# Air Bud (series)

The Air Bud film series (also known as Disney Buddies) is an American film franchise based on a sports-playing Golden Retriever named Buddy, portrayed by Buddy. The franchise began in 1997 with the theatrical release of Air Bud, followed by the theatrical release of Air Bud: Golden Receiver in 1998. Following the box office failure of Golden Receiver, the rest of the films in the series were released in direct-to-video form. The Air Buddies or Disney Buddies spin-off series began in 2006 with the release of Air Buddies and it focuses on the adventures of Buddy's talking Golden Retriever puppies. The franchise features fourteen films (five of which were in the Air Bud series and seven in the Air Buddies series), in addition to two Christmas spin-offs of the Air Buddies series.
Disney Buddies is one of the top direct-to-DVD franchises, just behind Disney Fairies at $300 million, with the first 12 films grossing $220 million by March 2014.

## History

Kevin DiCicco's Golden Retriever Buddy was featured on "America's Funniest Home Videos" and David Letterman's "Stupid Pet Tricks". He then (in 1991), approached the independent production company Keystone Entertainment to produce Air Bud, a film based on Buddy. He also formed his production company, Air Bud Productions, that year. Disney's Miramax was brought on as the distribution company. Keystone indicated that no sequel was planned. The film did well in the home video market.
By April 1998, DiCicco and Robert Vince, the film's producer at Keystone, had a falling out, as Keystone and Vince had gone forward with a sequel, Air Bud: Golden Receiver, without DiCicco, who also claimed he wasn't paid anything for the first film and that he owns the Air Bud rights (based on the name of this production company name).
DiCicco bred three offspring of Buddy and trained them for sports like Buddy. The puppies were signed to an endorsement deal by DiCicco for Milk-Bone dog biscuits for puppies. He intended to make his own sequel, Air Bud: The Next Generation, which was scheduled to start production in the fall of 1999, with its concept being a "cross between Ferris Bueller and Home Alone".
Disney and William Morris Agency were sued in December 2011 over the Santa Paws films being unauthorized copies of a 1991 script for Santa Paws: The Story of Santa's Dog.

## Film series

| Film | U.S. release date | Directed by | Screenplay by | Story by | Produced by |
| Air Bud |||||||
| Air Bud | August 1, 1997 | Charles Martin Smith | Paul Tamasy & Aaron Mendelssohn | Paul Tamasy & Aaron Mendelssohn | Robert Vince and William Vince |
| Air Bud: Golden Receiver | August 14, 1998 | Richard Martin | Paul Tamasy & Aaron Mendelssohn | Paul Tamasy & Aaron Mendelssohn | Robert Vince |
| Air Bud: World Pup | December 12, 2000 | Bill Bannerman | Mike Whiting and Robert Vince & Anne Vince | Mike Whiting and Robert Vince & Anne Vince | Ian Fodie |
| Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch | June 18, 2002 | Robert Vince | Sara Sutton & Stephanie Isherwood and Anne Vince & Anna McRoberts | Robert Vince | Robert Vince and Anna McRoberts |
| Air Bud: Spikes Back | June 24, 2003 | Mike Southon | Anne Vince & Anna McRoberts | Robert Vince | Anna McRoberts, Robert Vince and Benjamin Kutz |
| Air Buddies |||||||
| Air Buddies | December 12, 2006 | Robert Vince | Anna McRoberts & Robert Vince | Anna McRoberts & Robert Vince | Anna McRoberts & Robert Vince |
| Snow Buddies | February 5, 2008 | Robert Vince | Anna McRoberts & Robert Vince | Anna McRoberts & Robert Vince | Anna McRoberts & Robert Vince |
| Space Buddies | February 3, 2009 | Robert Vince | Anna McRoberts & Robert Vince | Anna McRoberts & Robert Vince | Anna McRoberts & Robert Vince |
| Santa Buddies | November 24, 2009 | Robert Vince | Anna McRoberts & Robert Vince | Anna McRoberts & Robert Vince | Anna McRoberts & Robert Vince |
| Spooky Buddies | September 20, 2011 | Robert Vince | Anna McRoberts & Robert Vince | Anna McRoberts & Robert Vince | Anna McRoberts & Robert Vince |
| Treasure Buddies | January 31, 2012 | Robert Vince | Anna McRoberts & Robert Vince | Anna McRoberts & Robert Vince | Anna McRoberts & Robert Vince |
| Super Buddies | August 27, 2013 | Robert Vince | Anna McRoberts & Robert Vince | Anna McRoberts & Robert Vince | Anna McRoberts & Robert Vince |
| Santa Paws |||||||
| The Search for Santa Paws | November 23, 2010 | Robert Vince | Anna McRoberts & Robert Vince | Anna McRoberts & Robert Vince | Anna McRoberts & Robert Vince |
| Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups | November 20, 2012 | Robert Vince | Anna McRoberts & Robert Vince | Anna McRoberts & Robert Vince | Anna McRoberts & Robert Vince |

