Overview
- DiCicco died in hospice in San Diego on Saturday, his brother confirmed through TMZ and other outlets.
- He was 63, and the family said he suffered from advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
- He discovered Buddy as a stray near a Yosemite-area cabin in 1989 and trained him for TV stunts that led to the 1997 film.
- Air Bud grossed about $23 million on a $3 million budget and spawned sequels and spin-offs that gave DiCicco 11 creator credits.
- He said the franchise paid him little, and in recent years he battled homelessness, COPD, and a 2025 hospitalization for severe pneumonia, even as a new sequel, Air Bud Returns, was announced in 2025.