Eleanore Cammack "Cammie" King (August 5, 1934 – September 1, 2010) was an American child actress whose brief screen career included roles in two enduring Hollywood productions. Though she made relatively few film appearances, her performances remain part of popular culture because they appear in landmark movies of the late 1930s and early 1940s.
Early life and entry into film
Born in Los Angeles, King entered the film industry at a very young age. Casting directors of the era often sought infants and young children to fill small but memorable parts, and King was selected for roles that required a convincing toddler presence on camera. Her screen work took place during a period when studio-era productions drew large audiences and established many performers as lasting cultural figures.
Notable roles
King's most visible credits are concentrated in two classic titles. She portrayed Bonnie Blue Butler, the child of Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler, in the 1939 film Gone with the Wind. She also contributed voice work to Disney's 1942 animated feature Bambi, providing the voice associated with the young female fawn Faline. These parts—one live-action, one animated—show the unusual range of child performers who could appear across different film formats.
Legacy and later life
After a short period as a child actress, King stepped away from regular screen work. In later decades she participated in fan events and interviews and was occasionally invited to speak about her experiences on notable productions. Her connection to two landmark films has kept her name in discussions of Hollywood history, child performers, and the making of American cinematic classics. Further details on her biography and credits can be found in archives and film reference sources: biography, Gone with the Wind, and Bambi.
Facts and distinctions
- Full name: Eleanore Cammack King; commonly credited as Cammie King.
- Best known for the roles of Bonnie Blue Butler (Gone with the Wind) and the voice associated with Faline (Bambi).
- Born in Los Angeles and associated with classic Hollywood productions of the late 1930s and early 1940s; more on her hometown and background is noted in local records and profiles: Los Angeles background.
- She died in 2010 from lung cancer at the age of 76; contemporary notices and obituaries document her passing: obituary.
Although Cammie King did not have a long acting career, the films that include her work continue to be studied and enjoyed, and her brief contributions are remembered by film historians and fans of classic cinema.