Old Yeller

Old Yeller is a 1957 film about a teenage boy who grows to love a stray yellow dog while helping his mother and younger brother run their Texas homestead while their father is away on a cattle drive. First thought to be good-for-nothing mutt, Old Yeller is soon beloved by all.
 * Directed by Robert Stevenson. Written by Fred Gipson and William Tunberg, based on Gipson's 1956 book.

A motion picture to remember with glowing pleasure! (taglines)

Jim Coates

 * Now and then, for no good reason, life will haul off and knock a man flat.

Other

 * Burn Sanderson: [about how to tell if an animal has rabies] You can't hardly tell at first, not till they get to the point of slobbering and staggering around. When you see a critter in that fix, you know for sure. But you want to watch for others that ain't that far along. Now, you take a bobcat or a fox. You know they'll run if you give 'em the chance. But when one don't run, or maybe makes fight at you, why, you shoot him and shoot him quick. After he's bitten you, it's too late.

Dialogue

 * 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 ride.
 * 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.


 * Arliss Coates: What's Papa gonna sell our steers for?
 * Travis Coates: For money, of course.
 * Arliss Coates: What's money?
 * Travis Coates: That's what you buy things with.
 * Arliss Coates: What do you mean by buy things?
 * Travis Coates: Well when you have money, you give it to people for stuff. They say you can get anything for money.
 * Arliss Coates: Anything? What's it look like?
 * Travis Coates: I never seen but one piece. A dollar bill Papa had.
 * Arliss Coates: What'd Papa buy with his dollar?
 * Travis Coates: Nothing, it wasn't no good.
 * Arliss Coates: But you just said you could get anything with money.
 * Travis Coates: Well, you can, but Papa's was Confederate.
 * Arliss Coates: What's Confederate money?
 * Travis Coates: Confederate money? Well, it's...
 * Arliss Coates: Well?
 * Travis Coates: Don't you ever run out of questions?


 * Katie Coates: If that don't beat all. I never saw such a dog.
 * Travis Coates: And you won't never see another one like him.


 * Arliss Coates: Why did you shoot Rosemary?
 * Travis Coates: She was sick.
 * Arliss Coates: Well, you were sick. How come we didn't shoot you?
 * Travis Coates: Well, that's some different.


 * Travis Coates: What happened?
 * Katie Coates: It was so sudden, I don't hardly know. The wolf came leapin' out at us.
 * Travis Coates: Lucky you had Old Yeller.
 * Katie Coates: It was lucky for us, son, but it weren't lucky for Old Yeller.
 * Travis Coates: He's chewed up some, but he ain't bad hurt.
 * Katie Coates: No wolf in his right mind would've jumped us at the fire... not even a loafer wolf. That wolf was mad. I'll shoot him... if you can't. But either way, we've got it to do.
 * Travis Coates: Mama, listen. Old Yeller just saved your life, and Elizabeth too! And he saved mine and Arliss'! We can't! We don't know for certain. I'll pen him up where he can't get out. And-And then we'll wait. We can't just shoot him like he was nothin'. Don't you understand?
 * Katie Coates: Alright, son. If you think there's a chance.


 * [Old Yeller has contracted rabies and must be put down; Katie brings out the gun]
 * Travis Coates: No, Mama!
 * Katie Coates: There's no hope for him now, Travis. He's suffering. You know we've got to do it.
 * Travis Coates: Yes, Mama. But he was my dog. I'll do it.


 * Arliss Coates: How fer off is heaven?
 * Travis Coates: Oh, I don't know, in a fer peace, I guess.


 * Lisbeth Searcy: Travis? If you could just come to like the pup. He's - he's part Old Yeller.
 * Travis Coates: Maybe part Old Yeller, but he ain't Old Yeller.

Taglines

 * A motion picture to remember with glowing pleasure!
 * All the heart, all the excitement of a great frontier adventure!

Cast

 * Fess Parker - Jim Coates
 * Dorothy McGuire - Katie Coates
 * Tommy Kirk - Travis Coates
 * Kevin Corcoran - Arliss Coates
 * Jeff York - Bud Searcy
 * Beverly Washburn - Lisbeth Searcy
 * Chuck Connors - Burn Sanderson
 * Spike - Old Yeller