Old Yeller (1957)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Robert Stevenson

Writers:

Fred Gipson (screenplay) &
William Tunberg (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

25 December 1957 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Drama | Adventure | Western

Tagline:

A motion picture to remember with glowing pleasure!

Plot:

A boy brings a yellow dog home. The dog loves the family as much as they love him, but can the love last ?

Plot Keywords:

Dog | Ranch | Cattle | 1860s | Bear

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Dorothy McGuire	...	Katie Coates
Fess Parker	...	Jim Coates
Jeff York	...	Bud Searcy
Chuck Connors	...	Burn Sanderson
Beverly Washburn	...	Lisbeth Searcy
Tommy Kirk	...	Travis Coates
Kevin Corcoran	...	Arliss Coates
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Spike	...	Old Yeller (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Stevenson

Writing credits
Fred Gipson		(screenplay) &
William Tunberg		(screenplay)
Fred Gipson		(book "Old Yeller")

Produced by
Bill Anderson	....	associate producer (as William H. Anderson)
Walt Disney	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Oliver Wallace
Will Schaefer		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Charles P. Boyle		(photographed by)

Film Editing by
Stanley E. Johnson		(as Stanley Johnson)

Art Direction by
Carroll Clark

Set Decoration by
Emile Kuri
Fred M. MacLean		(as Fred MacLean)

Costume Design by
Gertrude Casey
Chuck Keehne

Makeup Department
Pat McNalley	....	makeup artist
Elaine Stone	....	hair stylist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Yakima Canutt	....	second unit director
Robert G. Shannon	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Robert O. Cook	....	sound supervisor
Frank McWhorter	....	sound recordist

Visual Effects by
Peter Ellenshaw	....	matte artist

Stunts
Joe Canutt	....	stunts (uncredited)

Music Department
Evelyn Kennedy	....	music editor
Clifford Vaughan	....	orchestrator

Other crew
Walt Disney	....	presenter
Lionel Comport	....	hog and racoon wrangler (uncredited)
George Guessford	....	head wrangler (uncredited)
Frank Weatherwax	....	dog trainer (uncredited)
Rudd Weatherwax	....	dog trainer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Walt Disney Productions

Distributors

• Buena Vista Distribution Company (1957) (USA) (theatrical)
• Daiei Motion Picture Company (1959) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista Pictures (1974) (USA) (theatrical) (reissue)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1976) (USA) (TV)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (BVHE) (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (BVHE) (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Walt Disney Home Video (USA) (VHS)

Runtime:

83 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:PG (TV rating) | USA:Approved (certificate #18570) (original rating) | USA:G (re-rating) (1974) | Germany:6 | Australia:G | Finland:K-8 | Sweden:Btl | UK:U (cut)

Filming Locations:

Big Bear Lake, California, USA

Company:

Walt Disney Productions

Trivia:

A print ad from the Los Angeles Times on Feb. 11, 1958 shows that this film was widely distributed on a double bill in 21 area theaters. Most of the indoor theaters co-featured Ambush at Cimarron Pass (1958) starring Scott Brady, and all of the drive-in theaters co-featured Underwater! (1955) starring Jane Russell and Richard Egan.

Goofs:

Continuity: After Old Yeller catches the catfish and Travis scolds him and Arliss for being in the drinking water, the next scene shows Old Yeller lying on his side perfectly clean and dry.

Quotes:

Travis Coates: Papa, you ain't forgetting the horse.
Jim Coates: What horse?
Travis Coates: Now Papa, you know I've been aching all over for a good horse to ride. I've told you time and again.
Jim Coates: What you're needing more than a horse is a good dog.
Travis Coates: Yes sir, but what I'm wanting most is a horse.
Jim Coates: Alright, you act a man's part and I'll bring you a man's horse.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in WrestleMania XXIV (2008) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Old Yeller

The quintessential boy/dog movie

The quintessential boy/dog movie. It does have obvious correlations with Marjorie Rawling's "The Yearling". I first saw this film on TV when I was six years old or so. Interestingly, at that time, I remember the Chuck Connors character as menacing and almost evil. On viewing as an adult, that character was a perfect gentleman, giving up the dog to the boy when he was under absolutely no obligation to do so. Also interesting to see the casual, and basically unnoticed cruelty of the Travis character toward the little girl. I don't remember even noticing that as a child. Disney knew how to make real family entertainment in those days. Now, it seems that material suitable for children is targeted directly at them, and is generally a chore for adults to sit through. OY found a way to split the difference. Truly a classic.