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Luke Davenport (Brock Pierce), the isolated and unruly 13-year-old son of President Paul Davenport (James Naughton) and First Lady Linda (Lisa Eichhorn), needs a new bodyguard after he gets Secret Service agent Woods (Timothy Busfield) fired for mistreating him in front of the media.
When former champion boxer Sam Simms (Sinbad) is put on the assignment, the two strike up an unlikely friendship that ends helping Luke but getting Simms fired, too. Fortunately for Luke, Simms is there to save the day when he’s kidnapped by a vengeful Woods. Sinbad’s comedy is the highlight of this 1996 film directed by David Mickey Evans and written by Tim Kelleher—who was inspired by a photo of a young Chelsea Clinton.
Watch First Kid online for a good family laugh, and read on in this First Kid streaming guide to learn about the actors, what the critics said and more.
Here’s how to stream First Kid right now:
How to Stream ‘First Kid’ – Exclusively on Disney+
First Kid is one of the cult-favorite Disney movies that will be streaming exclusively on Disney’s new subscription streaming service, Disney+.
You can sign up for a 7-day free trial of Disney+ HERE, which will allow you to stream First Kid and hundreds of other movies and shows on your computer, phone, tablet, smart TV or streaming device. If you extend past the free trial, the service costs $6.99/month. You may also opt for this discount bundle of Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ for $12.99/month.
- 1. Sign up for Disney+ here
- 2. Go to Disneyplus.com or download the Disney+ app on your device
- 3. Log in using your information
- 4. Search for “First Kid”
- 5. Tap on First Kid
- 6. Tap the Play Button
- 7. Enjoy!
Disney+ also boasts a vast library of Disney-owned movies and series — plus several new original series coming soon. The service includes unlimited downloads so you can watch offline whenever and wherever you want. The list of compatible devices and smart TVs includes iPads, Apple TV, Amazon devices, Amazon Fire TV, Android, Chromecast, Roku, PS4, and Xbox One.
‘First Kid’: Overview
Release Date: August 30, 1996
Creators: Executive Producers Sinbad, Tim Kelleher and Dale De La Torre, Producers Roger Birnbaum and Riley Kathryn Ellis, Writer Tim Kelleher
Director: David Mickey Evans
Starring: Sinbad, Brock Pierce, Blake Boyd, Timothy Busfield, James Naughton, Lisa Eichhorn
Rating: PG
Synopsis: When “First Kid” Luke Davenport—the isolated and trouble-making son of the President of the United States—gets a new Secret Service bodyguard, he learns a lesson about friendship.
How Long Is ‘First Kid’?
First Kid is a 101-minute family comedy.
‘First Kid’ Plot
Luke Davenport, the isolated and unruly 13-year-old son of President Paul Davenport and First Lady Linda, needs a new bodyguard after he gets Secret Service agent Woods fired for mistreating him in front of the media. When former champion boxer Sam Simms is put on the assignment—hoping it will be a path to a job with the President himself—things start out badly. But when Simms finds Luke getting beaten up by a classmate, he manages to connect with the teen and agrees to teach him how to fight. Simms also helps Luke get over his fear and get a date to the dance with the most beautiful girl in school, Katie Warren. The night of the dance, a security threat means Luke can’t go, but Simms takes pity and sneaks him out. At the dance, the school bully takes advantage of a distracted Simms and attacks Luke again but is surprised by his new fighting skills. By this time, Secret Service agents arrive and take Luke home, outfitting him with a tracking device. Luke is distressed when Simms is fired and barred from contacting him. When an online friend encourages him to escape and meet him at the mall, Luke is kidnapped—and it turns out the “friend” is Woods, the agent who was fired. With another chance to protect his friend, Simms tracks them to the mall, where he ends up taking a bullet in the arm after a standoff. Simms is offered and declines a role protecting the President, and the movie ends with Simms chasing Luke after Luke accidentally hits him in the forehead with a hockey puck.
‘First Kid’ Cast
The cast of First Kid includes some big names, including a big child star of the 1990s. Here are a few of the main players.
Sinbad as Sam Simms
Sam Simms is an former champion boxer and major Sonny Bono fan who becomes the Secret Service agent responsible for Luke Davenport, the First Kid. Sinbad is a well-known comedian whose acting credits date back to the mid-1980s, with roles in the television series A Different World (1987-1991), The Sinbad Show (1993-1994) and Rel (2018-2019). He also voiced characters in Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco (1996), Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child (1995-1999), Planes (2013), and Steven Universe (2013-2014). He won a 1997 Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Supporting Actor – Family for his role in the Christmas comedy Jingle All the Way in 1996, the same year as Last Kid.
Brock Pierce as Luke Davenport
Luke Davenport is the First Kid—the 13-year-old son of President Paul Davenport and First Lady Linda. Pierce made a name for himself in the 1992 hit movie The Mighty Ducks and its sequel, D2: The Mighty Ducks in 1994. He also acted in Little Big League (1994), Problem Child 3: Junior in Love (1995), Legend of the Lost Tomb (1997) and other movies.
