September 21, 2025 • 48 mins
This week on Toon’d In!, Jim Cummings welcomes the legendary and endlessly fascinating Donnie Dunagan! Best known as the original voice of young Bambi in Disney’s 1942 classic Bambi, Donnie’s story is anything but ordinary—from child star in Golden Age Hollywood to decorated Marine Corps major with a career full of surprises.
In this heartfelt and eye-opening episode, Donnie reflects on what it was like being a young actor working with Walt Disney himself, how he became the voice behind one of the most tender and iconic characters in animation history, and why he kept that part of his life a secret for decades—even from fellow Marines!
Jim and Donnie dive deep into the power of animation to transcend generations, the lasting impact of Bambi's emotional storytelling, and the unexpected intersections between art and service. With warmth, wisdom, and a few jaw-dropping anecdotes, Donnie proves that sometimes, the most incredible lives unfold far beyond the frame.
🌿 Ever wondered what it’s like to go from voicing a baby deer to leading troops in combat? Tune in and get Toon’d In!
🎟️ Meet Jim and Donnie in person!
Catch Jim Cummings at these upcoming conventions:
🎧 Listen on Spotify: bit.ly/4fHWwxa
🍎 Listen on Apple: bit.ly/3AmUYZi
💖 Support on Patreon: patreon.com/jimcummingspodcast
🎉 Order a Cameo from Jim: cameo.com/toondinjimcummings
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/toon-d-in-with-jim-cummings--5863067/support.
In this heartfelt and eye-opening episode, Donnie reflects on what it was like being a young actor working with Walt Disney himself, how he became the voice behind one of the most tender and iconic characters in animation history, and why he kept that part of his life a secret for decades—even from fellow Marines!
Jim and Donnie dive deep into the power of animation to transcend generations, the lasting impact of Bambi's emotional storytelling, and the unexpected intersections between art and service. With warmth, wisdom, and a few jaw-dropping anecdotes, Donnie proves that sometimes, the most incredible lives unfold far beyond the frame.
🌿 Ever wondered what it’s like to go from voicing a baby deer to leading troops in combat? Tune in and get Toon’d In!
🎟️ Meet Jim and Donnie in person!
Catch Jim Cummings at these upcoming conventions:
- Nostalgia Con (Milwaukee, WI) – September 26–28
- Smoky Mountain Anime Fest (Gatlinburg, TN) – October 17–19
- Armageddon Expo (New Zealand) - October 24-27
- Supanova Comic Con Adelaide (Australia) - October 31 - November 2
- Supanova Comic Con Brisbane (Australia) - November 7-9
- Nostalgia Con (New Orleans, LA) – November 21–23
- Nostalgia Con (Salt Lake City, UT) – March 13–14, 2026
🎧 Listen on Spotify: bit.ly/4fHWwxa
🍎 Listen on Apple: bit.ly/3AmUYZi
💖 Support on Patreon: patreon.com/jimcummingspodcast
🎉 Order a Cameo from Jim: cameo.com/toondinjimcummings
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/toon-d-in-with-jim-cummings--5863067/support.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
If you're a fan of everything we do here at
tuned In with Jim Cummings, you could support the show
on Patreon for bonus exclusive podcasts, as well as early
in ad free access to the show itself, prize drawings,
and more. You'll feel the difference, so go ahead and
join the tuned In family today at patreon dot com
(00:21):
slash Jim Cummings Podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Do it now? How you doing out there? It's me Tigger,
I am Doc Wayne Duck. It's me Bunkers Deep Bobcat.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
All right, y'all, is it rate your favorite firefly you desire?
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Hold old knock Gud.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
My name is Jim Cummings and welcome to tuned In.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Welcome back, everybody to another episode of Tuned In with
Jim Cummings. I'm producer Chris, joined as always by the
legend himself, mister Jim Cummings.
Speaker 4 (00:50):
How are you doing today, sir.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Good morning, Christopher.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
It's a fine day in Paradise day today, especially with
our guests.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
It's sure. Oh my guess, we have a very special
guest for you today.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
He's the voice of Young Bambi. He was in Young Frankenstein,
recipient of three Purple hearts. Thank you so much for
your service, sir Amen, none other than Donnie done again,
thank you so much for being here today.
Speaker 5 (01:11):
Thank you, and I'm lucky man to be here.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Well say hi here now, I think we're the lucky ones.
That's right, we'll take it, We'll take it. Yeah, I'm
fantastic to see you, Sarah.
Speaker 5 (01:21):
I even asked my birth said, get place to change
my middle name Las vegask I am to what Las
Vegas to Las Vegas and Donnie las Vegas Donion.
Speaker 4 (01:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Wow, that that's going to fill up a marquee.
Speaker 4 (01:39):
That's credible.
Speaker 5 (01:44):
But the tax guys will probably get me on my
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Yeah, So you were involved in show business a long
time ago, a long time ago. Can you outline what
it was like for you getting into show business and
just overall what show business was leg back then?
Speaker 5 (02:01):
Ah, golly, I will talk at nineteen thirty eight.
Speaker 4 (02:04):
Yes, wow, nineteen thirty eight.
Speaker 5 (02:07):
And I have to give you a little sight on
this one. Yesterday a family came up and this wonderful
convention we're having, huh, there's wonderful convention. His little family
came up, a couple of small children, little girl and
you're off on the side. I'm entertaining with some other
people right there for a second. And the mother told
the little girl one of my movies was nineteen thirty eight,
(02:29):
nineteen thirty nine, And she says, thirty age, that's him,
thirty eight, Mom, he's ancient, ancient. I've been called a
lot of things ancient. Come I give me her ancient.
So when she finally came up with her mom and dad,
I said, little lady, the ancient one wants to know
(02:49):
how many push.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Ups can you do?
Speaker 1 (02:55):
Now I have to ask how many you know? That
means he does like one hundred at a second. Here,
we're not going to challenge today.
Speaker 5 (03:02):
So movies in those days, yeah, I'm mostly all black
and white. The big sets in the big studio sets,
huge things like aircraft hangers, big guys like the linebackers,
moving all sets around. Very different. It took a lot
(03:23):
of time between takes a lot of time between checks.
Son of Frankenstein. For example, we're sitting on the sideline
with the Boris call Off and the wonderful director of
Rolling b Lee for fifteen thirty five minutes, waiting for
just two or three things to be be moved and changed.
(03:45):
Boris Karloff Frankenstein, right, he could have been a stand
up comic.
Speaker 4 (03:51):
Really, he was a great guy. You know, he already was.
Speaker 5 (03:54):
He had no lines, right. But halfway through the film,
Basil Rath going, who could have been British by foreign
prime minister?
Speaker 2 (04:04):
You know, Sherlock Holmes.
Speaker 5 (04:06):
Yeah, he s Holmes. That's right, and uh, Borsh calls
me walking the other side of the light line, and
here's mom my, mom and dad and uh and maybe
rolling BV and and uh. One of the other actors
would say, hey, yelling across this, Hey, Boris, you got
(04:27):
your lines down? He had no line to go.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
Yeah, and his big speech was exactly right.
Speaker 5 (04:37):
And darn good ad too. He he's a real gentleman.
Things for culture, If you don't mind my sharing this
with you as on the side, please do. Culture was
very different. I never saw and my mom picked up
on this radar. Okay, we just came out of the depression.
We were dirt poor for these movies, I mean dirt.
(05:00):
My mom is very sensitive to this. I never saw
a man not get up when a lady came to
the dining room table in a restaurant or somewhere, help
with the chair, Help with the chair. They stood up
and the ladies came. I saw that wonderful rock homessl bathrobe.
(05:23):
I think it was his, Yeah, yeah, I saw him
get up several times. I saw him get up in
this in the sound stage when a lady there was
a staffer not on the casts. I came up with
something to deliver to him, like he's a mail or something.
He stood up. Very common and other environments that we
(05:44):
get a chance to visit. I hope nobody's offended by this,
But I've sat there with my own lady and watching
restaurants and things. Nobody gets up, party and nobody gets up,
nobody takes their hats off. Very different. Hope you don't
mind my sharing a candy with you some of that?
Speaker 4 (06:04):
I agree.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
I agree everything is a bit one more course now,
And I think it's the over familiarity breeds contempt. Isn't
isn't that an old saw that ship?
Speaker 5 (06:17):
That's ship? And or and where's the standard for that example?
You know? Now, I didn't see any of this when
we were poor coming out on the shop after winning
that little uh what do you call talent show? Thing
in one movie after the other. I didn't see much
of that before, or I did not pay attention to it.
(06:37):
But the culture of even Los Angeles and the Hollywood
dynamics in those days was an example, and I think,
I hope I've lived with most of it all my life. Uh.
We get teased about that where we live now. Wonderful people,
really wonderful people. But h well, one one guy said,
(06:59):
you show floor with her. What We've been married thirty
three years with her? Why are you saying that? Well,
you get them and get the chair for her all
the time. Wow. Well I'm being recycled.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
Yeah, that's right, that's right.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
Well that just made your parents raised you right, That
means your parents raised you right.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Yes.
Speaker 5 (07:20):
Oh my mom was a thank you sir. Mom was
a princess example, so was my father. And they were
very frugal, very wise about all the money we were making.
All of a sudden, they were working for twenty five
cents an hour.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
Yeah, before a talent So tell it for those who
don't know. When you refer to this talent show, what
what was that?
Speaker 5 (07:44):
Oh there's a Memphis Center, sheep.
Speaker 4 (07:48):
My parents had a talent there. Yeah, how old are you?
How old. Are you at four four four years old?
Just a yeah, yeah, yeah, four years old.
Speaker 5 (08:00):
It's really interesting we lived. We went from Texas, San
Antronio to Memphis for work four years old. My mom
and dad wonderful people, and we lived in a one
room place with a small bathroom and a kitchen that
was no larger than maybe when I'm sitting on above
(08:22):
a hardware store, a hardware store in memphisin ce. And
we had no entertainment, no television. We didn't know how
to spell television right in nineteen thirty eight, right, So
when my mom and dad wasn't weren't working, I mean
working working, my mom would take me down two ding
(08:45):
dings away. I used to call the stuff signs, which
actually came down like this, ding ding ding ding ding.
That's how I measured things.
Speaker 4 (08:53):
How many dings huh oh?
Speaker 5 (08:54):
I called it in the marine coops. Once it's an officer, hey,
well five ding dings away, general said, what so now
it's thineteen thirty eight and two ding nings away was
a street corner, I think a big drug store and
a huge concrete area in front of the drug store.
