Beverly Washburn Reveals Secret Trick for Befriending Canine Co-Stars on Set of Old Yeller

Published: June 25, 2025

Beloved actress Beverly Washburn, 81, has opened up about her iconic role in Walt Disney's 1957 film Old Yeller, sharing a secret trick she used to befriend the canine co-stars on set.

Washburn, the only surviving cast member from the movie, revealed that she used Gerber's chicken-flavored baby food to get the puppies to kiss her on cue. "One of the tricks I learned on set to get the puppy to kiss me was to put Gerber's chicken-flavored baby food on my neck," she said. "It matched my skin color, so the camera never saw it."

Washburn, who began her acting career at just three years old, has appeared in over 500 projects, including episodes of Dragnet, Leave It to Beaver, and Gidget, as well as movies like Shane and The Lone Ranger. She also starred in the cult horror film Spider Baby in 1967 and appeared as a guest star on the original Star Trek series.

When asked about her experience working on Old Yeller, Washburn fondly remembered the film, saying, "I loved working on Old Yeller. That was one of the thrills for me because I've always been a huge animal lover." She recalled that Old Yeller was actually a rescue dog they found in the pound, and the movie, which took three months to make, was "one of my favorite things I've ever done."

From left: Kevin Corcoran, Jeff York, and Beverly Washburn in 'Old Yeller'

Washburn also shared a sweet story about her crush on co-star Tommy Kirk, who played Travis in the film. "We went steady for a week. He gave me a very romantic ring. It was a skull and crossbones," she said. The two remained close friends until Kirk's passing in 2021.

Washburn expressed her gratitude for the continued fan support, saying, "I'm not really famous, but when you touch somebody like that, when they cry because they grew up watching you and can't believe they are actually meeting me, it means so much to me."

Related Stories