Travis Coates

Travis Coates is the protagonist of Old Yeller and its sequel Savage Sam. He is the older of two sons of Jim and Katie Coates, the younger being Arliss Coates. Originally, he was the first-person character in the book by Fred Gipson. Likewise, he has to be the man of the house for the summer while his father is out selling steers for current money, as where they live used to be part of the Confederate States, but when it became part of the United States, their money turned useless. To do this, he has to take care of his family and do a man's work.

Travis was played by Tommy Kirk in both films, though in the sequel, Kirk (therefore, Travis) becomes an actual man.