Kevin DiCicco, the dog trainer and creator behind the beloved “Air Bud” film franchise, has died at the age of 63, his family confirmed. DiCicco died March 21 in San Diego after spending time in hospice care, his brother Mark told TMZ.
DiCicco first rose to national attention when he rescued a stray Golden Retriever near his Yosemite cabin and trained the dog — named Buddy — to play sports. Buddy’s tricks landed him on “America’s Funniest Home Videos” and “Late Night With David Letterman.”
DiCicco worked with independent producer Keystone Entertainment to get his idea for a film off the ground. Miramax acquired distribution rights to “Air Bud,” which was released straight to video by its parent company Disney. The movie’s success spawned a series of sequels, including “Air Bud: Spikes Back” and “Air Buddies,” turning Buddy into a family film icon and earning DiCicco 11 credits across the franchise for creating the character.
DiCicco faced personal challenges in his later years, including health issues such as COPD that required hospitalization. He publicly shared that he had been facing homelessness in San Diego and dealing with chronic illness, but his focus remained on the legacy of Buddy and the joy the films brought to audiences.
However, he told Fox 5 San Diego that he never made much money from the movies. “They are so cleverly crafted to make sure that these films don’t really ever receive the big money,” DiCicco told the news statoin. “That’s why we now find ourselves in a position of instead of enjoying those twilight years and sliding into retirement, we’re almost having to start over.”
A new installment in the franchise, “Air Bud Returns,” was announced in 2025.
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