Who Voiced Bambi the Tree Squirrel?
If you are a fan of the classic Disney animated movie Bambi, you might be wondering who voiced Faline the tree squirrel. Faline was Bambi’s love interest who would often gather leaves from hawthorn trees. Although Bambi assumed that Faline would stay by his side, the story reveals that Faline had grown lonely and would often call for him to return home. Bambi never knew how long Faline had been calling for him.
Stuart Erwin
It was a joy for many to hear the distinctive voice of Stuart Erwin, who acted as the voice of the tree squirrel in Walt Disney’s Bambi. In addition to his voice work in the animated film, he was also a prolific radio performer, appearing in several episodes of the popular television series Perry Mason. As a guest star, he portrayed the murderer Clem Sandover in the 1962 episode “The Case of the Double-Entry Mind” and as the crime-solving detective Everett Stanton in 1964. He also guest starred in numerous television shows, including “Fathers Know Best” with Jack Palance, as well as guest-starring roles on The Donna Reed Show and The Great Show with Jack Palance.
In the film, Stuart Erwin voiced the iconic Tree Squirrel, the character played by Michael Caine. In real life, the squirrels’ nests are complex constructions that include several layers of materials. While the nests of gray squirrels and fox squirrels appear to be haphazard piles of leaves, they are actually highly organized. In addition, the nests of gray and fox squirrels are more likely to be found in open woods, while the nut-bearing trees of hardwoods and mixed conifers tend to be the preferred habitats.
Faline
In this animated short, Faline, a young deer doe, teases Bambi as they run through a meadow. As they approach, Bambi hears the song “Looking for Romance” and becomes enchanted. Then, Faline slinks off in the other direction, losing her voice in response to Bambi’s cries. Bambi’s curiosity spurs him to approach Faline.
Bambi is looking for Faline, but the hunter dogs are chasing them. Faline runs off into the thicket, but the Great Prince finds him. Bambi hears his mother’s cries, and runs to safety. But his father shoots him and Bambi escapes through the forest. The Great Prince comes to help Bambi, but Bambi is shot by Faline’s shotgun in mid-leap.
The Bambi movie franchise continues the tree squirrel theme with films such as Bambi, Mulan, and Toy Story. The voice of Faline is reminiscent of the female fox in the popular animated short. Faline, like Oswald, is Faline’s love interest. She would gather leaves from the hawthorn tree while Bambi was away for the day, but when she realized she was alone, she began calling Bambi to come home. Bambi didn’t know how long Faline would be calling him.
The story begins with a slow pan from left to right. The story opens in a verdant forest. A distant waterfall and chirping birds add to the atmosphere. A sleepy Owl flew to its tree dwelling and a gray squirrel and smaller chipmunk awoke to see what happened. The mother bird flew to her nest to feed her chicks, and a small mouse reached for a drop of dew on a leaf nearby.
Oswald the Rabbit
Oswald the Rabbit has a long history, spanning comics to animated movies. His first appearance in a comic book, “En magisk jul!,” came in 1935, and was drawn by Al Stahl and published by National Allied Publications. He also appeared in one page of New Fun magazine in 1935, and in Dell Comics’ New Funnies from 1942 to 1962.
After making his voice-over debut in 1935’s Bambi, Oswald the Rabbit was credited with the role of the tree squirrel. He was a close friend of Bambi and his wolf friend, Ronno. His role was reprised in the sequel, Bambi II. Oswald the Rabbit and his co-star Ronno are often compared to actual animals, but the story is still enjoyable.
The first segment of Bambi features a voiced squirrel that has an old-school Oswald the Lucky Rabbit-type appearance. Although the segment is not a musical, the animation is reminiscent of 1940s cartoons. While the male squirrel is always the nuisance, the female squirrel is a romantic interest for the boy rabbit. It isn’t hard to imagine the adorable bond between the two!
Who was the voice of Bambi in the Disney film of the same name?
Donnie Dunagan
How old was Donnie Dunagan when he voiced Bambi?
He was three years old.
Who were some of the other actors who voiced animals in the film “Bambi”?
Sterling Holloway (voice of adult Flower the skunk) Paula Winslowe ( voice of Mrs.
Quail) and
Thurl Ravenscroft ( voice of adult Thumper).
What was the name of the deer character who was Bambi’s best friend in the film?
Thumper
What was the name of Bambi’s mother in the film?
Mrs.
Deer or Faline
Who was the villain in the film “Bambi”?
Man
What was the name of the little bird character who was always trying to get Bambi in trouble?
twitterpated
What lesson does Bambi learn at the end of the film?
Even though bad things happen in life the cycle of life goes on and new life will always come.
What was the name of the fawn character who was born at the beginning of the film?
Bambi
How many deer were in the meadow scene at the beginning of the film?
There were eight deer.
What does Bambi do when he first sees the Man in the film?
He runs away and hides.
What does Bambi’s mother tell him about men after the incident with the Man?
She tells him that men are not to be trusted and that they are dangerous.
What does the Man do at the end of the film?
He is killed by a hunter.
What does Bambi learn about fire in the film?
He learns that it is beautiful but it can also be dangerous.
What kind of animal is Bambi’s father?
He is a stag.
Jessica Watson is a PHD holder from the University of Washington. She studied behavior and interaction between squirrels and has presented her research in several wildlife conferences including TWS Annual Conference in Winnipeg.