(09:14):
And on Saturday afternoons there was a very torn, very
thin black man who must have been to a North
Peak shurgeon and all his bones were gone. He could
move like you can't believe. And he had a recorder,
no fashion recorder where you crank up and put a
record on viatrolla.
Speaker 4 (09:36):
Victoria.
Speaker 5 (09:37):
Yeah, they cranked it up and fifteen to twenty people
easy around watching and clamping audience, and he could dance
and sing like amazing. Later I learned he was a
cousin of a famous Vadavillion. Really a dancer named peg
Leg Baits, pegg Leg Baits, peg Leg Baits. Wow, famous
(10:02):
man in in New York show busy. Anyway, this guy, I.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
Thought you're going to say, Bill Jangles.
Speaker 5 (10:10):
Yeah, I deserve that, a great dancer and singer. And
people would throw pennies and nickels, maybe a quarter. That
was a big deal. Oh that was money to a
big hat he had by the big trolla. Anyway, I'm
that's our entertainment. Wow, maybe once a week for half
(10:33):
an hour. So and I'm staying with my mom, and
I'm kind of corny in those I guess, and nobody's looking.
So I'm trying to knit. I'm trying to imitate him,
I'm barefoot. We can do we can't afford shoes. Wow,
I'm barefoot. And I think he caught my trying to
make his chipping his hat like this four years old kid.
Speaker 4 (10:56):
Right.
Speaker 5 (10:57):
He comes out to my mother and the second or
third time we did this, and asked if I could
join him out there, and my momed he's a very
courteous man.
Speaker 4 (11:08):
Bow to my mother.
Speaker 5 (11:09):
I remember that. So I'll go out in front with
him for all these people, and we do a duet
bang and I think one of the songs was a
tasket Oh yeah, send me about a basket bangs. This
(11:30):
is really important. So we're doing having great grades now,
the lots of pennies and Nichols. He's throwed it up
man and up comes at the curb on the bit
on the side. Here's all the much bunch of people.
There was a a car that the hood was as
long as a football field. Man limousine and the part
(11:56):
and the weird window was rolled down, and there's two
ladies there and they're watching and I'm noticing them, and
they waved for him. The man's name was Sam. I
learned the way for Sam to come over. So we
stopped the music is going, I'm standing there, Sham goes
over and they agreed that these true lady, very sophisticated ladies,
(12:21):
right it appeared to be. And they gave him something
and smiled, and he all excited, and limousine drove off.
He came back, showed it to the crowd and had
to be a twenty dollar bill. I don't think there
was anything larger. And twenty dollar bill everywhere went wow wow,
twenty wow. That's that's pass today, right, that was big money.
(12:43):
Yeah bill. Then he stopped their victorium, apologized everybody real fast,
and this guy was a thin athlete, great dancer, and
he dashed off. I'll be right back, right back, Okay,
I'm sitting there. Do know he came back real quick
and had several bills, and he went up to my
(13:05):
mother and gave her a couple So I think it
was either a couple of fives or maybe a chance
half of what that lady gave him gave my mother.
Half of the audience was mostly white Caucasian folks. Got
a couple of black couples with a child or two
(13:29):
and they all plauded. And that's my first experience, was
that kind of shriff that was really important.
Speaker 4 (13:37):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (13:38):
Yeah, so you were bitten.
Speaker 4 (13:40):
So how does that lead into the talent show? Or
is this the talent show? No?
Speaker 5 (13:44):
No, this is right, going right to the talent show. Yeah,
but this is Brittish significant for young people. Pick up
on this story, right, I told us before, So now
he's back. Give it my mom half of it. Two
days later, that was a that had to be a Monday.
(14:05):
That was a weekend day. Two days later and a
little bit of the one room apartment, my dad's there.
It's a Sunday, and my dad and my mom took
my hand and we walked four or five blocks, a
couple of ding dings to where Sam lived with his family. Okay,
so thank him for that, Okay, in a major, major way.
(14:30):
And I think we were the first folks like that
in that neighborhood. And they came to the door and
his wife almost cried visibly at the door. That made
a tremendous impression on the rest of my life.
Speaker 4 (14:43):
Okay.
Speaker 5 (14:45):
Then Sam had the id of putting me in a
Chaleng show. This is a Memphis is going and the
building that that that the theater we had classic movies,
remember the theater where the town show is going to
be is now I understand enough because of me. But
(15:07):
there's a national monument an armament for that state, I see,
no kidding. Okay, we'll go to mad Child show. So
somehow I'm barefoot. Somehow the lady's Sam's wife from my
mom managed to get used tap shoes. They were too
long by an inch. They didn't want to right. Boy,
(15:28):
now my mom was rey concerned about them. Turned out
there was advantage. I was cheating because I'm tapping right.
This hose flipped great, okay, and I practice for the
tap shoes. We got to the Talnel show. Now, mind you,
around four and a half. I never been in a
place like this. We never went to the theater that
(15:49):
was it cost fifteenth Central something you never.
Speaker 4 (15:51):
In the theater.
Speaker 5 (15:52):
So now we're back in the in the stage area theater,
all the big curtains are. There's a stage out here,
and my mom there with me. They wouldn't let Sam
and his wife in there. They had to go upstairs.
That bothered me a lot then and now, okay, anyway,
I didn't always up there. So now I'm watching the stage. Yeah,
(16:15):
so they had a seating age on it. At seventeen,
we learned, they learned, but nobody thought you put a
bottom age on it. So in four and a half
I was able to sneak into this thing. Right. I'm
standing there watching these high school We had a lot
of art work and theater work in those days. A
(16:36):
lot of a lot of girls in high school learned
how to do ballet, a lot of singing, a lot
of piano pianists. So I watched the pianists and I
finally realized this as a contest. And they're all a
bunch taller, and then.
Speaker 4 (16:49):
You all lot of stuff.
Speaker 5 (16:51):
I told my mom, Mom, I've got no chance on
this thing, right, So now so my turn. They pushed
me out. They had Sam's Victroulla out there already with it.
I think just gonna task it again. Don't count on that.
I think that's what it was. Yeah, anyway, big bright lights.
(17:13):
It's a good thing because I couldn't see the crowd.
Speaker 4 (17:16):
Place was packed.
Speaker 5 (17:18):
Later on, you know, I couldn't see anything. YEU, he
does it right, played played the recorder. I did bang bang.
I won the darn thing, No kid, wow, I had
to win on a sympathy vote or because I'm right.
Speaker 2 (17:33):
Yeah, you know, Hey, win is a win.
Speaker 5 (17:36):
One hundred dollars, oh man, nineteen thirty eight. Gentlemen, people listening,
I love you to death. One hundred dollars. Cool, I
got it. Now this is a second visit. Now we're
gonna make kay the next day. Two days later, my
mom and dad, we're all work. He shook my hand.
(17:58):
We walked again, nating the Sham's place. Gave Sham and
his family one half of that one hundred dollars.
Speaker 4 (18:07):
That's awesome paying it back.
Speaker 5 (18:09):
Yeah, good friends watching this wonderful program. They didn't know
that left an image on this old full back boxer, career,
marine officer, lasting impression. And it's been wonderful life because
of those early experiences. Yeah, I thought that family was
(18:31):
at the door was going to collapse.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
In shock.
Speaker 5 (18:36):
Fifty bucks nineteen thirty eight. Figure that one out, Oh boy, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
Wow, what serious money? That was serious money.
Speaker 5 (18:45):
Yes, sure, man had to be a couple of thousand
equal today.
Speaker 4 (18:49):
Oh yeah, easy, at least at least.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
And to have that just fall like manna from heaven.
Speaker 5 (18:56):
Yeah, Shack, you're right, yeah, you're right. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (18:59):
And then so you were you were rather young, so
did this now lead into your role in Frankenstein. Oh,
because you were rather young when you were in that movie. Correct,
in the in.
Speaker 5 (19:08):
The audience of that talent show, almost a genuine talent scout.
Hey word nowadays, genuine talent scout.
Speaker 4 (19:16):
Okay, yeah, that's that's.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
A phrase you don't even hear.
Speaker 5 (19:19):
Yeah, thank you exactly, You're right. But they had them
all over the place looking for people they could do
things for the camera, right. And he was from non Universal,
which was my first major contract, but with r koays Ago,
I learned later, and he was in the audience all
the way from I was saying this Memphis because his
mother was a hospital and and I guess he's there
(19:42):
for a couple of days. He heard about the talent show.
People went to talent contests in those days, and spelling
bees were packed on television. A little, very little money,
a lot of community. And anyway, he was in the
audience when I did my cornery dude, do do found
out where we were? Where we lived in a little
(20:04):
bit one noon place I came to visit. I was there.
I'm sitting there listening to all this. I did not
understand a lot of the vocabulary. I had no idea
what Hollywood meant. Sound like a piece of candy to me. Yeah,
he did, you know, And he made an offer to
my parents to take us to Hollywood. They put me
(20:25):
in films, and I did not appreciate that. I'm listening
like radar, but I didn't appreciate all that my parents did.
Oh my gosh, Oh my gosh. The very next day,
no delay. We had one suitcase between the three of us. Okay,
I'm happy to have that. Okay, As I remember, and
this very nice man who escorted us paid all the
(20:48):
costs on a train, lots of stops to go to
the Los Angus, the Grand Central station. I thought we
were in Europe or something.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
Pretty impressive place.
Speaker 5 (21:01):
Impressive place. Yeah, our very first partners studio paid. My
mom had a real catch and she was thrilled to death.
Speaker 1 (21:09):
If you're a fan of everything we do here at
tuned In with Jim Cummings, you could support the show
on Patreon for bonus exclusive podcasts, as well as early
in ad free access to the show itself, prize drawings,
and more. You'll feel the difference, so go ahead and
join the tuned In family today at Patreon dot com,
(21:30):
slash Jim Cummings podcast, Do It Now.
Speaker 5 (21:35):
The very first film was Your Mother Carry's Chickens with
some wonderful character actors in those days. They were well
known everywhere in those days, and they gave me some
speaking role. I had a great time. One of the
scenes in that film is where a man is going
(21:56):
to wallpaper the dining room off camera. I'm all excited now,
almost five years old. Off camera and uh, the paint there,
the paper's there, the ladders there, nobody's there, right, they're
they're filming over here. I went in there. My mom
didn't see me, and I started using this ladder. Oh God,
(22:19):
put the the wallpaper rolling. V Lee, the original director.
