From The Scoop: Did You Know..? – Alvin and the Chipmunks
From the January 27 issue of Gemstone Publishing's The
Scoop:
Bagdasarian. It kind of has an Elizabethan ring. Or at least it did whenever I watched Alvin and the Chipmunks as a kid. I'd stare at the polysyllabic last name in the shows quick-flashing closing credits and wonder what important role this Bagdasarian guy played in bringing The Chipmunks to my Saturday morning TV lineup.
As it turns out, Ross Bagdasarian's role was all-important. He's the Chipmunks' creator. Back in 1958, he sped up his first vinyl recording--a 1958 song called "Witch Doctor," produced by Liberty Records. The same year, he penned the now-famed holiday classic, "The Chipmunk Song" (aka "Christmas Don't Be Late").
Bagdasarian, who performed "Witch Doctor" and "The Chipmunk Song" under the alias, "David Seville" did all the voices for his new characters--Dave, Alvin, Simon and Theodore.
It wouldn't be long before The Chipmunks became multimedia sensations. They first appeared as 'toons in a 1959 issue of Four Color Comics. They were drawn to resemble real chipmunks with very few human characteristics. Perhaps this is why their debut never spun off into a comics series of their own.
Even so, in 1961, The Alvin Show, a cartoon with The Chipmunks drawn to resemble children, debuted on CBS. Bagdasarian continued doing all the chipmunk voices in this series, which included sing-alongs and a featurette starring an inventor named Clyde Crashcup.
Though the show only lasted one season, Dell Comics adapted the series to book form for a total of 28 issues.
The Chipmunks have succeeded in reinventing themselves several times. In 1980, Bagdasarian's son, Ross Jr., released an album called Chipmunk Punk. And in 1983, a new series, Alvin and the Chipmunks, debuted on NBC. This series featured The Chipettes, Jeanette, Brittany and Eleanor. Ross Jr. and his wife, Janice Karman, performed a great deal of the voice work. In 1991, The Chipmunks starred in their first and only theater-released, feature-length film, A Chipmunk Adventure. A live-action/CGI combination feature film is also reportedly in the works.
• Produced for the benefit of all who enjoy the hobby of collecting, Gemstone Publishing's The Scoop is available free of charge to anyone who wishes to receive it. To view the latest edition, or to sign up, visit The Scoop online by at http://scoop.diamondgalleries.com.
Bagdasarian. It kind of has an Elizabethan ring. Or at least it did whenever I watched Alvin and the Chipmunks as a kid. I'd stare at the polysyllabic last name in the shows quick-flashing closing credits and wonder what important role this Bagdasarian guy played in bringing The Chipmunks to my Saturday morning TV lineup.
As it turns out, Ross Bagdasarian's role was all-important. He's the Chipmunks' creator. Back in 1958, he sped up his first vinyl recording--a 1958 song called "Witch Doctor," produced by Liberty Records. The same year, he penned the now-famed holiday classic, "The Chipmunk Song" (aka "Christmas Don't Be Late").
Bagdasarian, who performed "Witch Doctor" and "The Chipmunk Song" under the alias, "David Seville" did all the voices for his new characters--Dave, Alvin, Simon and Theodore.
It wouldn't be long before The Chipmunks became multimedia sensations. They first appeared as 'toons in a 1959 issue of Four Color Comics. They were drawn to resemble real chipmunks with very few human characteristics. Perhaps this is why their debut never spun off into a comics series of their own.
Even so, in 1961, The Alvin Show, a cartoon with The Chipmunks drawn to resemble children, debuted on CBS. Bagdasarian continued doing all the chipmunk voices in this series, which included sing-alongs and a featurette starring an inventor named Clyde Crashcup.
Though the show only lasted one season, Dell Comics adapted the series to book form for a total of 28 issues.
The Chipmunks have succeeded in reinventing themselves several times. In 1980, Bagdasarian's son, Ross Jr., released an album called Chipmunk Punk. And in 1983, a new series, Alvin and the Chipmunks, debuted on NBC. This series featured The Chipettes, Jeanette, Brittany and Eleanor. Ross Jr. and his wife, Janice Karman, performed a great deal of the voice work. In 1991, The Chipmunks starred in their first and only theater-released, feature-length film, A Chipmunk Adventure. A live-action/CGI combination feature film is also reportedly in the works.
• Produced for the benefit of all who enjoy the hobby of collecting, Gemstone Publishing's The Scoop is available free of charge to anyone who wishes to receive it. To view the latest edition, or to sign up, visit The Scoop online by at http://scoop.diamondgalleries.com.
