BY JOE ELLIOTT
The list of 25 films added to the prestigious National
Film Registry in 2019 includes the 1957 Disney classic Old Yeller, starring Tommy
Kirk, Fess Parker, Dorothy McGuire, and Anthony Corcoran. The story, based on
the novel by Fred Gibson, is about a young boy on the Texas frontier named
Travis Coates (Kirk), who is left in charge of looking after his mother and
younger brother when his father (Parker) goes away on a business
trip. Travis reluctantly accepts a
large yellow dog into the family circle after the
stray follows his little brother (Corcoran) home one day. Despite his
initial doubts, the boy comes to see the dog's value when Old Yeller, as they
name him, proves himself resourceful, loyal and brave. In the course
of the story, he stoutly defends Travis and the family against
a series of life-threating marauders, including a bear, a ferocious pig
and, most significantly, a wolf. The story has a bittersweet conclusion but
ends on a note of optimism. Old Yeller is the friend and companion that Travis
always needed and wanted, but who in the end he must give up. The lessons
"that ol' yeller dog" taught him about friendship and sacrifice
are ones that will remain with him for the rest of his life. Of the many
"family pictures" that the Disney Studios produced in the 1950s and
1960s, Old Yeller ranks among the most memorable and best-loved. As is the case
with all these stories, the plot is simple and straightforward,
with the focus mostly on the action sequences. The human
relationships are largely uncomplicated, positive and close-knit: it is the
family we all wish we had had growing up. Old Yeller’s selection to the Library
of Congress’s Film Registry, a preservation organization that recognizes “culturally,
historically, or aesthetically significant films,†is a good one. It belongs
there.
Up until the time Old Yeller was released, Disney hadn't ventured very
far into the live-action genre. Instead, it relied
on its famed animation department to continue cranking out the hits, such
as Cinderella, Lady and the Tramp and Sleeping Beauty (another 2019 Registry
inductee). However, the enormous popular success of Old Yeller convinced studio
executives, namely, Walt Disney himself, to put more of them into production,
including Zorro the Avenger (1959), Kidnapped (1960), The Sign of Zorro (1960),
and Swiss Family Robinson (1960), the latter also co-starring Tommy Kirk. All
of these features, as well as dozens of others to follow, proved
to be great crowd-pleasers. The studio's expanding film
vault also provided a rich source of titles for the popular
weekly NBC show, The Wonderful World of Disney. Walt Disney was not
only king of animation during this period, but he also ruled the roost
when it came to providing the public with warm family movie dramas. The
studio was especially adept at producing what came to be popularly known as
"the wilderness adventure,†tales about American frontier families braving
the wilds to build a better life for themselves.
Wonderful World was where I first saw Old Yeller. I had
read the Gibson book and loved it, and the movie version was all I could have
hoped it would be. At the center of it all, besides Old Yeller himself, was
Tommy Kirk's character, Travis, who lived the kind of fantasy boyhood I
could only dream about. Every day seemed to bring a new adventure, one filled
with drama and a cast of colorful characters. Kirk was so likable and
convincing in the role that it was easy to imagine that it was all real.
Thousands of young boys, including me, longed to be him, or if not him
exactly, then at least his best friend. He was brave without
being overly reckless, daring and resourceful, and kind and considerate
without ever coming across as too goody-goody. Whatever defined the myth of the "all-American
boy" in post-World War II America, Tommy seemed to embody it.
A few years later, he co-starred in another Disney hit, Swiss
Family Robinson (1960), the story of a family shipwrecked on a
remote tropical island. Once again, the emphasis was on high
adventure and the importance of family. As he did in Old Yeller,
Tommy brought believability to his character of Ernest, the
impetuous younger brother of Fritz (James MacArthur). Swiss Family Robinson proved an even bigger commercial success than Old Yeller.
I once showed SFR to a group of fourth-graders. I wasn't sure how they
would react, given the fact that the movie was, by then, an old one, and the
actors unknown to them. As it turned out, I had nothing to worry about. The
kids loved the movie and sat glued to the screen from start to finish.
Tommy would go on to appear in other Disney hits, including The
Absent-Minded Professor and Son of Flubber. He later reprised his
role as Travis Coates in the Old Yeller sequel, Savage Sam (1963).
He was named a Disney Legend in 2006, a performance hall of
fame which recognizes individuals who have made significant and lasting
contributions to the Disney brand. It was a well-earned honor for an actor who
gained iconic status as one of the studio's most beloved stars.