Savage Sam

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.

Plot
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,")

In 1870 18-year-old Travis Coates is left in charge of his precocious 12-year-old brother, Arliss, on the family farm in Southwest Texas, while their parents visit an ailing grandmother. While Arliss and his dog, Savage Sam, are tracking a wildcat, Travis is warned by Bud Searcy that renegade Apache Indians are in the area. When Travis joins Bud's 17-year-old daughter, Lisbeth, in a search for Arliss, all three are captured by a band of Apaches led by a Comanche. The boys' Uncle Beck Coates witnesses the scene and manages to wound the Indian leader, but Beck's horse is shot by one of the braves, allowing the Comanche and his followers to escape with the captives. Beck alerts the U. S. Cavalry, but the Indians split into three groups and ride for the hills; in the confusion, Travis escapes but is knocked unconscious and left to die. Beck and his posse of five find Travis and his dog, set out in pursuit of the other captives, and eventually find the Indians in a valley fighting over Lisbeth. Although posse member Pack Underwood, bent on revenge for the massacre of his family, fires a shot that alerts the Indians to their planned ambush, the

Cast

 * Tommy Kirk - Travis Coates
 * Jeff York - Bud Searcy
 * Rafael Campos - Young Warrior
 * Slim Pickens - Wily Crup
 * Pat Hogan - Broken Nose
 * Dean Fredericks - Comanche Chief
 * Brad Weston - Ben Todd
 * Kevin Corcoran - Arliss Coates
 * Royal Dano - Pack Underwood
 * Marta Kristen - Lisbeth Searcy

Production Credits

 * Director - Norman Tokar
 * Screenwriter - William Tunberg
 * <p style="margin-bottom: 0in">Screenwriter - Fred Gipson
 * <p style="margin-bottom: 0in">Songwriter - Terry Gilkyson
 * <p style="margin-bottom: 0in">Special Effects - Jim Fetherolf
 * <p style="margin-bottom: 0in">Book Author - Fred Gipson
 * <p style="margin-bottom: 0in">Costume Designer - Chuck Keehne
 * <p style="margin-bottom: 0in">Cinematographer - Edward Colman
 * <p style="margin-bottom: 0in">Makeup - Pat McNalley
 * <p style="margin-bottom: 0in">Composer (Music Score) - Oliver Wallace