Old Yeller (1957 film)
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Old Yeller was a classic 1957 film made by Walt Disney Productions. The dog character which starred, Old Yeller, was introduced in the 1956 book, Old Yeller, by Fred Gipson (Frederick Benjamin Gipson). The book won the Newbery Honor the following year and was made into the film, Old Yeller, which was set in post-Civil War Texas. While most of the film consists of light-hearted scenes reminiscent of nature documentaries, there is also some violence and the film includes an emotionally powerful and violent ending.
The Coates family consists of the father Jim (Fess Parker), mother Katie (Dorothy McGuire), older son Travis (Tommy Kirk), and younger son Arliss (Kevin Corcoran). The Coates are so poor that their children have never seen a dollar bill, other than a worthless Confederate one.
While Jim is away on a cattle drive, an "old yeller dog" visits the family uninvited. Travis unsuccessfully tries to shoo him off, while his younger brother Arliss is crazy about him. Their mother intervenes and Yeller eventually gains Travis' respect and love.
At one point, the rightful owner of Yeller (Chuck Connors) shows up looking for his dog. He realizes that this family needs the dog more than he does and agrees to trade the dog to Arliss in exchange for a horny toad and a home-cooked meal.
Toward the end, Yeller develops rabies after being bitten while defending the family from a vicious wolf. To protect his family Travis tearfully shoots Yeller and in doing so takes a painful first step into manhood.
Jeff York and Beverly Washburn also appeared in the film. The dog who portrayed Old Yeller in the film was named Spike and was handled by famous Hollywood animal trainer Rudd Weatherwax.
Soon after Old Yeller, McGuire, Kirk, and Corcoran also appeared in the Disney film, Swiss Family Robinson. In 1963, the Coates family returned to the screen in a sequel, Savage Sam.