Savage Sam
Encyclopedia
Savage Sam is the 1963 film sequel to Old Yeller
written by Fred Gipson
. It was inspired by the story of former Apache captive Herman Lehmann
, whom Gipson had seen give an exhibition when he was a child.
Norman Tokar
directed the live-action film, which was released by Walt Disney
on June 1, 1963.
Savage Sam is Old Yeller's son (although he was called "Young Yeller" in the movie and also looked different). He is a Bluetick Coonhound
, and every bit as courageous and loyal as his father, as well as an incredibly keen tracker. Sam mostly likes chasing a bobcat
, sometimes with Arliss.
Brian Keith
plays the boy's Uncle Beck (referred to as the younger brother of Jim Coates) who comes by to check on how the boys are doing and gives advice to Travis on how to handle Arliss a little better. ("All little brothers hate bossin'. You've got to learn how to outfigger him, Travis,")
Travis, Arliss, and their neighbor's daughter, Lisbeth Searcy (Marta Kristen
) are taken captive by Indians. Uncle Beck gathers up some neighboring men to go in search of them, which includes Lisbeth's somewhat overbearing father, Bud Searcy (once again played by Jeff York
) and Slim Pickens
joins the group as well. Travis manages to escape and is found by the search party (partly thanks to Sam's keen sense of smell), and the whole search party, along with Travis and Savage Sam, rescue Arliss and Lisbeth.
The film received poor reviews and fell short of box office expectations, paling in comparison with Old Yeller.
Pat Hogan
appears as tribesman Broken Nose. Dean Fredericks
, formerly Steve Canyon
on NBC, played a Comanche
chief in this film.
Old Yeller (1957 film)
Old Yeller is a 1957 Walt Disney Productions film starring Tommy Kirk, Dorothy McGuire and Beverly Washburn, and directed by Robert Stevenson. It is about a boy and a stray dog in post-Civil War Texas. The story is based upon the 1956 Newbery Honor-winning book Old Yeller by Fred Gipson. Gipson...
written by Fred Gipson
Fred Gipson
Frederick Benjamin Gipson was an American author. He is best known for writing the 1956 novel Old Yeller, which became a popular 1957 Walt Disney film. Gipson was born on a farm near Mason in the Texas Hill Country, the son of Beck Gipson and the former Emma Deishler...
. It was inspired by the story of former Apache captive Herman Lehmann
Herman Lehmann
Herman Lehmann was captured as a child by Native Americans. He lived first among the Apache and then the Comanche but eventually returned to his family later on in his life. The phenomenon of a "white boy" raised by "Indians" made him a notable figure in the United States...
, whom Gipson had seen give an exhibition when he was a child.
Norman Tokar
Norman Tokar
Norman Tokar was a prolific director of serial television and feature films, who directed many of the early episodes of Leave it to Beaver, and found his greatest success directing over a dozen films for Walt Disney Productions, spanning the 1950s to the...
directed the live-action film, which was released by Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
on June 1, 1963.
Savage Sam is Old Yeller's son (although he was called "Young Yeller" in the movie and also looked different). He is a Bluetick Coonhound
Bluetick Coonhound
The Bluetick Coonhound is a breed of dog. It is a type of coonhound and typically bred in the southern United States.- Appearance :The overall body style of the Bluetick Coonhound is muscular and speedy, not chunky or clumsily built. The head is carried well up and the tail carried over the back,...
, and every bit as courageous and loyal as his father, as well as an incredibly keen tracker. Sam mostly likes chasing a bobcat
Bobcat
The bobcat is a North American mammal of the cat family Felidae, appearing during the Irvingtonian stage of around 1.8 million years ago . With twelve recognized subspecies, it ranges from southern Canada to northern Mexico, including most of the continental United States...
, sometimes with Arliss.
Brian Keith
Brian Keith
Brian Keith was an American film, television, and stage actor who in his four decade-long career gained recognition for his work in movies such as the 1961 Disney family film The Parent Trap, the 1966 comedy The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming, and the 1975 adventure saga The Wind and...
plays the boy's Uncle Beck (referred to as the younger brother of Jim Coates) who comes by to check on how the boys are doing and gives advice to Travis on how to handle Arliss a little better. ("All little brothers hate bossin'. You've got to learn how to outfigger him, Travis,")
Travis, Arliss, and their neighbor's daughter, Lisbeth Searcy (Marta Kristen
Marta Kristen
Marta Kristen is an American actress.The naturally blonde-haired Kristen is best-known for her role as Guy Williams's and June Lockhart's beautiful daughter, Judy Robinson, in the television series Lost in Space...
) are taken captive by Indians. Uncle Beck gathers up some neighboring men to go in search of them, which includes Lisbeth's somewhat overbearing father, Bud Searcy (once again played by Jeff York
Jeff York
Jeff York was an American film and television actor who began his career in the late 1930s using his given name Granville Owen Schofield...
) and Slim Pickens
Slim Pickens
Louis Burton Lindley, Jr. , better known by the stage name Slim Pickens, was an American rodeo performer and film and television actor who epitomized the profane, tough, sardonic cowboy, but who is best remembered for his comic roles, notably in Dr...
joins the group as well. Travis manages to escape and is found by the search party (partly thanks to Sam's keen sense of smell), and the whole search party, along with Travis and Savage Sam, rescue Arliss and Lisbeth.
The film received poor reviews and fell short of box office expectations, paling in comparison with Old Yeller.
Pat Hogan
Pat Hogan
Pat Hogan was an American actor.- Career :Born in Oklahoma, U.S. to Native American family. He has appeared in many western television series and a few movies. Onstage, he starred in Arrowhead , The Last Frontier , . Indian Paint starred his brothers-in-law, Johnny Crawford and Robert "Bobby"...
appears as tribesman Broken Nose. Dean Fredericks
Dean Fredericks
Dean Fredericks was an American actor best known for his portrayal of the comic strip character Steve Canyon in a 34-episode television series of the same name which aired from 1958-1959 on NBC. He was born Frederick Joseph Foote in Los Angeles, California...
, formerly Steve Canyon
Steve Canyon
Steve Canyon was a long-running American adventure comic strip by writer-artist Milton Caniff. Launched shortly after Caniff retired from his previous strip, Terry and the Pirates, Steve Canyon ran from January 13, 1947 until June 4, 1988, shortly after Caniff's death...
on NBC, played a Comanche
Comanche
The Comanche are a Native American ethnic group whose historic range consisted of present-day eastern New Mexico, southern Colorado, northeastern Arizona, southern Kansas, all of Oklahoma, and most of northwest Texas. Historically, the Comanches were hunter-gatherers, with a typical Plains Indian...
chief in this film.