puppy, "Young Yeller," as his new dog. Cast Spike as Old Yeller Fess Parker as Jim Coates Dorothy McGuire as Katie Coates Tommy Kirk as Travis Coates Kevin Corcoran as Arliss Coates Jeff York as Bud Searcy Beverly Washburn as Lisbeth Searcy Chuck Connors as Burn Sanderson Comic book adaptation The film was adapted into a 1957 comic book published by Dell Comics. It was issue #869 of Four Color comic series, and was reprinted in 1965. Reception Box office During its initial theatrical run, Old Yeller earned $5.9 million in box office rentals from the United States and Canada. The film was re-released in 1965, and earned an estimated $2 million in domestic rentals. Critical reaction Bosley Crowther of The New York Times praised the film's performers and called the film "a nice little family picture" that was a "lean and sensible screen transcription of Fred Gipson's children's book." He further described the film as a "warm, appealing little rustic tale [that] unfolds in lovely color photography. Sentimental, yes, but also sturdy as a hickory stick." Time magazine felt the "action, in short, is exciting for everybody, but all too often the dialogue is only for the very young." However, they heralded the film as being "for the kids that adults will stay to enjoy themselves. Old Yeller propounds a major tenet of Disney philosophy: a dog should be a dog, and a boy should act like a man." Harrison's Reports wrote the film "is fine entertainment for all, even though it has a special appeal for the children." John L. Scott of the Los Angeles Times praised the two child actors for "their naturalness and ability", as well as Spike the dog, writing that he "may be well be the next movie star dog." In summary, he wrote that "[t]he production is not a great one; but it will bring families back to the theater." Legacy Old Yeller went on to become an important cultural film for baby boomers, with Old Yeller's death in particular being remembered as one of the most tearful scenes in cinematic history. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 100% based on 22 reviews, with a weighted average of 8.20/10. The critical consensus reads: "Old Yeller is an exemplary coming of age tale, packing an emotional wallop through smart pacing and a keen understanding of the