The Kidnapping of the President is a 1980

1980 in film

- Events :* May 21 - Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back is released and is the biggest grosser of the year ....

 political thriller film made by Presidential Films and Sefel Films and distributed by Crown International Pictures

Crown International Pictures

Crown International Pictures is an independent film studio formed in 1959 by Newton P. Jacobs Jacobs was a former branch head of RKO Pictures until 1947 when he formed his own company "Favorite Films"; a film releasing organisation. Jacobs became one of the first franchises for showing American...

. It was produced and directed by George Mendeluk

George Mendeluk

George Mendeluk is German-born Canadian film, television director and writer.Throughout his career he has amassed a number of credits in film and television...

 and co-produced by John Ryan from a screenplay by Richard Murphy

Richard Murphy (screenwriter)

Richard Murphy was an American screenwriter, film director, and producer.-Biography:Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Murphy worked for Literary Digest in the 1930s before leaving in 1937 to work in the short film department at MGM...

 and Charles Templeton

Charles Templeton

Charles Bradley Templeton was a Canadian cartoonist, evangelist, agnostic, politician, newspaper editor, inventor, broadcaster and author. He was born and died in the same city, Toronto, Canada...

, based on Templeton's novel. The original music was by Nash the Slash

Nash the Slash

Nash the Slash is a Canadian musician. Though a multi-instrumentalist, he is known primarily for playing electric violin and mandolin, as well as harmonica, keyboards, glockenspiel, and other instruments .Nash worked as a solo artist beginning in 1975, then founded the progressive rock band FM in...

 and Paul Zaza

Paul Zaza

Paul Zaza is a Genie Award-winning film score and songwriter. In 1980 he won the Genie Award for Best Music Score alongside Carl Zittrer for their work on Murder by Decree. He was nominated for the same award in 1985 for Isaac Littlefeathers. In 1987 he received a Genie nomination for Best Original...

 and the cinematography by Mike Molloy.

The film stars William Shatner

William Shatner

William Alan Shatner is a Canadian actor, musician, recording artist, and author. He gained worldwide fame and became a cultural icon for his portrayal of James T...

, Hal Holbrook

Hal Holbrook

Harold Rowe "Hal" Holbrook, Jr. is an American actor. His television roles include Abraham Lincoln in the 1976 TV series Lincoln, Hays Stowe on The Bold Ones: The Senator and Capt. Lloyd Bucher on Pueblo. He is also known for his role in the 2007 film Into the Wild, for which he was nominated for...

, Van Johnson

Van Johnson

Van Johnson was an American film and television actor and dancer who was a major star at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios during and after World War II....

 and Ava Gardner

Ava Gardner

Ava Lavinia Gardner was an American actress.She was signed to a contract by MGM Studios in 1941 and appeared mainly in small roles until she drew attention with her performance in The Killers . She became one of Hollywood's leading actresses, considered one of the most beautiful women of her day...

.