## Recurring cast and characters

This section includes characters who will appear or have appeared in more than two films in the series.
* An empty, dark grey cell indicates the character was not in the film, or that the character's official presence has not yet been confirmed.
* $^V$ indicates a voice-only role.
| Characters | Air Bud film series | Air Bud film series | Air Bud film series | Air Bud film series | Air Bud film series | Buddies film series | Buddies film series | Buddies film series | Buddies film series | Buddies film series | Buddies film series | Buddies film series | Santa Paws film series | Santa Paws film series |
| Characters | Air Bud | Air Bud: Golden Receiver | Air Bud: World Pup | Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch | Air Bud Spikes Back | Air Buddies | Snow Buddies | Space Buddies | Santa Buddies | Spooky Buddies | Treasure Buddies | Super Buddies | The Search for Santa Paws | Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups |
| Buddy | Buddy | RushChaseZakChance | DakotaWalkerShooterTangoPoacher | ShaqDakotaShooterSniperTango | BaileyBrandyCharlieWalker | Tom Everett Scott | Tom Everett Scott | | | | | | | |
| Jackie Framm (Sullivan) | Wendy Makkena | Cynthia Stevenson | Chilton Crane | Cynthia Stevenson | Cynthia Stevenson | Cynthia Stevenson | Cynthia Stevenson | | | | | | | |
| Josh Framm | Kevin Zegers | Kevin Zegers | Kevin Zegers | Kevin Zegers | | | | | | | | | | |
| Tom Stewart | Shayn Solberg | Shayn Solberg | Shayn Solberg | Shayn Solberg | | | | | | | | | | |
| Andrea Framm | Jessibelle and Katy Mather | Alyson MacLaren | Caitlin Wachs | Caitlin Wachs | Katija Pevec | | | | | | | | | |
| Dr. Patrick Sullivan | | Gregory Harrison | Dale Midkiff | Richard Karn | Alf Humphreys | Richard Karn | Richard Karn | | | | | | | |
| Molly | | | various Golden Retrievers | | | Molly Shannon | Molly Shannon | | | | | | | |
| Noah Sullivan | | | | Hannah Marof and Emma Marof | Jake D. Smith | Slade Pearce | Dylan Minnette | | | | | | | |
| Sheriff Bob | | | | Patrick Cranshaw | Patrick Cranshaw | Patrick Cranshaw | | | | | | | | |
| B-Dawg | | | | | | Skyler Gisondo | Skyler Gisondo | Skyler Gisondo | Skyler Gisondo | Skyler Gisondo | Skyler Gisondo | Cooper Roth | | |
| Buddha | | | | | | Dominic Scott Kay | Jimmy Bennett | Field Cate | Field Cate | Charles Henry Wyson | Charles Henry Wyson | Tenzing Trainor | | |
| Budderball | | | | | | Josh Flitter | Josh Flitter | Josh Flitter | Josh Flitter | Nico Ghisi | Tucker Albrizzi | Jeremy Shinder | | |
| Mudbud | | | | | | Spencer Fox | Henry Hodges | Henry Hodges | Ty Panitz | Ty Panitz | Ty Panitz | Ty Panitz | | |
| Rosebud | | | | | | Abigail Breslin | Liliana Mumy | Liliana Mumy | Liliana Mumy | G Hannelius | G Hannelius | G Hannelius | | |
| Sniffer | | | | | | Don Knotts | | | Tim Conway | Tim Conway | Tim Conway | Tim Conway | | |
| Eli | | | | | | | | | Danny Woodburn | | | | Danny Woodburn | Danny Woodburn |
| Santa Claus | | | | | | | | | George Wendt | | | | Richard Riehle | Pat Finn |
| Mrs. Claus | | | | | | | | | | | | | Patrika Darbo | Cheryl Ladd |
* Note: A dark gray cell indicates the character does not appear in the film.