I did three movies with him, I think one offul Man.
He saw that, and then they included that in the
in the movie Chickens doing this amateur terrible job.
Speaker 1 (22:38):
Yeah, it was comedy relief, right, yeah, look at this kid.
Oh that's funny. And and then did you ever do
that professionally? I'm just kidding.
Speaker 5 (22:48):
I'm terrible. I can draw you the math to build
a bridge, but I couldn't draw a cat. You think
it was a horse.
Speaker 2 (22:57):
You know, the old joke couldn't draw a conclusion.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
That's fascinating. I love hearing these times, these type of stories.
It's just that's so good, you know, it's it's honestly,
it's a it's a different era completely, you know, it's
completely foreign to my generation for sure, and it's it's
just really cool to get like an insight into the
into those times. So I want to fast forward. You know,
you're you're all right now, you're in show business. You
(23:24):
won the Talent show. You have to bring us now
to the voice of Bambi. Yes, oh you're gonna love this.
Speaker 2 (23:32):
There we go.
Speaker 5 (23:35):
And in seven movies before mild first person only antro
matud Wow called voice actor. The other ones I they
put up with me, you know. Anyway, we now we
have our own house, Oh my gosh, in Westwood, on
the flank of lay By Mom and Jed. My dad's
(24:00):
working on My mom is not working now. She's tutoring
me because and now I'm almost six. I had not
been in school yet. Everyone went to school in kindergarten
in five, but I had great tutors from the studio,
and I was doing third grade math and reading newspapers
(24:20):
at six because of the tutors, you know, and not
because of me, the tutors.
Speaker 4 (24:25):
Right.
Speaker 5 (24:25):
So now we're in our own a little house Wishwood, California,
by UCLA, and I'm in the kitchen and it's a
Saturday morning. I'll never forget. It's precise. And we had
the phones. We had a brand new phone, state of
the art. Look at all this stuff you got. This
phone was a box on the wall, had a tube out.
(24:46):
You're talking to the tube, and you had an airpiece,
dynamic mike on the courd like this. Remember, you guys
are too young, I'm sing they were too young anyway.
Speaker 4 (24:57):
And you had to spin the dial.
Speaker 5 (24:58):
Oh you had a dial? Yeah, sure, I showed a
dial to a young young a couple of kids Christmas time.
You know what it was. That's the phone and the kitchen.
My mom Walt Disney calls.
Speaker 2 (25:14):
Walt Disney calls, I mean, not Disney Studios.
Speaker 5 (25:18):
Walt Disney called my mom.
Speaker 2 (25:20):
Disney.
Speaker 4 (25:21):
No Disney people.
Speaker 5 (25:24):
Black California. They've never they love my being straight honors
for this stuff. I'm not going to do a hanky
panky stuff, straight hour stuff. We didn't know Disney from
peanut butter. We never had a chance to go to movies.
We did work, work, work, work, work, but you movie.
But my mom knew something that were Disney equals something
that funny and fun Okay, I remember that mister on
(25:48):
the phone too. Yeah, Disney's on the phone with my mom,
and my Mom's going yes, oh my, yes, oh my,
that's not verbatim now, but close, you know, yeah, my,
oh my.
Speaker 4 (26:00):
You know.
Speaker 5 (26:02):
He invited my mom to have the both of us,
or throw all three of us go to the new
I remember the word new new studio at Burbank, California.
Our litery was new then, and visit to help is
artists put child's expression on a deer. I remember that term,
(26:23):
must child's face on a deer. I've been asking you
some dumb things, but what this is really funny? This
lesson stick with me the rest of my life and
had done real good. My mom didn't call. She agreed,
we don't have an answer on schedule. No, why say
(26:44):
anything coming up? My mom called our agent and the
studio gave my mom this agent. I always had a
three piece suit on. You must have gone to bed
with a tie on. Very pompous fellow, and I think
he was from New Jersey or New York, talked to
a very sophisticated but talk like a New Jersey gangster.
(27:05):
No movie you and you're always very stiff and almost
commanding to my mother. Now, I didn't box in those days.
I did later. It's a good thing because I didn't
like this guy. I never said anything to my mom.
I probably should have. I don't like him, and we
all got in advantage of these movies. He I don't
(27:25):
think he ever put us in a movie. But we're saying,
this guy amazing.
Speaker 4 (27:29):
Right.
Speaker 5 (27:30):
She called him and told him I was there, told
him that Walt Disney had called. It could come about.
Blah blah blah. Oh, I'll come right over, come right over.
So here he comes, another big limousine car in our driveway,
comes into the house. We sit down in the room.
(27:50):
I'll never forget this. This is almost verbatim, and my
mom gives him a briefing of what mister Disney said. Now,
mind you, I had a lot of time with walk later,
but I'm not calling him mister Disney. And this guy
is this amazing. He can't do that and ruin his
career or trying to develop. Can't do that. That's the one.
(28:11):
Blah blah blah he swore, I remember it, boy, good
thing my dad wasn't there. Boom, he swore, blah blah
blah blah blah, can't do that. He called it a comedy.
Blah blah blah. Comedy. You know, he had no idea
that Bambi was going to be a classic, all time
classic folding a Champion movie. Right, So then I'll give
(28:34):
him that one. But anyway, he's very rude to my mom.
My mom Verbatim turns, looks at him, looks at me.
I'll never forget, Johnny, you're paying this man. I never forget.
I love that you're paying this man. What would you
like to do? This could have been about going to
help pick up garbage in the street. I would agree,
(28:57):
you know what I want to do it. I want
to do it. You can't do it. You listen to this.
You do what I tell you. My dad never said
that to me. You know, I wanted to box so bad.
I had heard I had heard on one of the studios. Continue, yeah,
please sorry, I heard one of the studios that job.
Speaker 2 (29:21):
Just turning off the phone.
Speaker 5 (29:23):
Oh yeah, I heard one of the studios where one
of the supervisors got big guys moving and shuts around.
Had fired somebody because he was messing off. Fired means
go away. Oh sure, don't even can figure that out.
So I looked at this guys, if you're fired, Oh,
I love that one. My mother says you better do
(29:49):
what he says. I love my mom. He got up
off the couch R R. Got in that big car
laid rubber. I never heard this before in our driveway
going out right. Oh boy, now you're gonna love this.
A couple of days later, it took forever to drive
to Disney in those days when you have a so
called freeways, lots of ding dings, you get there that
(30:13):
So we finally got there. Mister Disney was waiting for us,
and where they told the park he had He wasn't
like to the other studio executives, all proper, you know,
sleeves rolled up.
Speaker 4 (30:26):
Was he smoking?
Speaker 5 (30:27):
No?
Speaker 4 (30:28):
No, now I heard he was a big smoke.
Speaker 5 (30:29):
No, I don't remember that. He's telling around me. Had
sleeves rolled up? He came out of a couping down
some stairs one of the buildings there, came out and
greeted us in the parking lot and mom had just
got a driver's license. Oh boy, and he kind of risky,
you know, and very gracious about him. Took us a lunch.
(30:51):
At that first lunch with well, mister Disney, my mom
told him about my fire. I know this man's name,
but be tacking to say it. She may have Grand
scholn somewhere. I'd be tacky. Uh. My mom told him
about my fire and this guy and lay in rubber. Yes,
he knew about this guy. M He went over to
(31:11):
another counter and got me a dish another dish of
ice cream, came back and hugged me. So I got
an ice cream and a hug Bonners for fire and
that bump.
Speaker 1 (31:21):
I can't beat that. No, oh man, that's good stuff.
You're the enforcer.
Speaker 2 (31:29):
And man and and and as.
Speaker 4 (31:31):
A result, microphone closer, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (31:34):
That's right. I got to sit up. But that's amazing.
I mean, you were in an all time I.
Speaker 1 (31:42):
Think it has to be like the first Disney classic,
isn't it.
Speaker 5 (31:47):
No?
Speaker 1 (31:47):
He had yes or other like before though, I mean
right the same. I think Snow White, snow.
Speaker 5 (31:55):
Why Big One. They were my favorites so much. Oh oh,
but your excellent point yesterday right here it's wonderful, Wonderfulnessstalgia convention.
Great people. I watched folks yesterday, greater. I enjoyed all
of them. And if I seen one person frown at
(32:16):
our Nossadra, I mention. I said, you want to go
see a shrink? Yeah, nothing but happy people. And I
can't wait to see him again in the day. It
really fun. Yesterday the man came up with the three
three children and his lady and her wife and very
intelligent man. He said, Now you've got to be over
(32:39):
ninety ninety one. He said, that's right. I got that
number right. I got that number right. And now I'm
listening to this guy right FBI or something you're doing,
he said, And the other the others are here. I said, well,
Peter Bain, who was the wonderful rabbit, okay, plumber, plump
(33:01):
pump upper and wonderful, wonderful. I can't I love him
to tell him that's the plays a skunk, you know,
a gender?
Speaker 4 (33:11):
Oh oh yeah?
Speaker 5 (33:13):
And uh flower, yeah yeah, play flower, I called flower,
you know yeah. They were sitting on my flank and
he looked at both of them and he says, this
is going to be history. Now I'm a student of
a whole lot of things, and I read everything, not
Nigel down right. History, history, history, he said, has to
be history. He said, are they all the same age? Yeah,
(33:34):
we're all nineties. And he said when he said verbatim,
when was when was BAMBI reliefed, Well, it was in
the spring of a Raftster Pearl Harbor, a spring of
forty two. He wanted to release it before Christmas forty one,
but Pearl Harbor pre emptied everything, he said, And you
had to work on it for a year before. I saw,
I worked on, off and on two years before. So
(33:57):
it's eighty three years old and you worked on for
eighty three eighty four. And these are the guys too,
I said, yes, And you're still alive.
Speaker 2 (34:06):
It's important you're still alive more or less, right, Yeah.
Speaker 5 (34:11):
Let me check. Hey, guys, we're still alive.
Speaker 2 (34:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (34:14):
He said, that's got to be film history. Now I'm
paying attention. He's gotta be film history. He said, what
other movie this is not verbatim, sir, What other movie
made by anybody in the world has its main characters
not just one of two, but three or three of
you still alive? And I said yes, and we're right
(34:35):
here at this joint.
Speaker 2 (34:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (34:37):
Yeah, maybe some students somewhere or some newspaper guy that
do some research and proved that that we are the
oldest living survivors, three out of three of a major
now classic Walt Disney production family.
