Old Yeller (1957)
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A young boy forms a profound bond with a stray dog in the rugged landscape of post-Civil War Texas.
The story
In the late 1860s, Jim Coates leaves his family to sell cattle in Kansas, leaving his teenage son Travis to manage the farm. While working in the cornfield, Travis encounters a stray Black Mouth Cur he names 'Old Yeller'. Although the dog initially displays troublesome habits like stealing meat, he eventually wins over the family's trust after frightening away a bear mother attacking a cub. Travis soon discovers Old Yeller's utility as a cow dog, and the two develop a deep bond of mutual respect and protection as they navigate life on the frontier.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In the late 1860s, Jim Coates leaves his family to sell cattle in Kansas. His teenage son Travis encounters a stray dog named Old Yeller. Despite the dog's initial habit of stealing meat, he earns the family's favor by saving a cub from a bear. Travis and Old Yeller form a close bond, and Old Yeller proves his worth as a cow dog. The family eventually trades for Old Yeller from his original master, Burn Sanderson. However, a plague of hydrophobia (rabies) begins to affect the region. After Old Yeller is injured by a hog and later bitten by a rabid wolf, the family quarantines him. Travis eventually realizes the dog has contracted rabies. To save the family from the disease, Travis takes the responsibility of shooting Old Yeller himself. Stricken with grief, Travis eventually accepts a puppy, 'Young Yeller', who inherits many of Old Yeller's traits.
- First release year
- 1957
- Runtime (minutes)
- 84
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Robert Stevenson
- Writers
- Fred Gipson · screenplay; William Tunberg · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Dorothy McGuire · Katie Coates; Fess Parker · Jim Coates; Tommy Kirk · Travis Coates; Kevin Corcoran · Arliss Coates; Jeff York · Bud Searcy; Beverly Washburn · Lisbeth Searcy; Chuck Connors · Burn Sanderson; Spike · Old Yeller
- Genres
- Western; drama; children's; adventure; coming-of-age
- Themes
- coming-of-age; human-animal bond; responsibility; sacrifice
- Tone and mood
- sentimental; rustic; warm; appealing
- Premise and plot tags
- Western; Animal Adventure; Family; Drama
- Source material / true-story basis
- 1956 novel by Fred Gipson
- Franchise connections
- Savage Sam
- Content notes
- rabies
- Reception
- The film was a commercial success and received critical acclaim, being praised as a warm, rustic tale and a significant coming-of-age story. It is noted for its emotional impact and cultural significance.
- Production trivia
- The film was selected for preservation into the United States National Film Registry in 2019.; The film was adapted into a comic book in 1957 and a rare comic adaptation in 1959 Japan.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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