Yesterday I told you all about my experience with my walk on the red carpet at the premiere of PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES. Today I’m sharing my epic interview with Bambi and Thumper. OK, so it’s not the adorable deer and bunny but it’s the actual actors who were the voices of Bambi and Thumper. BAMBI will be joining the Walt Disney Signature Collection! The Bambi Anniversary Edition comes to Digital HD & Disney Movies May 23, and Blu-ray June 6!
Our interview was at Walt Disney Animation Studios and this alone excited me. Of course we were all having a blast taking photos before we even got inside. 
To know I would be interviewing Donald “Donnie” Dunagan (young voice of “Bambi”) and Peter Behn (young voice of “Thumper”) I felt like I was a part of what will someday be a piece of history. Think about it, these two youngsters were a part of one of the original Disney films that is now a classic. It’s hard to believe that BAMBI is 75 years old. Donnie and Peter were a mere 3 and 5 years old when they voiced these iconic characters and now they are here to talk to ME!
Donnie was 5 years old when he started Bambi but he started his career at 3 years old and was in seven movies before Bambi. Donnie grew up dirt poor and he would imitate the dancers on the corner. His mom entered him into a talent contest, shockingly he won and there happened to be a talent scout there which started his career.
Fun Facts:
- Donnie had an agent who told him not to do Bambi. At just 5 years old Donnie fired him and went on to do it.
- The talent show he won, he danced to ‘A Tisket a Tasket’ with a paper bag and a stick for a cane.”
- He didn’t tell people he was “Bambi”
- Donnie said, “In 1977 I was a battalion commander. I saw that Disney was going to re-release Bambi and I was horrified that my base would find out. I could imagine all of my soldiers saying that their battalion commander was Bambi!”
- His wife didn’t know he was Bambi until years after they were married. She found a box of mementos and found out.
- Children send Donnie Bambi artwork to this day and he keeps it all!
Q: What do you hope for Bambi’s Legacy?
A: “The environmental profile is spoken to children in school now. I get letters every week from kids.”
Peter’s dad knew Walt Disney and got him in for a reading. Peter initially auditioned for Bambi for as he said, “Donnie beat me out on that one.” They decided his voice was right for the rabbit (Thumper) so he didn’t ever audition, it just went from there. Peter recorded for two years as Thumper and he was four at the start.
Fun facts:
- Peter only saw the movie once as a kid. They didn’t have DVDs, VHS tapes, or Netflix so movies were just seen in theaters when they came out.
- Peter and Donnie only met 10 years ago
- At four Peter made up Thumper’s line, “Eating greens is a special treat, it makes long ears and great big feet. But it sure is awful stuff to eat“.
Q: What do you hope for Bambi’s Legacy?
A: “One of my strongest feelings about the movie is that Disney was so ahead of his time. I think the movie was so far ahead of it’s time to protect the environment. We have to do everything we can to keep the environment from getting worse. I think as time goes on that aspect of the movie will resonate & become more important.”
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We also got to interview Paul Felix, Visual Development Artist at Walt Disney Animation Studios, who shared what it means to be a part of BAMBI today! Paul is known for his work on “Winnie the Pooh” and 2008’s “Bolt”- as art director for both.
Bambi was released in 1942 during World War II. Bambi was planned to be released after Snow White but due to the studio going on strike and then moving during the time, it delayed the project. They had to cut some of the movie out and only do what they could afford at the time and it was finally released after Pinocchio and Fantasia.
Paul helped us to understand the difference in drawing characters, especially animals. Bambi needed animals with faces that could emote dialog, unlike the deer in Snow White that are stiff and don’t have much life. He also said he needed to practice for a week before he could get Bambi down. At first Bambi looked like a fox. Paul Felix said, “There were a few art books on Bambi that had some great early drawings, specifically by Mark Davis he could draw (animals) like no one else. Even though it is a flat drawing you can scene the 3 dimensionality of it”.
I’m going to say he got Bambi down pat because the artwork is spot on!
The art work of BAMBI that hung in the room were all beautiful and you wanted to take them home.
After our interviews we were served a delicious lunch so we can fuel up for Bambi photo opp and the ultimate office tour. Thank you to Kat (generationsofsavings.com) for photo bombing the food!
When you’re surrounded by Disney, you can’t help but being a kid again. You giggle, laugh, and are wowed by everything because everything that is created is done so with love and detail. Here is Zippy and I at our Bambi photo opp feeling like princesses.
Starting today get a Disney BAMBI Anniversary Edition tank top featuring the Paul Felix exclusive art inspired by BAMBI! 
With every digital purchase/redemption of BAMBI, Get A Bambi Tank Top Featuring Exclusive Artwork For $9.99. Details here: http://www.disneymovierewards.go.com
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