Speaker 2 (34:52):
Yeah, no, kidding, that's awesome, that's awesome. Not you're in
a very small club, very elite.
Speaker 5 (35:02):
And then remember my middle names, Las Vegas still here.
Speaker 2 (35:05):
For that, that's right, that's right. Wow, Well, no one's
betting against you at all.
Speaker 5 (35:13):
That's amazing.
Speaker 4 (35:14):
All right.
Speaker 3 (35:14):
So let's fast forward now because we have to hear
about your military career.
Speaker 4 (35:18):
So we fast forward. You're eighteen. You joined the Marine Corps.
Speaker 5 (35:21):
Oh oh gosh, mmm, I need to put a little
preface on that. After Pearl Harbor that had my contract
from Universal, Jenny gave people. Don't realize I found an
executive young executive in Disney a few years ago. You
did not know about this nice guy. After Pearl Harbor, right,
(35:45):
Jenney gave brand new Dynamic Disney Corporation. Okay, to the
War Department, to the Circle War Department. Yeah, he's stomped
making from classic films and gave as a ward department.
They helped make training films, promotional films, war bond raising, cameo.
Speaker 4 (36:06):
Films, and they did like propaganda too.
Speaker 5 (36:08):
Mberganda positive propaganda and gave it to them and that
stopped the Bambae production type of things. But he had
my contract, so now I'm out of work now. We
didn't talk about that then, nor did we sense it. Right,
Pearl Harbor and our entry. World War Two changed this
country like no movie has ever portrayed correctly. I mean
(36:34):
this country muscle bound at trudally and otherwise muscle Oh
my gosh, you know. And shortly I lost my parents
and I'm in a boarding house at age fourteen? Fourteen
in one week? Isn't me precige? Paying my own way
(36:54):
then and now and others always. I'm happy to say
that young people today learn what that means. Paid my
own way, never used anybody from then till now. And
I'm ninety one. Now I'm eighteen. I finished high school
(37:15):
at sixteen and boxing and football and had great life,
and I got a super full time job. That's paying
my life. Right. I get a notice from the draft board.
I had the drafts in those days. Nobody fought it.
I mean it's an honorable thing to do, right, But
it was just to go to register and get a physical.
(37:38):
But I didn't know the difference. I had no parents
to ask, you know. So I remember taking off work.
My boss was a wonderful man. I got to go
check the draft board. Okay, you call me if you
can't get back, you know. So I took a couple
of clothes of me. I didn't know any better, you know.
So I went to the draft board in last Anguish,
(37:58):
downtown Los Anglish. I'll be in an old federal building,
but I don't know that for sure. Right, huge room,
and he had some screening some things. And now where
a whole bunch of us, guys. I'm just eighteen, and
a kind of a modified towel around us, standing in
line to go to a table, kind of a funct
(38:20):
free review table, I guess for doctors asking questions.
Speaker 4 (38:23):
Right.
Speaker 5 (38:23):
So I'm saying in line, the Marine Corps loves the story.
They've documented this separate from me, I'm saying line. Out
of the corner of the of this big room comes
a man a tree dressed in dress blues. This guy
to be at least six two sixty three World War
(38:45):
two type Marine Corps first sergeant in dress blues. I
never see anything like this, right, I'm saying in line,
I'm watching this guy. But he's walking along inside the
wall over here, like like he's cheating. He's trying to sneak.
Why might dress that fancy be walking careful alongside the wall.
Recruiters are not allowed in the draft area. Later, I'm
(39:07):
a recruiting zone commander by the state and a half
responsibility many years later. That's no, no, no, But I
didn't know anything. Then he goes behind us, comes up
behind he and tasched me on the shoulder. And at
least I had the brains to say, sir, I looked
at this ruffum. Yes, sir, he said, name, mispronounced my name.
(39:32):
I got teased about this. Later, are you you jugging
kind of yes, sir? Sholl box to play football when
I can, sir, Yes, sir quote son, Marine Corps got
a boxing team and we love football, and you'll get paid.
(39:54):
I heard the we're paid and you had uniforms like this.
Really I get paid? I said, how do I do that?
He says, just kind to be quiet.
Speaker 2 (40:13):
He never quiet.
Speaker 5 (40:14):
He come with me. We walked back alongside the wall.
Snuck me along the side the wall, said kind of yellow,
bigger thing a couple of fours. An hour later, I'm
in the Marine Corps. The next day they gave me
a clipboard I never saw before my life with a
rosta on it. Eighteen twenty other guys, someone barefoot, eighteen
(40:38):
nineteen years old, economically barefoot, put us, put me on
a train, put me in charge of this group on
a train to go to a boot camp San Diego.
And they were worried about their conduct. These guys are great.
I had a great no no, no misconduct. We got
the San Diego later. I'm in the boot camp a
(40:59):
couple of times, different roles. Okay, Now I get to
San Diego at the big train station, get off. I
don't know fall in yet. I'm gonna be a very
young drill instructure soon. But I don't know fall in
catching nothing. But I knew huddles for football, right, Hey,
is huddle up? Guys huddled up? And I got the scriptboard.
Everybody's there behind me. Another chat. I look around. Here's
(41:23):
another giant guy, different uniform with but I learned later
the Marine Corps drill instructure cap on two of them.
Quote let me have that, Yes, sir, get in there,
quote get in there. I thought, wait a minute, I
(41:44):
just got hired to do something. I getting fired already.
Yeah yeah, So I got to get back in there,
and I was fit as ridiculous probability. Despite my show,
boot Camp was a lark. It was not a lark
for everybody, but physically it was a lark. I had
a great time at the end of a graduation day
(42:04):
Minco old generals loved this. One graduation day book camp.
A jeep comes up with a very real dress Captain
that I learned, uh became friends a bit later, and
another sergeant measure of the Manco world. My gosh, on
thousands stripes on getting your son. I just made PFC.
(42:24):
I didn't know anything about the rankshet party, you know,
and you have to sew among yourself. I had to
sewd on by hand. I'm lousy at it and it
was kind of screwed up, you know, one stripe, But
I got in the jeep. They tripped me down the
end of the famous Jill Field still there and the
(42:45):
Halla Valhalla is gig school. Put me to high school.
PFCs and Corbo's don gigh school senior sergeants for the
great records hand pick come drawn struckers right they sing
in rash school. I thought the drawing structure first arm
(43:05):
is gonna have a hard check. You can't be a
droll strucker. You're a PFC in the office in front
of people. Min Core loves this one. I don't know
where they got this. You looked at my orders, staying
their attention. You can't be a drun strucker. You're a PFC.
Speaker 4 (43:22):
Look at you.
Speaker 5 (43:24):
And on top of that, you're a crooked PFC.
Speaker 2 (43:31):
Crooked.
Speaker 5 (43:33):
Years later were lots of promotions went through all the ranks.
Oh my god, old guys. I knew about this. When
they wanted to tease me, they said, hey, crooked PFC,
how your doors became the youngest drum structure? We think
so well came Marine Corps history.
Speaker 4 (43:49):
Wow, no kidding, that's so cool.
Speaker 2 (43:51):
That's amazing.
Speaker 4 (43:52):
Good for you.
Speaker 3 (43:53):
One last thing I want to talk about. I know
we're running out a live them right out of time here.
I want to get you guys over to the convention.
But recipient of three purple hearts, and to my knowledge,
you meet the president when you get presented with a
purple heart. No, no, you don't interesting, you know interesting.
Speaker 5 (44:09):
I got one of them in a hospital. I got
one of them uh on Okinawa by wonderful. Uh gone,
he's also going now wonderful Marine Corps general and uh
hm hm oh. And I got another one in the hospital,
new hospital, San Diego. Very proper. But yeah, yeah, combat
(44:34):
bottle of awards, you get parades and things. Uh and
maybe they do some purple hearts, so that would be great.
Vietnam produced a lot of purple hearts. And uh so
it wasn't it wasn't it wasn't pass but it wasn't ceremonial.
And one of them I tried to get back. Really yeah,
(44:57):
well it was very minor. A couple of bang bangs.
Uh not minor, huh. But one of them was so
minor that the young corman. And I'm I'm a that was.
Speaker 4 (45:09):
I was a.
Speaker 5 (45:09):
Lieutenant then and a combat patrol looking for the bad guys.
You have all this fancy stuff today looking for him.
You found him on the ground, right, we're looking for
the bad guys. I'm a troll leader and just a
bare nick a K four said nick.
Speaker 2 (45:24):
I still out this car, just.
Speaker 5 (45:25):
Barely nicked here and didn't break anything. Wow, bang, you know,
young Corman.
Speaker 4 (45:31):
What's that feel like?
Speaker 5 (45:32):
Fix that thing up?
Speaker 4 (45:33):
You know, what's the year? What's it feel like to
get shot?
Speaker 5 (45:36):
Ah? If it's an out, I'll tell you about both
of them. If it's an outside one and doesn't break
a bone, it's like a sting, a very fast sting
with a hot irony.
Speaker 4 (45:52):
What is that?
Speaker 5 (45:53):
And that's exactly what? What is that? You know? Yeah,
if it's if it stays in there, in there or
hits hits your knee like another one did here, knock
you down, different, different kind of pains than you have
drumble in life trick. If he hits the bone, that
telegraphs to your your sensory system, a very different thing
(46:15):
that didn't slaps you know. Pain is outrageous, but it's
passing fast, passy fast. And I like the movies later
in Norfolk, Virginia, and I'm known down to the to
the Navy intelligence, very sarious assignment on that one. I
(46:36):
try to get that back because I come and fixed
it in five or six minutes, and I've been around
a lot of guys that are still crippled. Wait a minute,
I get a purple heart for this. Don't get mad
at me this whip deal, but the very strong general.
It was a colonel then, looks me Johnnigan.
Speaker 2 (46:58):
Yes, sir, yeah, I would. That would.
Speaker 1 (47:05):
If you're a fan of everything we do here at
tuned In with Jim Cummings, you could support the show
on Patreon for bonus exclusive podcasts, as well as early
in ad free access to the show itself, prize drawings,
and more. You'll feel the difference, so go ahead and
join the tuned In family today at patreon dot com
(47:26):
slash Jim Cummings Podcast.
Speaker 5 (47:29):
Do it now.
Speaker 2 (47:30):
Well, thank you for your service, no doubt about that.
Speaker 4 (47:33):
That's once a goal.
