An Evening to Remember: A Salute to Donnie Dunagan

A record turnout of 614 theatregoers attended the 75th anniversary screening of Son of Frankenstein (1939) on October 30, 2014– an evening made unforgettable by the presence of Donnie Dunagan. Donnie signed autographs in the lobby before and after the feature presentation. Though the film ended around 10:30, the demand to meet him was so great that he was still signing and meeting with fans well past midnight!

The evening began with a costume contest for the kids. A lottery system brought six contestants to the stage where they were judged by movie hostess Allison and two other assistants: Allie & Elizabeth. The prizes included Universal monster figures, Dracula/Frankenstein lunch boxes, and other items– some of which were designed to get a laugh. The top three winners also received a movie pass to the Pickwick Theatre as well as a ticket to the upcoming Dec. 3 holiday concert sponsored by the Park Ridge Civic Orchestra.

After a 5-minute video that introduced Donnie– “FrankenDonnie”– Donnie Dunagan took the stage and answered a wide variety of questions from program host Matthew C. Hoffman. Though 80 years old, Donnie had the energy and stage presence of a man half his age. Passing on the available chair, Donnie stood the entire length of the interview and engaged his audience with wonderful stories of working with the likes of Boris Karloff and Walt Disney.

In addition to his days in Hollywood as a child star, Donnie also talked about his career in the military. Donnie had spent twenty-five years in the Marine Corps and served two stints in Vietnam where he was wounded multiple times. He has received the Purple Heart three times as well as other decorations. Near the end of the interview, Matthew surprised Donnie by bringing out the Marine Corps Honor Guard. They had been waiting behind stage. Donnie was visibly moved when Captain James Stenger and First Lieutenant Leroy Um of the 9th Marine District at Great Lakes presented him with a letter of recognition for his many years of service. The major returned the salute of the younger men as though not a day had passed since his retirement in 1977.

The highlight of the evening was seeing 600+ people on their feet giving the Marines on stage–past and present– a standing ovation. Organist Jay Warren began playing the Marine Hymn while Donnie was led offstage.

Donnie was surprised to be honored 37 years after leaving the service. But this recognition from the Marines is a testament to the man himself– that after all these years, a country remains grateful to him. There is a saying in the Marines: once a Marine, always a Marine.

Shortly after 8:40 PM, the feature presentation began. Donnie received more applause from the audience when his character in Son of Frankenstein, Peter von Frankenstein, appeared onscreen for the first time.

The audience was universally grateful and appreciative afterward. These were people who truly understood the value of what they had just seen. This was a memorable evening for the community of Park Ridge. It was perhaps the last time they would ever see any star from the 1930s, but more than that, it was a salute to a fascinating man who has had an unbelievable life. Though the evening ran late on a school night, those kids who were paying attention would’ve learned more about life from listening to the words of Donnie Dunagan than from anyone else. Every story was a treasure.

Donnie Dunagan is not someone who promotes what he has done in life. This is the reason he has not written an autobiography. But he is a hero and a patriot, and we were honored to have had him for an evening. Without any doubt, this was the most rewarding show we’ve ever presented at the Pickwick Theatre Classic Film Series.

Thank you to all those who supported us.

Donnie met many fans on this night, including fellow Marines and their families.