Promotion to Parent: Travis becomes 'man' of the house while his father is gone, assuming the responsibility to protect the ranch from threats, hunt to put food on the table, and keep Arliss out of trouble.Privacy by Distraction: Mom asks Arliss to get her a horned toad, so he won't be present while she's dressing the injury that a boar gave to Old Yeller.At least not until the third book, anyway. Oblivious to Love: Lisbeth Searcy has an obviously crush on Travis, who either doesn't notice or doesn't care.No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: Old Yeller protects the family from a rabid wolf, only for him to turn rabid as a result of getting bitten.Mood Whiplash: Poor Yeller, having to be shot for contracting rabies.Mercy Kill: In the book and the film, Travis shoots Yeller to save him from a lingering death by rabies.After some lingering days where he seems healthy, he finally succumbs, forcing Travis to shoot him. Hope Spot: In the movie, Yeller is quarantined to see whether he will catch rabies.Heroic Dog: Yeller won't stand down to save his family from any threat, even if it has a negative impact on him.The Hero Dies: After all he's been through, Yeller dies of a Mercy Kill after he fends off a rabid wolf.Old Yeller is so ingrained into the family that by the time his rightful owner shows up, even he sees that Old Yeller is better off with them than with him. The Film of the Book: The Disney adaptation is just as well known as the book, possibly more so.FaceВ–Monster Turn: Old Yeller, thanks to the rabies he contacts.This means Travis is responsible for the ranch and his family until he returns. Disappeared Dad: Not dead, but gone on a cattle drive until the end of the story.Determined Homesteader's Wife: She cooks and cleans, works the farm, is able to handle a gun, settles disputes between Travis and Arliss, and doesn't bat an eye at stitching a wound shut.Death by Newbery Medal: Travis ends up having to shoot Old Yeller due to rabies.This bear might have killed Arliss had not Yeller been there to fight the bear off. Cub Cues Protective Parent: Arliss plays around with and tries to catch a bear cub, resulting is a rather displeased mother bear showing up.Coming-of-Age Story: Travis matures over the course of the story, finally crossing over from a child to a man when he must shoot the dog he has come to love.Children Are Innocent: Arliss carelessly puts himself in dangerous situations, mostly because he's too young to understand the danger.Bratty Half-Pint: Arliss brings a lot of trouble on himself, and Travis and their mother have to save him more than once.A Boy and His X: Travis and Yeller become a working partnership, though even when he comes to respect the dog, it takes him a while to move on to real affection.Bittersweet Ending: Old Yeller dies after Travis is forced to shoot him for contracting rabies, but at the very end the family adopts Old Yeller's puppy son.Believing Their Own Lies: Little Arliss eventually starts believing he really is the clever hunter he boasted of being, which gets him in serious trouble when he tries to catch a bear cub.Bears Are Bad News: Arliss messes with bear cubs, attracting a Mama Bear.Averted in the film, where he is a Mastador (half Mastiff, half Labrador Retriever).The actor opened up 20 years later that he realized he was gay at age 17 or 18 and that his career was destroyed by his sexual orientation. In 1973, Kirk publicly came out as gay during an interview. Kirk played in a slew of other films in the 1960s including вЂњThe Absent-Minded ProfessorвЂќ and its sequel вЂњSon of Flubber.вЂќ He also starred in вЂњThe Misadventures of Merlin Jones.вЂќ He played the middle son alongside James MacArthur and Kevin Corcoran - who played his brothers - in the 1960 film вЂњSwiss Family Robinson.вЂќ In вЂњThe Shaggy Dog,вЂќ Kirk portrayed a teenage boy who was cursed with occasionally turning into a sheepdog. His big break came when he starred as Travis Coates in the 1957 film вЂњOld Yeller,вЂќ a story about a teenage boy and his heroic yellow dog. Kirk started his career with several television shows including the Mickey Mouse Club's serialized adventure вЂњThe Hardy Boys: The Mystery of the Applegate TreasureвЂќ and вЂњThe Hardy Boys: The Mystery of the Ghost Farm,вЂќ which aired in 1956-1957. вЂњHe made some wonderful films back in the day. вЂњHe was very much a part of our kid star community,вЂќ Peterson said. Petersen said Kirk lived a private life as a gay man and was estranged from what вЂњremains of his blood family.вЂќ

Old yeller