Speaker 3 (47:33):
I could talk to you all day. I love hearing
these stories. Slave of fascinating, fascinating life. To have met
Walt Disney in person, I mean that, just how cool
is that? And man, I'm sure you have a million
war stories as well. I'm going to pick your brain
later today. Yeah, that's all the time we have for
this podcast today. I want to get you guys over
(47:54):
the convention. Thank you so much for doing this.
Speaker 4 (47:56):
This was fascinating, It really is. It's fascinating. Bless you.
You're such a good storyteller too. You're such a good storyteller.
Speaker 5 (48:03):
You guys got smiles, like the folks come to this convention,
rush smiles, come to this convention.
Speaker 2 (48:09):
That's right there you go.
Speaker 3 (48:11):
For those of you watching, we're at Nostalgicon in Houston here,
it's going to be too late for you to come.
But next year, next and Nostalgicons are all all across
the country. They're not paying me for this.
Speaker 4 (48:22):
Either, but yeah, they're always always great conventions.
Speaker 2 (48:26):
Yes, and thank you so much.
Speaker 4 (48:28):
Yes, thank you so.
Speaker 3 (48:28):
Much for being really appreciate it, really appreciate it. And
thank you guys all out there for watching, really appreciate it.
I hope you enjoyed this one. I'm producer Chris, Jim Cummings,
Donnie done again. Thank you so much again for being here.
We really appreciate you, guys, and we'll see you.
Speaker 4 (48:43):
In the next one.
Speaker 5 (48:44):
Bet, thank you, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 2 (48:47):
That's wonderful.
If you're a fan of everything we do here at
tuned In with Jim Cummings, you could support the show
on Patreon for bonus exclusive podcasts, as well as early
in ad free access to the show itself, prize drawings,
and more. You'll feel the difference, so go ahead and
join the tuned In family today at patreon dot com
(00:21):
slash Jim Cummings Podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Do it now? How you doing out there? It's me Tigger,
I am Doc Wayne Duck. It's me Bunkers Deep Bobcat.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
All right, y'all, is it rate your favorite firefly you desire?
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Hold old knock Gud.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
My name is Jim Cummings and welcome to tuned In.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Welcome back, everybody to another episode of Tuned In with
Jim Cummings. I'm producer Chris, joined as always by the
legend himself, mister Jim Cummings.
Speaker 4 (00:50):
How are you doing today, sir.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Good morning, Christopher.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
It's a fine day in Paradise day today, especially with
our guests.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
It's sure. Oh my guess, we have a very special
guest for you today.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
He's the voice of Young Bambi. He was in Young Frankenstein,
recipient of three Purple hearts. Thank you so much for
your service, sir Amen, none other than Donnie done again,
thank you so much for being here today.
Speaker 5 (01:11):
Thank you, and I'm lucky man to be here.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Well say hi here now, I think we're the lucky ones.
That's right, we'll take it, We'll take it. Yeah, I'm
fantastic to see you, Sarah.
Speaker 5 (01:21):
I even asked my birth said, get place to change
my middle name Las vegask I am to what Las
Vegas to Las Vegas and Donnie las Vegas Donion.
Speaker 4 (01:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Wow, that that's going to fill up a marquee.
Speaker 4 (01:39):
That's credible.
Speaker 5 (01:44):
But the tax guys will probably get me on my
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Yeah, So you were involved in show business a long
time ago, a long time ago. Can you outline what
it was like for you getting into show business and
just overall what show business was leg back then?
Speaker 5 (02:01):
Ah, golly, I will talk at nineteen thirty eight.
Speaker 4 (02:04):
Yes, wow, nineteen thirty eight.
Speaker 5 (02:07):
And I have to give you a little sight on
this one. Yesterday a family came up and this wonderful
convention we're having, huh, there's wonderful convention. His little family
came up, a couple of small children, little girl and
you're off on the side. I'm entertaining with some other
people right there for a second. And the mother told
the little girl one of my movies was nineteen thirty eight,
(02:29):
nineteen thirty nine, And she says, thirty age, that's him,
thirty eight, Mom, he's ancient, ancient. I've been called a
lot of things ancient. Come I give me her ancient.
So when she finally came up with her mom and dad,
I said, little lady, the ancient one wants to know
(02:49):
how many push.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Ups can you do?
Speaker 1 (02:55):
Now I have to ask how many you know? That
means he does like one hundred at a second. Here,
we're not going to challenge today.
Speaker 5 (03:02):
So movies in those days, yeah, I'm mostly all black
and white. The big sets in the big studio sets,
huge things like aircraft hangers, big guys like the linebackers,
moving all sets around. Very different. It took a lot
(03:23):
of time between takes a lot of time between checks.
Son of Frankenstein. For example, we're sitting on the sideline
with the Boris call Off and the wonderful director of
Rolling b Lee for fifteen thirty five minutes, waiting for
just two or three things to be be moved and changed.
(03:45):
Boris Karloff Frankenstein, right, he could have been a stand
up comic.
Speaker 4 (03:51):
Really, he was a great guy. You know, he already was.
Speaker 5 (03:54):
He had no lines, right. But halfway through the film,
Basil Rath going, who could have been British by foreign
prime minister?
Speaker 2 (04:04):
You know, Sherlock Holmes.
Speaker 5 (04:06):
Yeah, he s Holmes. That's right, and uh, Borsh calls
me walking the other side of the light line, and
here's mom my, mom and dad and uh and maybe
rolling BV and and uh. One of the other actors
would say, hey, yelling across this, Hey, Boris, you got
(04:27):
your lines down? He had no line to go.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
Yeah, and his big speech was exactly right.
Speaker 5 (04:37):
And darn good ad too. He he's a real gentleman.
Things for culture, If you don't mind my sharing this
with you as on the side, please do. Culture was
very different. I never saw and my mom picked up
on this radar. Okay, we just came out of the depression.
We were dirt poor for these movies, I mean dirt.
(05:00):
My mom is very sensitive to this. I never saw
a man not get up when a lady came to
the dining room table in a restaurant or somewhere, help
with the chair, Help with the chair. They stood up
and the ladies came. I saw that wonderful rock homessl bathrobe.
(05:23):
I think it was his, Yeah, yeah, I saw him
get up several times. I saw him get up in
this in the sound stage when a lady there was
a staffer not on the casts. I came up with
something to deliver to him, like he's a mail or something.
He stood up. Very common and other environments that we
(05:44):
get a chance to visit. I hope nobody's offended by this,
But I've sat there with my own lady and watching
restaurants and things. Nobody gets up, party and nobody gets up,
nobody takes their hats off. Very different. Hope you don't
mind my sharing a candy with you some of that?
Speaker 4 (06:04):
I agree.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
I agree everything is a bit one more course now,
And I think it's the over familiarity breeds contempt. Isn't
isn't that an old saw that ship?
Speaker 5 (06:17):
That's ship? And or and where's the standard for that example?
You know? Now, I didn't see any of this when
we were poor coming out on the shop after winning
that little uh what do you call talent show? Thing
in one movie after the other. I didn't see much
of that before, or I did not pay attention to it.
(06:37):
But the culture of even Los Angeles and the Hollywood
dynamics in those days was an example, and I think,
I hope I've lived with most of it all my life. Uh.
We get teased about that where we live now. Wonderful people,
really wonderful people. But h well, one one guy said,
(06:59):
you show floor with her. What We've been married thirty
three years with her? Why are you saying that? Well,
you get them and get the chair for her all
the time. Wow. Well I'm being recycled.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
Yeah, that's right, that's right.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
Well that just made your parents raised you right, That
means your parents raised you right.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Yes.
Speaker 5 (07:20):
Oh my mom was a thank you sir. Mom was
a princess example, so was my father. And they were
very frugal, very wise about all the money we were making.
All of a sudden, they were working for twenty five
cents an hour.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
Yeah, before a talent So tell it for those who
don't know. When you refer to this talent show, what
what was that?
Speaker 5 (07:44):
Oh there's a Memphis Center, sheep.
Speaker 4 (07:48):
My parents had a talent there. Yeah, how old are you?
How old. Are you at four four four years old?
Just a yeah, yeah, yeah, four years old.
Speaker 5 (08:00):
It's really interesting we lived. We went from Texas, San
Antronio to Memphis for work four years old. My mom
and dad wonderful people, and we lived in a one
room place with a small bathroom and a kitchen that
was no larger than maybe when I'm sitting on above
(08:22):
a hardware store, a hardware store in memphisin ce. And
we had no entertainment, no television. We didn't know how
to spell television right in nineteen thirty eight, right, So
when my mom and dad wasn't weren't working, I mean
working working, my mom would take me down two ding
(08:45):
dings away. I used to call the stuff signs, which
actually came down like this, ding ding ding ding ding.
That's how I measured things.
Speaker 4 (08:53):
How many dings huh oh?
Speaker 5 (08:54):
I called it in the marine coops. Once it's an officer, hey,
well five ding dings away, general said, what so now
it's thineteen thirty eight and two ding nings away was
a street corner, I think a big drug store and
a huge concrete area in front of the drug store.
(09:14):
And on Saturday afternoons there was a very torn, very
thin black man who must have been to a North
Peak shurgeon and all his bones were gone. He could
move like you can't believe. And he had a recorder,
no fashion recorder where you crank up and put a
record on viatrolla.
Speaker 4 (09:36):
Victoria.
Speaker 5 (09:37):
Yeah, they cranked it up and fifteen to twenty people
easy around watching and clamping audience, and he could dance
and sing like amazing. Later I learned he was a
cousin of a famous Vadavillion. Really a dancer named peg
Leg Baits, pegg Leg Baits, peg Leg Baits. Wow, famous
(10:02):
man in in New York show busy. Anyway, this guy, I.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
Thought you're going to say, Bill Jangles.
Speaker 5 (10:10):
Yeah, I deserve that, a great dancer and singer. And
people would throw pennies and nickels, maybe a quarter. That
was a big deal. Oh that was money to a
big hat he had by the big trolla. Anyway, I'm
that's our entertainment. Wow, maybe once a week for half
(10:33):
an hour. So and I'm staying with my mom, and
I'm kind of corny in those I guess, and nobody's looking.
So I'm trying to knit. I'm trying to imitate him,
I'm barefoot. We can do we can't afford shoes. Wow,
I'm barefoot. And I think he caught my trying to
make his chipping his hat like this four years old kid.
Speaker 4 (10:56):
Right.
