1957 Classic, Named Among Best Westerns of All Time, Has 100% on Rotten Tomatoes
- "Old Yeller," a classic 1957 film based on a novel by Fred Gipson, tells the story of a loyal dog who protects a family on the frontier from danger.
Few stories are more well known - or more heartbreaking - than 1957 classic Old Yeller.
"When his younger brother adopts a frisky lop-eared stray, 15-year-old Travis (Tommy Kirk), acting "man-of-the-house," tries to shoo him away. But Old Yeller soon proves he is anything but "yellow" when he protects the family farm and saves Travis' life," the synopsis of the film from Disney reads .
Based on a novel by Texas prairie writer Fred Gipson, the film has a lasting legacy in the entertainment world, whether the butt of a joke or the inspiration of a new legend.
"Stephen King might never have written Cujo had Old Yeller not become infected with rabies while protecting his adopted frontier family from an afflicted gray wolf; one of the best laugh lines in the 1981 military comedy Stripes is when loose cannon non-com Bill Murray rallies the troops with the truth-or-dare question 'Who cried when Old Yeller got shot?'" Turner Classic Movies wrote.
'Old Yeller' Among Best Westerns
The iconic movie came in at No. 17 on Rotten Tomatoes' list of the best Westerns of all time , beating out classics like Once Upon a Time in the West , Johnny Guitar and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.
Gipson's novel was inspired by his maternal grandfather's recollections of frontier life, which included an anecdote of how the family's herding dog became infected with rabies and had to be put down with a musket round, according to Turner Classic Movies .
Gipson traveled to Burbank to assist in Disney's adaptation and to bestow his blessing on the project but couldn't wait to quit the noise and congestion of Los Angeles for his native Mason, Texas, where he died in 1973.
The real star of the show was a yellow Black Mouth Cur that trainer Frank Weatherwax named Spike who was purchased for just three dollars from a Van Nuys animal shelter.
The film sits at a perfect 100% on Rotten Tomatoes from critics while audiences have given it a 79% with over 50,000 ratings.
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This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 30, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
