 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (June 2019) |
| Kidco | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical poster | |
| Directed by | Ronald F. Maxwell |
| Written by | Bennett Tramer |
| Produced by | Frank Yablans David Niven, Jr. |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Paul Lohmann |
| Edited by | David E. McKenna |
| Music by | Michael Small |
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
Release date |
|
Running time | 104 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $4 million[1] |
| Box office | $125-500,000[1] |
Kidco is a 1984 American comedy film directed by Ronald F. Maxwell and starring Scott Schwartz, Clifton James, Charles Hallahan, Maggie Blye, and Vincent Schiavelli.
Although the premise sounds far-fetched, the film was based on the 1979 purchase of the public land in Gorda, California by Kidco Limited Ventures, a corporation owned by four children, all minors from Ramona, California, who were heirs of the family that owned the Cessna Aircraft company.[2] After funding the company, $500,000 was invested as a tax shelter to purchase the town's land. At the time, Dickie Cessna was 14 years old and the other three siblings were June (16), Bette (13) and Nene (11).[3][4] After the Cessna children were paid for the filming rights, a dramatized version of the events was made and distributed by 20th Century.
- ^ a b "'Kidco': The Right-Wing Children's Movie That Shouldn't Be Forgotten". Filmschoolrejects.com. April 15, 2014. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
- ^ "Life Is Mellow in a Town Owned by Four Youths; Came Here to Be Left Alone Town Bought as Tax Shelter", The New York Times, November 6, 1980, pA16
- ^ "A Place of Their Own", photo in Pittsburgh Press, June 6, 1979, pA-6
- ^ Kidco Isn't Kid Stuff— Children's Company Is Big Business Now", by Cilla Brown, Los Angeles Times, April 22, 1979, pI-12