Speaker 5 (10:57):
He comes out to my mother and the second or
third time we did this, and asked if I could
join him out there, and my momed he's a very
courteous man.
Speaker 4 (11:08):
Bow to my mother.
Speaker 5 (11:09):
I remember that. So I'll go out in front with
him for all these people, and we do a duet
bang and I think one of the songs was a
tasket Oh yeah, send me about a basket bangs. This
(11:30):
is really important. So we're doing having great grades now,
the lots of pennies and Nichols. He's throwed it up
man and up comes at the curb on the bit
on the side. Here's all the much bunch of people.
There was a a car that the hood was as
long as a football field. Man limousine and the part
(11:56):
and the weird window was rolled down, and there's two
ladies there and they're watching and I'm noticing them, and
they waved for him. The man's name was Sam. I
learned the way for Sam to come over. So we
stopped the music is going, I'm standing there, Sham goes
over and they agreed that these true lady, very sophisticated ladies,
(12:21):
right it appeared to be. And they gave him something
and smiled, and he all excited, and limousine drove off.
He came back, showed it to the crowd and had
to be a twenty dollar bill. I don't think there
was anything larger. And twenty dollar bill everywhere went wow wow,
twenty wow. That's that's pass today, right, that was big money.
(12:43):
Yeah bill. Then he stopped their victorium, apologized everybody real fast,
and this guy was a thin athlete, great dancer, and
he dashed off. I'll be right back, right back, Okay,
I'm sitting there. Do know he came back real quick
and had several bills, and he went up to my
(13:05):
mother and gave her a couple So I think it
was either a couple of fives or maybe a chance
half of what that lady gave him gave my mother.
Half of the audience was mostly white Caucasian folks. Got
a couple of black couples with a child or two
(13:29):
and they all plauded. And that's my first experience, was
that kind of shriff that was really important.
Speaker 4 (13:37):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (13:38):
Yeah, so you were bitten.
Speaker 4 (13:40):
So how does that lead into the talent show? Or
is this the talent show? No?
Speaker 5 (13:44):
No, this is right, going right to the talent show. Yeah,
but this is Brittish significant for young people. Pick up
on this story, right, I told us before, So now
he's back. Give it my mom half of it. Two
days later, that was a that had to be a Monday.
(14:05):
That was a weekend day. Two days later and a
little bit of the one room apartment, my dad's there.
It's a Sunday, and my dad and my mom took
my hand and we walked four or five blocks, a
couple of ding dings to where Sam lived with his family. Okay,
so thank him for that, Okay, in a major, major way.
(14:30):
And I think we were the first folks like that
in that neighborhood. And they came to the door and
his wife almost cried visibly at the door. That made
a tremendous impression on the rest of my life.
Speaker 4 (14:43):
Okay.
Speaker 5 (14:45):
Then Sam had the id of putting me in a
Chaleng show. This is a Memphis is going and the
building that that that the theater we had classic movies,
remember the theater where the town show is going to
be is now I understand enough because of me. But
(15:07):
there's a national monument an armament for that state, I see,
no kidding. Okay, we'll go to mad Child show. So
somehow I'm barefoot. Somehow the lady's Sam's wife from my
mom managed to get used tap shoes. They were too
long by an inch. They didn't want to right. Boy,
(15:28):
now my mom was rey concerned about them. Turned out
there was advantage. I was cheating because I'm tapping right.
This hose flipped great, okay, and I practice for the
tap shoes. We got to the Talnel show. Now, mind you,
around four and a half. I never been in a
place like this. We never went to the theater that
(15:49):
was it cost fifteenth Central something you never.
Speaker 4 (15:51):
In the theater.
Speaker 5 (15:52):
So now we're back in the in the stage area theater,
all the big curtains are. There's a stage out here,
and my mom there with me. They wouldn't let Sam
and his wife in there. They had to go upstairs.
That bothered me a lot then and now, okay, anyway,
I didn't always up there. So now I'm watching the stage. Yeah,
(16:15):
so they had a seating age on it. At seventeen,
we learned, they learned, but nobody thought you put a
bottom age on it. So in four and a half
I was able to sneak into this thing. Right. I'm
standing there watching these high school We had a lot
of art work and theater work in those days. A
(16:36):
lot of a lot of girls in high school learned
how to do ballet, a lot of singing, a lot
of piano pianists. So I watched the pianists and I
finally realized this as a contest. And they're all a
bunch taller, and then.
Speaker 4 (16:49):
You all lot of stuff.
Speaker 5 (16:51):
I told my mom, Mom, I've got no chance on
this thing, right, So now so my turn. They pushed
me out. They had Sam's Victroulla out there already with it.
I think just gonna task it again. Don't count on that.
I think that's what it was. Yeah, anyway, big bright lights.
(17:13):
It's a good thing because I couldn't see the crowd.
Speaker 4 (17:16):
Place was packed.
Speaker 5 (17:18):
Later on, you know, I couldn't see anything. YEU, he
does it right, played played the recorder. I did bang bang.
I won the darn thing, No kid, wow, I had
to win on a sympathy vote or because I'm right.
Speaker 2 (17:33):
Yeah, you know, Hey, win is a win.
Speaker 5 (17:36):
One hundred dollars, oh man, nineteen thirty eight. Gentlemen, people listening,
I love you to death. One hundred dollars. Cool, I
got it. Now this is a second visit. Now we're
gonna make kay the next day. Two days later, my
mom and dad, we're all work. He shook my hand.
(17:58):
We walked again, nating the Sham's place. Gave Sham and
his family one half of that one hundred dollars.
Speaker 4 (18:07):
That's awesome paying it back.
Speaker 5 (18:09):
Yeah, good friends watching this wonderful program. They didn't know
that left an image on this old full back boxer, career,
marine officer, lasting impression. And it's been wonderful life because
of those early experiences. Yeah, I thought that family was
(18:31):
at the door was going to collapse.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
In shock.
Speaker 5 (18:36):
Fifty bucks nineteen thirty eight. Figure that one out, Oh boy, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
Wow, what serious money? That was serious money.
Speaker 5 (18:45):
Yes, sure, man had to be a couple of thousand
equal today.
Speaker 4 (18:49):
Oh yeah, easy, at least at least.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
And to have that just fall like manna from heaven.
Speaker 5 (18:56):
Yeah, Shack, you're right, yeah, you're right. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (18:59):
And then so you were you were rather young, so
did this now lead into your role in Frankenstein. Oh,
because you were rather young when you were in that movie. Correct,
in the in.
Speaker 5 (19:08):
The audience of that talent show, almost a genuine talent scout.
Hey word nowadays, genuine talent scout.
Speaker 4 (19:16):
Okay, yeah, that's that's.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
A phrase you don't even hear.
Speaker 5 (19:19):
Yeah, thank you exactly, You're right. But they had them
all over the place looking for people they could do
things for the camera, right. And he was from non Universal,
which was my first major contract, but with r koays Ago,
I learned later, and he was in the audience all
the way from I was saying this Memphis because his
mother was a hospital and and I guess he's there
(19:42):
for a couple of days. He heard about the talent show.
People went to talent contests in those days, and spelling
bees were packed on television. A little, very little money,
a lot of community. And anyway, he was in the
audience when I did my cornery dude, do do found
out where we were? Where we lived in a little
(20:04):
bit one noon place I came to visit. I was there.
I'm sitting there listening to all this. I did not
understand a lot of the vocabulary. I had no idea
what Hollywood meant. Sound like a piece of candy to me. Yeah,
he did, you know, And he made an offer to
my parents to take us to Hollywood. They put me
(20:25):
in films, and I did not appreciate that. I'm listening
like radar, but I didn't appreciate all that my parents did.
Oh my gosh, Oh my gosh. The very next day,
no delay. We had one suitcase between the three of us. Okay,
I'm happy to have that. Okay, As I remember, and
this very nice man who escorted us paid all the
(20:48):
costs on a train, lots of stops to go to
the Los Angus, the Grand Central station. I thought we
were in Europe or something.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
Pretty impressive place.
Speaker 5 (21:01):
Impressive place. Yeah, our very first partners studio paid. My
mom had a real catch and she was thrilled to death.
Speaker 1 (21:09):
If you're a fan of everything we do here at
tuned In with Jim Cummings, you could support the show
on Patreon for bonus exclusive podcasts, as well as early
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join the tuned In family today at Patreon dot com,
(21:30):
slash Jim Cummings podcast, Do It Now.
Speaker 5 (21:35):
The very first film was Your Mother Carry's Chickens with
some wonderful character actors in those days. They were well
known everywhere in those days, and they gave me some
speaking role. I had a great time. One of the
scenes in that film is where a man is going
(21:56):
to wallpaper the dining room off camera. I'm all excited now,
almost five years old. Off camera and uh, the paint there,
the paper's there, the ladders there, nobody's there, right, they're
they're filming over here. I went in there. My mom
didn't see me, and I started using this ladder. Oh God,
(22:19):
put the the wallpaper rolling. V Lee, the original director.
I did three movies with him, I think one offul Man.
He saw that, and then they included that in the
in the movie Chickens doing this amateur terrible job.
Speaker 1 (22:38):
Yeah, it was comedy relief, right, yeah, look at this kid.
Oh that's funny. And and then did you ever do
that professionally? I'm just kidding.
Speaker 5 (22:48):
I'm terrible. I can draw you the math to build
a bridge, but I couldn't draw a cat. You think
it was a horse.
Speaker 2 (22:57):
You know, the old joke couldn't draw a conclusion.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
That's fascinating. I love hearing these times, these type of stories.
It's just that's so good, you know, it's it's honestly,
it's a it's a different era completely, you know, it's
completely foreign to my generation for sure, and it's it's
just really cool to get like an insight into the
into those times. So I want to fast forward. You know,
you're you're all right now, you're in show business. You
(23:24):
won the Talent show. You have to bring us now
to the voice of Bambi. Yes, oh you're gonna love this.
Speaker 2 (23:32):
There we go.
Speaker 5 (23:35):
And in seven movies before mild first person only antro
matud Wow called voice actor. The other ones I they
put up with me, you know. Anyway, we now we
have our own house, Oh my gosh, in Westwood, on
the flank of lay By Mom and Jed. My dad's
(24:00):
working on My mom is not working now. She's tutoring
me because and now I'm almost six. I had not
been in school yet. Everyone went to school in kindergarten
in five, but I had great tutors from the studio,
and I was doing third grade math and reading newspapers
(24:20):
at six because of the tutors, you know, and not
because of me, the tutors.