James Naughton as President Davenport
President Davenport is the busy father of Luke. Naughton received a National Board of Review Award for Best Acting by an Ensemble for his role in The First Wive’s Club (1996) the same year as First Kid. His acting credits include Hostages (2013-2014), Gossip Girl (2009-2012), The Devil Wears Prada (2006), City of Angels (1990), Cat’s Eye (1985) and Planet of the Apes (1974).
Lisa Eichhorn as Linda Davenport
First Lady Linda Davenport is Luke’s mother. Eichhorn is known for her roles in The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), About Time (2013) and The Vanishing (1993) and has appeared in many popular television series.
Timothy Busfield as Woods
Woods becomes vengeful after he loses his Secret Service job thanks to the trouble-making Luke Davenport. Busfield is an actor and director known for his roles in Trapper John, M.D. (1984-1986), Field of Dreams (1989), Thirtysomething (1987-1991) and The West Wing (1999-2006).
‘First Kid’ Songs and Soundtrack
Richard Gibbs directed the music for First Kid. The soundtrack features 16 songs including classics like “I Got You Babe” by Sonny Bono (who has a cameo in the film), “I Want to Take You Higher” by Sly and the Family Stone and “Love Shack” by The B-52s. Gibbs was a member of the 1980s group Oingo Boingo and performed with numerous well-known musical stars. He composed or directed music for dozens of credits including Battlestar Galactica (2004-2009), Muppets Tonight (1996-1998), Adventures in Babysitting (2016), Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer (2011) and The Simpsons (1989-1990).
‘First Kid’ at the Box Office
First Kid was released in 1,878 U.S. theaters on August 30, 1996, and grossed just $26.5 million in its 22-week run. It was number 59 on the ranking of Top 1996 Movies at the Domestic Box Office—a year that saw the release of such hits as Independence Day at number 1, The First Wives Club at number 11 (featuring James Naughton, who plays President Davenport in First Kid) and Jingle All the Way at number 22 (featuring Sinbad, Sam Simms in First Kid).
‘First Kid’ Reviews – What the Critics Said
The New York Times called First Kid “a clean-cut, affable family film without objectionable elements, beyond the brief and needless violence that complicates its finale,” saying “it concentrates on Sinbad’s talents as a good-humored jokester, which are almost enough to carry this genial comedy.” First Kid did not fare well with critics or audience reviewers on Rotten Tomatoes, where it has an overall critic approval rating of just 23%, and only 32% for its audience score. Susan Wloszczyna of USA Today called it “utterly conventional.” Common Sense Media warns that viewers briefly see the First Kid’s bare bottom when he moons the press.
Where ‘First Kid’ Fits in the Disney Movie Pantheon
First Kid came out in a year with several other notable Disney movies, including Muppet Treasure Island, 101 Dalmations starring Glenn Close, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and James and the Giant Peach. The film was the 59th-best earning movie at U.S. theaters in 1996 and ranks as number 347 for All Time Domestic Box Office for Walt Disney Movies. Audiences on Ranker include the movie as number 170 out of 213 Best Walt Disney Company Movies and number 131 out of 144 Best Movies of 1996.
‘First Kid’ Trailer
‘First Kid’ Trivia: 5 Fast Facts
First Kid includes special guest appearances from two well-known politicians and was inspired by real life. Here’s what you need to know.
1. President Bill Clinton Makes an Appearance As Himself
There’s an off-color joke referring to the Monica Lewinsky scandal. No other U.S. president in office has appeared in a feature film.
2. First Kid Was Actually Inspired by a Photo of Chelsea Clinton
According to The New York Times, writer Tim Kelleher saw a photograph of Chelsea in USA Today and conceived the story about a lonely kid in the White House who ends up finding a friend in his Secret Service bodyguard.
3. You’ll See Another Politician Cameo: Sonny Bono
Bono‘s final on-screen appearance was in First Kid, in which he plays a Congressman visiting the White House. Simms bumps into him and behaves like a smitten fan. Bono was serving as a U.S. Representative at the time of the film.
4. Cinematographer Anthony B. Richmond Also Worked on Let It Be
Richmond was the cinematographer for the 1969 Beatles documentary Let It Be, the 1968 Western counter-culture documentary Sympathy for the Devil, David Bowie’s 1976 sci-fi drama The Man Who Fell to Earth and the 1996 documentary The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus. He is also known for more recent pop films The Sandlot (1993), Legally Blonde (2001), A Cinderella Story (2004), Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Skueakquel (2009), Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days (2012) and Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul (2017).
5. Quick Vocab Lesson: Pratfall
Multiple reviews of First Kid mentioned pratfalls. It’s a good word, so here’s the definition in case, like me, you didn’t already know:
pratfall (noun) – 1: a fall on the buttocks; 2: a humiliating mishap or blunder
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How to Stream ‘First Kid’: Your Family Viewing Guide