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, The Rescuers, as well as numerous shorts. Was assistant conductor for Mary Poppins and Bedknobs and Broomsticks. Developed many original inventions and contraptions to achieve expressive sounds for characters like Casey Jr. circus train engine from Dumbo, Evinrude the Dragonfly from The Rescuers, the bees in Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree, and the bee Spike who gets the best of Donald Duck in 1950s shorts. Made sound effects for Tock the Crocodile from Peter Pan and Dragon Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty by using castanets. By the time of his death, MacDonald had been preparing to work on sounds of the Splash Mountain in Tokyo Disneyland and Walt Disney World. On the live action front, Did Kirk Douglas’ humming for “A Whale of a Tale” for 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea as well as performed sound effects for a series of Disney documentaries. Once estimated to have created 28,000 sound effects for 139 feature films and 335 shorts during his time at Disney.

Personal Life: Married Sarah Roberta Cullen in 1936. They remained married until his death.

Later Life: Retired from Disney in 1976 but did occasional projects for Disney until the end of his life like voicing Mickey for the 50^th Academy Awards in 1978 and the opening of Star Tours in 1987. Died of heart failure at his Glendale, California home in 1991 at 84. Buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery.

Trivia: Majority of his sound effects are available on Cartoon Trax Volume 1 from The Hollywood Edge, which was released in 1992. Other effects show up in non-Disney sound libraries such as International Sound Effects Library, BBC Sound Effects Library and the Hanna-Barbera Sound Effects Library, both from Sound Ideas. Other releases containing MacDonald’s sound effects few specialty sound effect record releases from Disneyland Records, most notably Chilling, Thrilling Sounds of the Haunted House. Played drums in the Firehouse Five Plus Two jazz band from its inception in the 1950s to its disbandment in the 1970s.

30. J. Pat O’Malley

Dates: 1904-1985

Early Life and Career: Born James Rudolph O’Malley in Burnley, Lancashire, England to an Irish family. Sang with Jack Hylton and his orchestra from 1930 to 1935 under Pat O’Malley. At the end of 1935, O’Malley and Hylton came to US in order to record with a band composed of American musicians. Although the venture was short lived, O’Malley decided to stay and adopted his stage name that he’d use for the rest of his career.

Movies and Cartoons: The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949), Alice in Wonderland (1951), One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961) Mary Poppins (1964), and The Jungle Book (1967). In addition to films, he voiced the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction at Disneyland and Disney World.

Characters: Cyril Proudbottom, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, Mother Oyster, Walrus and Carpenter, Jasper Badun, Colonel, Mr. Simpkins, Mechanic, Bloodhound, Master of Hounds, Hunting Horse #2, Pearly Drummer, Pearly Tambourinist, Penguin Waiter, Photographer, Reporter #2, Colonel Hathi the Elephant, and Buzzie the Vulture.

Also Known For: Was a British actor and singer who appeared in many American films and TV shows from the 1940s to 1982. Was in Broadway productions of Ten Little Indians and Dial M for Murder. Films outside of Disney include Lassie Come Home, The White Cliffs of Dover, Witness for the Prosecution, The Long, Hot Summer, Hello Dolly!, and The Cheyenne Social Club. TV appearances include Playhouse 90, Peter Gunn, Gunsmoke, Perry Mason, The Twilight Zone, Tales of Wells Fargo, The Real McCoys, Bonanza, Alfred Hitchock Presents, The Andy Griffith Show, The Lucy Show, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Johnny Quest, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Batman, Hogan’s Heroes, Green Acres, The Flying Nun, Maude, Barney Miller, The Rockford Files, Quincy M.E., Three’s Company, One Day at a Time, The Dukes of Hazzard, Fantasy Island, and Taxi. As a singer, he’s said to have recorded 400 songs in his native England.

Personal Life: Married his wife Margaret “Fay” Mullen in 1936. Marriage produced a son named Denis and a daughter named Sheila and lasted until his death.

Later Life: Died of cardiovascular disease at his San Juan Capistrano home in 1985 at 80.

Trivia: According to Dick Van Dyke, O’Malley also served as his dialect coach on Mary Poppins and attributed his infamous Cockney accent to him.