Kevin DiCicco, ‘Air Bud’ Creator, Dies at 63

Kevin DiCicco, the creator of the beloved Air Bud film franchise, died Saturday in hospice care in San Diego, California, his brother Mark DiCicco confirmed to TMZ. He was 63.

DiCicco rose to prominence as the owner of Buddy, a golden retriever whose natural basketball skills sparked the wildly popular series of family films. He adopted Buddy in 1989 after finding him near his cabin in the Sierra Nevada mountains, and began training the dog in a variety of sports, including basketball, baseball, football, and soccer. Their talents were showcased on America’s Funniest Home Videos and on David Letterman’s “Stupid Pet Tricks” segment.

The first Air Bud film, directed by Charles Martin Smith and released in 1997, told the story of Buddy, a circus dog who escapes an abusive clown and helps a young boy’s basketball team win a championship. Produced by Keystone Entertainment and Disney’s Miramax label, the film was a surprise hit, grossing $23 million on a $3 million budget. It launched a franchise that included the sequel Air Bud: Golden Receiver (1998) and a string of direct-to-video releases, including Air Buddies, Snow Buddies, and Santa Buddies, through 2012. Another Air Bud film is currently in development, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

While the Air Bud franchise collectively earned more than $200 million, DiCicco revealed in recent interviews that he did not significantly profit from its success. “They are so cleverly crafted to craft sure that these films don’t really ever receive the big money,” he told Fox 5 San Diego. “That’s why we now locate ourselves in a position of instead of enjoying those twilight years and sliding into retirement, we’re almost having to start over.”

In the years following his success, DiCicco faced significant personal hardship. He lost his job as a property manager during the COVID-19 pandemic and experienced homelessness. He also struggled with health issues, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which he attributed to using medical marijuana. He required an oxygen tank to breathe, and a GoFundMe campaign helped to cover his expenses.

“My obsession with sport, and his obsession with ball playing, the combination of the two, created this tremendous canine athlete,” DiCicco said of Buddy in a 2024 interview, as reported by NBC News. Buddy died in February 1998 at the age of nine, having appeared only in the first Air Bud film. DiCicco continued the franchise by breeding and training three of Buddy’s offspring.

DiCicco’s brother, Mark, confirmed his passing to TMZ, noting that he had been battling respiratory issues for over a year.