Speaker 4 (24:25):
Right.
Speaker 5 (24:25):
So now we're in our own a little house Wishwood, California,
by UCLA, and I'm in the kitchen and it's a
Saturday morning. I'll never forget. It's precise. And we had
the phones. We had a brand new phone, state of
the art. Look at all this stuff you got. This
phone was a box on the wall, had a tube out.
(24:46):
You're talking to the tube, and you had an airpiece,
dynamic mike on the courd like this. Remember, you guys
are too young, I'm sing they were too young anyway.
Speaker 4 (24:57):
And you had to spin the dial.
Speaker 5 (24:58):
Oh you had a dial? Yeah, sure, I showed a
dial to a young young a couple of kids Christmas time.
You know what it was. That's the phone and the kitchen.
My mom Walt Disney calls.
Speaker 2 (25:14):
Walt Disney calls, I mean, not Disney Studios.
Speaker 5 (25:18):
Walt Disney called my mom.
Speaker 2 (25:20):
Disney.
Speaker 4 (25:21):
No Disney people.
Speaker 5 (25:24):
Black California. They've never they love my being straight honors
for this stuff. I'm not going to do a hanky
panky stuff, straight hour stuff. We didn't know Disney from
peanut butter. We never had a chance to go to movies.
We did work, work, work, work, work, but you movie.
But my mom knew something that were Disney equals something
that funny and fun Okay, I remember that mister on
(25:48):
the phone too. Yeah, Disney's on the phone with my mom,
and my Mom's going yes, oh my, yes, oh my,
that's not verbatim now, but close, you know, yeah, my,
oh my.
Speaker 4 (26:00):
You know.
Speaker 5 (26:02):
He invited my mom to have the both of us,
or throw all three of us go to the new
I remember the word new new studio at Burbank, California.
Our litery was new then, and visit to help is
artists put child's expression on a deer. I remember that term,
(26:23):
must child's face on a deer. I've been asking you
some dumb things, but what this is really funny? This
lesson stick with me the rest of my life and
had done real good. My mom didn't call. She agreed,
we don't have an answer on schedule. No, why say
(26:44):
anything coming up? My mom called our agent and the
studio gave my mom this agent. I always had a
three piece suit on. You must have gone to bed
with a tie on. Very pompous fellow, and I think
he was from New Jersey or New York, talked to
a very sophisticated but talk like a New Jersey gangster.
(27:05):
No movie you and you're always very stiff and almost
commanding to my mother. Now, I didn't box in those days.
I did later. It's a good thing because I didn't
like this guy. I never said anything to my mom.
I probably should have. I don't like him, and we
all got in advantage of these movies. He I don't
(27:25):
think he ever put us in a movie. But we're saying,
this guy amazing.
Speaker 4 (27:29):
Right.
Speaker 5 (27:30):
She called him and told him I was there, told
him that Walt Disney had called. It could come about.
Blah blah blah. Oh, I'll come right over, come right over.
So here he comes, another big limousine car in our driveway,
comes into the house. We sit down in the room.
(27:50):
I'll never forget this. This is almost verbatim, and my
mom gives him a briefing of what mister Disney said. Now,
mind you, I had a lot of time with walk later,
but I'm not calling him mister Disney. And this guy
is this amazing. He can't do that and ruin his
career or trying to develop. Can't do that. That's the one.
(28:11):
Blah blah blah he swore, I remember it, boy, good
thing my dad wasn't there. Boom, he swore, blah blah
blah blah blah, can't do that. He called it a comedy.
Blah blah blah. Comedy. You know, he had no idea
that Bambi was going to be a classic, all time
classic folding a Champion movie. Right, So then I'll give
(28:34):
him that one. But anyway, he's very rude to my mom.
My mom Verbatim turns, looks at him, looks at me.
I'll never forget, Johnny, you're paying this man. I never forget.
I love that you're paying this man. What would you
like to do? This could have been about going to
help pick up garbage in the street. I would agree,
(28:57):
you know what I want to do it. I want
to do it. You can't do it. You listen to this.
You do what I tell you. My dad never said
that to me. You know, I wanted to box so bad.
I had heard I had heard on one of the studios. Continue, yeah,
please sorry, I heard one of the studios that job.
Speaker 2 (29:21):
Just turning off the phone.
Speaker 5 (29:23):
Oh yeah, I heard one of the studios where one
of the supervisors got big guys moving and shuts around.
Had fired somebody because he was messing off. Fired means
go away. Oh sure, don't even can figure that out.
So I looked at this guys, if you're fired, Oh,
I love that one. My mother says you better do
(29:49):
what he says. I love my mom. He got up
off the couch R R. Got in that big car
laid rubber. I never heard this before in our driveway
going out right. Oh boy, now you're gonna love this.
A couple of days later, it took forever to drive
to Disney in those days when you have a so
called freeways, lots of ding dings, you get there that
(30:13):
So we finally got there. Mister Disney was waiting for us,
and where they told the park he had He wasn't
like to the other studio executives, all proper, you know,
sleeves rolled up.
Speaker 4 (30:26):
Was he smoking?
Speaker 5 (30:27):
No?
Speaker 4 (30:28):
No, now I heard he was a big smoke.
Speaker 5 (30:29):
No, I don't remember that. He's telling around me. Had
sleeves rolled up? He came out of a couping down
some stairs one of the buildings there, came out and
greeted us in the parking lot and mom had just
got a driver's license. Oh boy, and he kind of risky,
you know, and very gracious about him. Took us a lunch.
(30:51):
At that first lunch with well, mister Disney, my mom
told him about my fire. I know this man's name,
but be tacking to say it. She may have Grand
scholn somewhere. I'd be tacky. Uh. My mom told him
about my fire and this guy and lay in rubber. Yes,
he knew about this guy. M He went over to
(31:11):
another counter and got me a dish another dish of
ice cream, came back and hugged me. So I got
an ice cream and a hug Bonners for fire and
that bump.
Speaker 1 (31:21):
I can't beat that. No, oh man, that's good stuff.
You're the enforcer.
Speaker 2 (31:29):
And man and and and as.
Speaker 4 (31:31):
A result, microphone closer, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (31:34):
That's right. I got to sit up. But that's amazing.
I mean, you were in an all time I.
Speaker 1 (31:42):
Think it has to be like the first Disney classic,
isn't it.
Speaker 5 (31:47):
No?
Speaker 1 (31:47):
He had yes or other like before though, I mean
right the same. I think Snow White, snow.
Speaker 5 (31:55):
Why Big One. They were my favorites so much. Oh oh,
but your excellent point yesterday right here it's wonderful, Wonderfulnessstalgia convention.
Great people. I watched folks yesterday, greater. I enjoyed all
of them. And if I seen one person frown at
(32:16):
our Nossadra, I mention. I said, you want to go
see a shrink? Yeah, nothing but happy people. And I
can't wait to see him again in the day. It
really fun. Yesterday the man came up with the three
three children and his lady and her wife and very
intelligent man. He said, Now you've got to be over
(32:39):
ninety ninety one. He said, that's right. I got that
number right. I got that number right. And now I'm
listening to this guy right FBI or something you're doing,
he said, And the other the others are here. I said, well,
Peter Bain, who was the wonderful rabbit, okay, plumber, plump
(33:01):
pump upper and wonderful, wonderful. I can't I love him
to tell him that's the plays a skunk, you know,
a gender?
Speaker 4 (33:11):
Oh oh yeah?
Speaker 5 (33:13):
And uh flower, yeah yeah, play flower, I called flower,
you know yeah. They were sitting on my flank and
he looked at both of them and he says, this
is going to be history. Now I'm a student of
a whole lot of things, and I read everything, not
Nigel down right. History, history, history, he said, has to
be history. He said, are they all the same age? Yeah,
(33:34):
we're all nineties. And he said when he said verbatim,
when was when was BAMBI reliefed, Well, it was in
the spring of a Raftster Pearl Harbor, a spring of
forty two. He wanted to release it before Christmas forty one,
but Pearl Harbor pre emptied everything, he said, And you
had to work on it for a year before. I saw,
I worked on, off and on two years before. So
(33:57):
it's eighty three years old and you worked on for
eighty three eighty four. And these are the guys too,
I said, yes, And you're still alive.
Speaker 2 (34:06):
It's important you're still alive more or less, right, Yeah.
Speaker 5 (34:11):
Let me check. Hey, guys, we're still alive.
Speaker 2 (34:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (34:14):
He said, that's got to be film history. Now I'm
paying attention. He's gotta be film history. He said, what
other movie this is not verbatim, sir, What other movie
made by anybody in the world has its main characters
not just one of two, but three or three of
you still alive? And I said yes, and we're right
(34:35):
here at this joint.
Speaker 2 (34:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (34:37):
Yeah, maybe some students somewhere or some newspaper guy that
do some research and proved that that we are the
oldest living survivors, three out of three of a major
now classic Walt Disney production family.
Speaker 2 (34:52):
Yeah, no, kidding, that's awesome, that's awesome. Not you're in
a very small club, very elite.
Speaker 5 (35:02):
And then remember my middle names, Las Vegas still here.
Speaker 2 (35:05):
For that, that's right, that's right. Wow, Well, no one's
betting against you at all.
Speaker 5 (35:13):
That's amazing.
Speaker 4 (35:14):
All right.
Speaker 3 (35:14):
So let's fast forward now because we have to hear
about your military career.
Speaker 4 (35:18):
So we fast forward. You're eighteen. You joined the Marine Corps.
Speaker 5 (35:21):
Oh oh gosh, mmm, I need to put a little
preface on that. After Pearl Harbor that had my contract
from Universal, Jenny gave people. Don't realize I found an
executive young executive in Disney a few years ago. You
did not know about this nice guy. After Pearl Harbor, right,
(35:45):
Jenney gave brand new Dynamic Disney Corporation. Okay, to the
War Department, to the Circle War Department. Yeah, he's stomped
making from classic films and gave as a ward department.
They helped make training films, promotional films, war bond raising, cameo.
Speaker 4 (36:06):
Films, and they did like propaganda too.