## Crew

| Credited as | Air Bud film series | Air Bud film series | Air Bud film series | Air Bud film series | Air Bud film series | Spin-offs | Spin-offs | Spin-offs | Spin-offs | Spin-offs | Spin-offs | Spin-offs | Spin-offs | Spin-offs |
| Credited as | Air Bud film series | Air Bud film series | Air Bud film series | Air Bud film series | Air Bud film series | Air Buddies film series | Air Buddies film series | Air Buddies film series | Air Buddies film series | Air Buddies film series | Air Buddies film series | Air Buddies film series | Santa Paws film series | Santa Paws film series |
| Credited as | Air Bud (1997) | Air Bud: Golden Receiver (1998) | Air Bud: World Pup (2000) | Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch (2002) | Air Bud: Spikes Back (2003) | Air Buddies (2006) | Snow Buddies (2008) | Space Buddies (2009) | Santa Buddies: Here Comes Santa Paws/The Legend of Santa Paws (2009) | Spooky Buddies (2011) | Treasure Buddies (2012) | Super Buddies (2013) | The Search for Santa Paws (2010) | Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups (2012) |
| Director | Charles Martin Smith | Richard Martin | Bill Bannerman | Robert Vince | Mike Southon | Robert Vince | Robert Vince | Robert Vince | Robert Vince | Robert Vince | Robert Vince | Robert Vince | Robert Vince | Robert Vince |
| Producer(s) | Robert Vince, Michael Strange, William Vince | Robert Vince | Ian Fodie | Anna McRoberts, Robert Vince | Anna McRoberts, Robert Vince | Anna McRoberts, Robert Vince | Anna McRoberts, Robert Vince | Anna McRoberts, Robert Vince | Anna McRoberts, Robert Vince | Anna McRoberts, Robert Vince | Anna McRoberts, Robert Vince | Anna McRoberts, Robert Vince | Anna McRoberts, Robert Vince | Anna McRoberts, Robert Vince |
| Screenwriter(s) | Paul Tamasy, Aaron Mendelsohn | Paul Tamasy, Aaron Mendelsohn | Mike Whiting, Robert Vince, Anne Vince | Sara Sutton, Stephanie Isherwood, Anne Vince, Anna McRoberts | Anne Vince, Anna McRoberts | Anna McRoberts, Robert Vince, Phil Hanley | Robert Vince, Anna McRoberts | Robert Vince, Anna McRoberts | Robert Vince, Anna McRoberts | Robert Vince, Anna McRoberts | Robert Vince, Anna McRoberts | Robert Vince, Anna McRoberts | Robert Vince, Anna McRoberts | Robert Vince, Anna McRoberts, Philip Fracassi |
| Story by | Paul Tamasy, Aaron Mendelsohn | Paul Tamasy, Aaron Mendelsohn | Mike Whiting, Robert Vince, Anne Vince | Robert Vince | Robert Vince | | Anna McRoberts, Robert Vince, Phil Hanley | Robert Vince, Anna McRoberts | Robert Vince, Anna McRoberts | Robert Vince, Anna McRoberts | Robert Vince, Anna McRoberts | Robert Vince, Anna McRoberts | Robert Vince, Anna McRoberts | Robert Vince, Anna McRoberts | Robert Vince, Anna McRoberts, Philip Fracassi |
| Composer(s) | Brahm Wenger | Brahm Wenger | Brahm Wenger | Brahm Wenger | Brahm Wenger | Brahm Wenger | Brahm Wenger | Brahm Wenger, Gregory Prechel | Brahm Wenger | Brahm Wenger | Brahm Wenger | Brahm Wenger | Brahm Wenger | Brahm Wenger |
| Cinematographer | Mike Southon | Mike Southon | Cyrus Block | Steve Adelson | Mike Southon | Mike Southon | Kamal Derkaoui | Kamal Derkaoui | Kamal Derkaoui | Mike Southon | Kamal Derkaoui | Mark Irwin | Kamal Derkaoui | Mark Irwin |
| Editor(s) | Alison Vince | Bruce Lange, Melinda Seabrook | Kelly Herron, Laura Mazur | Kelly Herron, Jason Pielak | Kelly Herron, Jason Pielak | Kelly Herron, Jason Pielak | Kelly Herron | Kelly Herron | Kelly Herron | Kelly Herron | Jason Pielak | Kelly Herron | Kelly Herron | Kelly Herron |