Old Yeller is a 1957 American Western drama film directed by Robert Stevenson and produced by Walt Disney.

It stars Dorothy McGuire and Fess Parker, with Tommy Kirk, Kevin Corcoran, and Chuck Connors.

Old Yeller was released on December 25, 1957, to critical acclaim, and was a commercial success, becoming the fifth highest-grossing film of 1957 and earning $6.25 million in the United States and Canada.

Yeller's habit of stealing meat from smokehouses and robbing hens' nests does not endear him to Travis, but his mother agrees with the idea of Arliss having a dog.

Realizing that the Coates family really needs Old Yeller, he agrees to trade him to Arliss for a horny toad and a home-cooked meal.

As Old Yeller recovers, Searcy warns the Coates family of hydrophobia in the area but Katie chastises him for trying to scare Travis.

Katie's scream alerts Travis, who runs outside with a rifle, just in time to see Old Yeller fighting off the wolf.

Katie then suggests shooting Old Yeller, but Travis insists that they instead pen him in the corn crib to see if he shows symptoms of the disease.

Upon returning to the farmhouse, Travis observes the puppy stealing a piece of meat, a habit inherited from Old Yeller.

[5] During its initial theatrical run, Old Yeller earned $5.9 million in box office rentals from the United States and Canada.

"[8] Time magazine felt the "action, in short, is exciting for everybody, but all too often the dialogue is only for the very young", but they heralded the film as being "for the kids that adults will stay to enjoy themselves.

The critical consensus reads: "Old Yeller is an exemplary coming of age tale, packing an emotional wallop through smart pacing and a keen understanding of the elemental bonding between humanity and their furry best friends".

[13] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 84 out of 100, based on 6 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".

[15] Critic Jeff Walls wrote: Old Yeller, like The Wizard of Oz and Star Wars, has come to be more than just a movie; it has become a part of our culture.

[16]In 1963, Walt Disney Productions released Savage Sam, the sequel to Old Yeller adapted from the book written by the same author, Fred Gipson.