Speaker 5 (36:08):
Mberganda positive propaganda and gave it to them and that
stopped the Bambae production type of things. But he had
my contract, so now I'm out of work now. We
didn't talk about that then, nor did we sense it. Right,
Pearl Harbor and our entry. World War Two changed this
country like no movie has ever portrayed correctly. I mean
(36:34):
this country muscle bound at trudally and otherwise muscle Oh
my gosh, you know. And shortly I lost my parents
and I'm in a boarding house at age fourteen? Fourteen
in one week? Isn't me precige? Paying my own way
(36:54):
then and now and others always. I'm happy to say
that young people today learn what that means. Paid my
own way, never used anybody from then till now. And
I'm ninety one. Now I'm eighteen. I finished high school
(37:15):
at sixteen and boxing and football and had great life,
and I got a super full time job. That's paying
my life. Right. I get a notice from the draft board.
I had the drafts in those days. Nobody fought it.
I mean it's an honorable thing to do, right, But
it was just to go to register and get a physical.
(37:38):
But I didn't know the difference. I had no parents
to ask, you know. So I remember taking off work.
My boss was a wonderful man. I got to go
check the draft board. Okay, you call me if you
can't get back, you know. So I took a couple
of clothes of me. I didn't know any better, you know.
So I went to the draft board in last Anguish,
(37:58):
downtown Los Anglish. I'll be in an old federal building,
but I don't know that for sure. Right, huge room,
and he had some screening some things. And now where
a whole bunch of us, guys. I'm just eighteen, and
a kind of a modified towel around us, standing in
line to go to a table, kind of a funct
(38:20):
free review table, I guess for doctors asking questions.
Speaker 4 (38:23):
Right.
Speaker 5 (38:23):
So I'm saying in line, the Marine Corps loves the story.
They've documented this separate from me, I'm saying line. Out
of the corner of the of this big room comes
a man a tree dressed in dress blues. This guy
to be at least six two sixty three World War
(38:45):
two type Marine Corps first sergeant in dress blues. I
never see anything like this, right, I'm saying in line,
I'm watching this guy. But he's walking along inside the
wall over here, like like he's cheating. He's trying to sneak.
Why might dress that fancy be walking careful alongside the wall.
Recruiters are not allowed in the draft area. Later, I'm
(39:07):
a recruiting zone commander by the state and a half
responsibility many years later. That's no, no, no, But I
didn't know anything. Then he goes behind us, comes up
behind he and tasched me on the shoulder. And at
least I had the brains to say, sir, I looked
at this ruffum. Yes, sir, he said, name, mispronounced my name.
(39:32):
I got teased about this. Later, are you you jugging
kind of yes, sir? Sholl box to play football when
I can, sir, Yes, sir quote son, Marine Corps got
a boxing team and we love football, and you'll get paid.
(39:54):
I heard the we're paid and you had uniforms like this.
Really I get paid? I said, how do I do that?
He says, just kind to be quiet.
Speaker 2 (40:13):
He never quiet.
Speaker 5 (40:14):
He come with me. We walked back alongside the wall.
Snuck me along the side the wall, said kind of yellow,
bigger thing a couple of fours. An hour later, I'm
in the Marine Corps. The next day they gave me
a clipboard I never saw before my life with a
rosta on it. Eighteen twenty other guys, someone barefoot, eighteen
(40:38):
nineteen years old, economically barefoot, put us, put me on
a train, put me in charge of this group on
a train to go to a boot camp San Diego.
And they were worried about their conduct. These guys are great.
I had a great no no, no misconduct. We got
the San Diego later. I'm in the boot camp a
(40:59):
couple of times, different roles. Okay, Now I get to
San Diego at the big train station, get off. I
don't know fall in yet. I'm gonna be a very
young drill instructure soon. But I don't know fall in
catching nothing. But I knew huddles for football, right, Hey,
is huddle up? Guys huddled up? And I got the scriptboard.
Everybody's there behind me. Another chat. I look around. Here's
(41:23):
another giant guy, different uniform with but I learned later
the Marine Corps drill instructure cap on two of them.
Quote let me have that, Yes, sir, get in there,
quote get in there. I thought, wait a minute, I
(41:44):
just got hired to do something. I getting fired already.
Yeah yeah, So I got to get back in there,
and I was fit as ridiculous probability. Despite my show,
boot Camp was a lark. It was not a lark
for everybody, but physically it was a lark. I had
a great time at the end of a graduation day
(42:04):
Minco old generals loved this. One graduation day book camp.
A jeep comes up with a very real dress Captain
that I learned, uh became friends a bit later, and
another sergeant measure of the Manco world. My gosh, on
thousands stripes on getting your son. I just made PFC.
(42:24):
I didn't know anything about the rankshet party, you know,
and you have to sew among yourself. I had to
sewd on by hand. I'm lousy at it and it
was kind of screwed up, you know, one stripe, But
I got in the jeep. They tripped me down the
end of the famous Jill Field still there and the
(42:45):
Halla Valhalla is gig school. Put me to high school.
PFCs and Corbo's don gigh school senior sergeants for the
great records hand pick come drawn struckers right they sing
in rash school. I thought the drawing structure first arm
(43:05):
is gonna have a hard check. You can't be a
droll strucker. You're a PFC in the office in front
of people. Min Core loves this one. I don't know
where they got this. You looked at my orders, staying
their attention. You can't be a drun strucker. You're a PFC.
Speaker 4 (43:22):
Look at you.
Speaker 5 (43:24):
And on top of that, you're a crooked PFC.
Speaker 2 (43:31):
Crooked.
Speaker 5 (43:33):
Years later were lots of promotions went through all the ranks.
Oh my god, old guys. I knew about this. When
they wanted to tease me, they said, hey, crooked PFC,
how your doors became the youngest drum structure? We think
so well came Marine Corps history.
Speaker 4 (43:49):
Wow, no kidding, that's so cool.
Speaker 2 (43:51):
That's amazing.
Speaker 4 (43:52):
Good for you.
Speaker 3 (43:53):
One last thing I want to talk about. I know
we're running out a live them right out of time here.
I want to get you guys over to the convention.
But recipient of three purple hearts, and to my knowledge,
you meet the president when you get presented with a
purple heart. No, no, you don't interesting, you know interesting.
Speaker 5 (44:09):
I got one of them in a hospital. I got
one of them uh on Okinawa by wonderful. Uh gone,
he's also going now wonderful Marine Corps general and uh
hm hm oh. And I got another one in the hospital,
new hospital, San Diego. Very proper. But yeah, yeah, combat
(44:34):
bottle of awards, you get parades and things. Uh and
maybe they do some purple hearts, so that would be great.
Vietnam produced a lot of purple hearts. And uh so
it wasn't it wasn't it wasn't pass but it wasn't ceremonial.
And one of them I tried to get back. Really yeah,
(44:57):
well it was very minor. A couple of bang bangs.
Uh not minor, huh. But one of them was so
minor that the young corman. And I'm I'm a that was.
Speaker 4 (45:09):
I was a.
Speaker 5 (45:09):
Lieutenant then and a combat patrol looking for the bad guys.
You have all this fancy stuff today looking for him.
You found him on the ground, right, we're looking for
the bad guys. I'm a troll leader and just a
bare nick a K four said nick.
Speaker 2 (45:24):
I still out this car, just.
Speaker 5 (45:25):
Barely nicked here and didn't break anything. Wow, bang, you know,
young Corman.
Speaker 4 (45:31):
What's that feel like?
Speaker 5 (45:32):
Fix that thing up?
Speaker 4 (45:33):
You know, what's the year? What's it feel like to
get shot?
Speaker 5 (45:36):
Ah? If it's an out, I'll tell you about both
of them. If it's an outside one and doesn't break
a bone, it's like a sting, a very fast sting
with a hot irony.
Speaker 4 (45:52):
What is that?
Speaker 5 (45:53):
And that's exactly what? What is that? You know? Yeah,
if it's if it stays in there, in there or
hits hits your knee like another one did here, knock
you down, different, different kind of pains than you have
drumble in life trick. If he hits the bone, that
telegraphs to your your sensory system, a very different thing
(46:15):
that didn't slaps you know. Pain is outrageous, but it's
passing fast, passy fast. And I like the movies later
in Norfolk, Virginia, and I'm known down to the to
the Navy intelligence, very sarious assignment on that one. I
(46:36):
try to get that back because I come and fixed
it in five or six minutes, and I've been around
a lot of guys that are still crippled. Wait a minute,
I get a purple heart for this. Don't get mad
at me this whip deal, but the very strong general.
It was a colonel then, looks me Johnnigan.
Speaker 2 (46:58):
Yes, sir, yeah, I would. That would.
Speaker 1 (47:05):
If you're a fan of everything we do here at
tuned In with Jim Cummings, you could support the show
on Patreon for bonus exclusive podcasts, as well as early
in ad free access to the show itself, prize drawings,
and more. You'll feel the difference, so go ahead and
join the tuned In family today at patreon dot com
(47:26):
slash Jim Cummings Podcast.
Speaker 5 (47:29):
Do it now.
Speaker 2 (47:30):
Well, thank you for your service, no doubt about that.
Speaker 4 (47:33):
That's once a goal.
Speaker 3 (47:33):
I could talk to you all day. I love hearing
these stories. Slave of fascinating, fascinating life. To have met
Walt Disney in person, I mean that, just how cool
is that? And man, I'm sure you have a million
war stories as well. I'm going to pick your brain
later today. Yeah, that's all the time we have for
this podcast today. I want to get you guys over
(47:54):
the convention. Thank you so much for doing this.
Speaker 4 (47:56):
This was fascinating, It really is. It's fascinating. Bless you.
You're such a good storyteller too. You're such a good storyteller.
Speaker 5 (48:03):
You guys got smiles, like the folks come to this convention,
rush smiles, come to this convention.
Speaker 2 (48:09):
That's right there you go.
Speaker 3 (48:11):
For those of you watching, we're at Nostalgicon in Houston here,
it's going to be too late for you to come.
But next year, next and Nostalgicons are all all across
the country. They're not paying me for this.
Speaker 4 (48:22):
Either, but yeah, they're always always great conventions.
Speaker 2 (48:26):
Yes, and thank you so much.
Speaker 4 (48:28):
Yes, thank you so.
Speaker 3 (48:28):
Much for being really appreciate it, really appreciate it. And
thank you guys all out there for watching, really appreciate it.
I hope you enjoyed this one. I'm producer Chris, Jim Cummings,
Donnie done again. Thank you so much again for being here.
We really appreciate you, guys, and we'll see you.
Speaker 4 (48:43):
In the next one.
Speaker 5 (48:44):
Bet, thank you, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 2 (48:47):
That's wonderful.
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