Old Yeller was released in 1957 by Walt Disney. The film is based on the 1956 novel Old Yeller by Fred Gipson. It was directed by Robert Stevenson.

The story is set in post Civil War Texas, but it was actually shot mostly in California.

The main character is a boy named Travis Coates. Travis becomes the man of the house while his father is away.

Old Yeller is a mixed breed dog often described as a yellow Labrador and Mastiff mix. The dog’s real name was Spike. Spike was owned by animal trainer Frank Weatherwax. The Weatherwax family also trained animals for Lassie.

Old Yeller protects the family from a bear in one of the most famous scenes. The bear in the film was played by a real trained bear.

The film was shot in Technicolor.

Old Yeller fights off a pack of hogs and eventually a rabid wolf, and the rabies scene is considered one of the saddest moments in Disney history.

Walt Disney was personally involved in approving the final cut. The movie helped establish Disney as a producer of serious live action dramas. It was one of the first Disney films to deal with death so directly.

The movie earned about four million dollars at the box office on its initial run.

There was a sequel called Savage Sam released in 1963.

Old Yeller became a classroom staple in American schools for decades.

The character of Old Yeller was inspired by a real dog Fred Gipson knew.

The film is preserved by the Library of Congress. It was added to the National Film Registry in 1993.