Old Yeller (film) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Old Yeller |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Robert Stevenson |
| Produced by | Walt Disney |
| Screenplay by |
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| Starring | |
| Music by |
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| Cinematography | Charles P. Boyle |
| Editing by | Stanley E. Johnson |
| Studio | Walt Disney Productions |
| Distributed by | Buena Vista Distribution |
| Release date(s) | December 25, 1957 |
| Running time | 83 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Money made | $6,250,000 (US/Canada rentals) |
Old Yeller is a famous movie from 1957. It was made by Walt Disney. The film is a drama about a boy and a stray dog. It takes place in Texas after the American Civil War.
The movie stars Tommy Kirk, Dorothy McGuire, and Fess Parker. It is based on the award-winning 1956 book, also called Old Yeller, by Fred Gipson. Fred Gipson also helped write the movie's script. This movie was so popular that a sequel, Savage Sam, was made in 1963. That film was also based on a book by Gipson.
In 2019, Old Yeller was chosen by the Library of Congress to be saved in the National Film Registry. This means it is considered a very important film for its cultural, historical, or artistic value.
Contents
The Story of Old Yeller
A New Friend Arrives
The story begins in the late 1860s. Jim Coates leaves his family to get cattle in Kansas. His wife, Katie, and their sons, Travis and Arliss, stay home. Travis is the older son, and Arliss is younger.
While Jim is away, Travis goes to work in the cornfield. There, he meets a stray dog. Travis names the dog "Old Yeller." He calls him that because "yeller" is a way of saying "yellow." Also, the dog's bark sounds a bit like a human yell.
Travis tries to make the dog leave, but he can't. Arliss loves the dog right away and protects him. But Travis is not happy with Old Yeller. The dog keeps taking meat from their smokehouse. He also steals eggs from the hens' nests.
Old Yeller Proves Himself
One day, Arliss tries to catch a baby black bear. He feeds it cornbread and tries to grab it. The mother bear hears her cub crying and attacks. But Old Yeller quickly appears. He chases the angry bear away. This brave act makes the whole family love Old Yeller.
Travis starts to really like and respect Old Yeller. The dog changes Travis's life a lot.
Later, a man named Bud Searcy and his granddaughter, Lisbeth, visit. Lisbeth tells Travis that Old Yeller has been stealing food from all over the area. After they leave, Travis scolds Old Yeller. He makes the dog sleep in the cornfield with him. This helps chase away raccoons.
The next day, Old Yeller shows how good he is at herding cows. He protects Travis from their cow, Rose. He makes her stand still so Travis can milk her.
Danger and Hard Choices
One day, Old Yeller's first owner, Burn Sanderson, arrives. He is looking for his dog. Sanderson sees that the Coates family needs Old Yeller more than he does. So, he agrees to trade Old Yeller to Arliss. In return, he gets a horny toad and a home-cooked meal.
Sanderson then warns Travis about a growing problem. Many animals in the area are getting rabies.
Later, Travis goes to trap some wild hogs. He sits in a tree, trying to rope them. Old Yeller corners the hogs below. But Travis falls into the group of hogs. One of them attacks him. Old Yeller bravely defends Travis. Travis crawls away with an injured leg. Old Yeller gets badly hurt by the hog.
Travis hides Old Yeller in a big hole. Travis's mother, Katie, finds Old Yeller. She uses horse hair to sew up his wounds. As Old Yeller gets better, Bud Searcy warns the family about rabies in the area. Katie tells him off for trying to scare Travis. Searcy leaves, but Lisbeth stays to help the Coates family with their corn harvest. Travis tells Katie that the hogs did not have rabies. Both he and Old Yeller fully recover.
A Difficult Decision
One evening, the family sees their cow, Rose. She is stumbling and foaming at the mouth. Travis knows she has rabies and shoots her. That night, Katie and Lisbeth burn Rose's body. Suddenly, a wolf attacks them. Katie's scream alerts Travis. He runs outside with his rifle. He sees Old Yeller fighting off the wolf. Travis shoots the wolf. But Old Yeller is bitten on the neck.
Katie tells Travis that a healthy wolf would not attack near a fire. This means the wolf had rabies. Katie suggests they might have to shoot Old Yeller. But Travis insists they keep him in the corn crib. They want to see if he shows signs of the disease.
After being kept separate for a while, the Coates family hopes Old Yeller is not sick. However, one night, Travis goes to feed him. Old Yeller growls at him angrily. Travis suspects Old Yeller might be infected but says nothing. Later that night, Arliss tries to open the corn crib. He wants to let Old Yeller out, not knowing the danger. Katie quickly slams the door shut. Old Yeller snarls and tries to attack. Katie tells Travis that Old Yeller is suffering. She takes Arliss back to the house.
Katie returns with the rifle. But Travis takes it. He says Old Yeller is his dog. Travis then sadly shoots Old Yeller. He walks away, heartbroken.
A New Beginning
Travis is very upset about losing his dog. He refuses to take a new puppy. This puppy was one of Old Yeller's puppies. His father, Jim, then comes home. He brings money and gifts for the family. Katie tells him about Old Yeller. Jim talks to Travis about his loss.
When they return to the farmhouse, Travis sees the new puppy. The puppy is stealing a piece of meat. This is a habit he learned from Old Yeller. Travis then accepts the puppy. He names him "Young Yeller." This puppy becomes his new dog.
Who's in the Movie?
- Spike as Old Yeller (the dog!)
- Fess Parker as Jim Coates (the father)
- Dorothy McGuire as Katie Coates (the mother)
- Tommy Kirk as Travis Coates (the older son)
- Kevin Corcoran as Arliss Coates (the younger son)
- Jeff York as Bud Searcy
- Beverly Washburn as Lisbeth Searcy
- Chuck Connors as Burn Sanderson (Old Yeller's first owner)
Old Yeller in Comics
The movie was turned into a comic book in 1957. It was published by Dell Comics. This comic was issue number 869 of the Four Color comic series. It was printed again in 1965.
Images for kids
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Promotional Photo of Tommy Kirk and Fess Parker during filming
See Also
In Spanish: Su más fiel amigo para niños
