Old Yeller Trivia Quiz

Answer: Fess Parker

Fess Parker was best known for his roles as Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone on television. As Jim Coates, in "Old Yeller", he logged only approximately ten minutes of screen time. However, at the end of the film he did give one of the greatest father to son speeches in movie history.

Answer: Travis and Arliss

Travis was played by Tommy Kirk. He starred in numerous Disney films, including "The Shaggy Dog" and "Swiss Family Robinson". Kevin Corcoran played younger brother, Arliss. He became best known as 'Moochie' in many Disney ventures. He and Tommy Kirk played brothers in five separate films.

Answer: Dangles a venison leg over the dog

Travis killed a buck earlier in the day. He smokes the meat, and hangs it to cure in the evening air. He sees Yeller nearby, and deliberately hangs the venison leg low enough for the dog to get to. He tells the dog, "If you touch a scrap of this meat I'll shoot you right between the eyes".

He goes to bed, and arises the next morning. He grabs his gun fully expecting to shoot Old Yeller. Amazingly, Yeller sits right next to the hanging meat, and it has gone untouched.

Answer: Saves the younger son from a bear attack

Old Yeller actually does all these things, and more. However, the most momentous thing he does is save Arliss from a bear attack. Arliss is foolishly feeding a bear cub some cornbread, and then grabs the cub. The mother bear hears her cub wailing, and charges for the attack. Yeller charges in, as well, and chases the bears away. Mrs. Coates (Dorothy McGuire) exclaims, "You crazy, wonderful dog", and Old Yeller becomes part of their family.

Answer: Chuck Connors

Connors is best known for playing Lucas McCain in the T.V series "The Rifleman". Mr. Connors was also one of only a handful of men to play both pro baseball and pro basketball. In the role of Burn Sanderson he gives Travis some sage advice about rabies, which is plaguing the countryside near the Coates ranch.

He tells him, "You take a bobcat or a fox. You know they'll run from ya if given the chance, but if one don't run or it makes fight at ya. You shoot em, and ya shoot em quick".

Answer: Horny toad and a hot cooked meal

Initially the Coates give Mr. Sanderson back his dog. However, Arliss gets upset that he is 'stealing' his dog, and throws rocks at Burn Sanderson. Mr. Sanderson realizes how much the family needs, and has grown to love Old Yeller. He tells Arliss, "If you fetch me up a beautiful horny toad I fancied back yonder, and have your mama fix me up one hot cooked meal, the dog is yours".

Answer: Wild hogs

Travis is trying to mark feral hogs with the Coates brand. He accidentally falls into the pack of hogs, and is torn up by their tusks. Yeller rushes in, and saves Travis. However, the dog is seriously injured, and takes a long while to be nursed back to health.

Answer: Lisbeth

Bud Searcy is more of a hindrance than a help, usually. He likes to freeload food, and leave any work to be done to the women and children. He offers to leave his daughter with the Coates family, as an added hand around the ranch. Lisbeth Searcy was played by Beverly Washburn.

She had some guest appearances later on in various TV series. "Star Trek" and "The Streets of San Francisco" were a couple examples.

Answer: The elder son

Mrs. Katie Coates says, "No wolf in his right mind would've jumped us at the fire. That wolf was 'mad'... I'll shoot Old Yeller if you can't. There's no hope for him, he's suffering". Travis replies, "Yes mama, but he was my dog. I'll shoot him". With the report of a black powder rifle, thus ends one of the most tear inducing moments in movie history.

Answer: Horse

Travis had asked his dad for a horse. His father told him if he did a man's job of taking care of the ranch while he was gone, then he'd get him a man's gift (a horse). However, Travis is too grief stricken to appreciate the gift. Mr. Coates gives Travis an even more special gift with this advice, "Now and then, for no good reason a man can figure out, life will just haul off and knock him down flat. Slam him against the ground so hard it seems like his whole insides is busted.

But life ain't all like that.

A whole lot of it is mighty fine. You can't afford to waste the good, frettin' about the bad. If you do that, it makes it all bad". No truer words were ever spoken than those.