This heartwarming Disney production revolves around 14-year-old Travis Coates (Tommy Kirk), who is left to take care of the family ranch in Texas with his mother, (Dorothy McGuire), and younger brother, Arliss (Kevin Corcoran) while his father (Fess Parker) goes off on a cattle drive in the 1860s.
When a yellow mongrel dog comes for an uninvited stay with the family, mischievous and disobedient young Arliss claims “Old Yeller” as his own. But the dog gives his first love and loyalty to older Travis, who teaches it manners and discipline.
Old Yeller is a thief, a troublemaker off his own territory and a hero at home. After a series of scrapes – he fights a huge bear to protect Arliss, comes close to death in a battle with wild boars to save Travis from their tusks, and jumps into the fray when a rabid wolf attacks the boys’ mother and a girl neighbour – Travis grows to love and respect Old Yeller, who comes to have a profound effect on the boy’s life.
It is Travis who must make the hard decision of what to do with the sick dog after the rabid wolf (actually a German Shepherd made to look like a wolf) has bitten him.
The subsequent death of Old Yeller is often referred to as the saddest moment in all of the live-action Disney films. Many adults have described it as the worst moment of their childhood.
‘Old Yeller’ was played by a dog named Spike, trained by animal trainer Frank Weatherwax.
Katie Coates
Dorothy McGuire Jim Coates
Fess Parker Travis Coates
Tommy Kirk Bud Searcy
Jeff York Burn Sanderson
Chuck Connors Lisbeth Searcy
Beverly Washburn Arliss Coates
Kevin Corcoran
Director
Michael Radford
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Old Yeller is a thief, a troublemaker off his own territory and a hero at home. After a series of scrapes – he fights a huge bear to protect Arliss, comes close to death in a battle with wild boars to save Travis from their tusks, and jumps into the fray when a rabid wolf attacks the boys’ mother and a girl neighbour – Travis grows to love and respect Old Yeller, who comes to have a profound effect on the boy’s life.
