Alvin and the Chipmunks - The 1961 animated series
The Alvin Show is an American animated television series broadcast by CBS in the early 60s. It is the first series to feature the singing characters of Alvin and the Chipmunks. The Alvin Show ran for two prime time seasons from October 4, 1961 to September 12, 1962 and was originally sponsored by General Foods through its Jell-O gelatin and Post Cereal brands. Although the series was created in color, it was initially broadcast in black and white. It was then re-broadcast in color 1962-64 for Saturday morning on CBS and aired again Saturday morning in 1979.
The series rode the momentum of creator Ross Bagdasarian Sr.'s original hit musical gimmick and developed the singing Chipmunk trio as rowdy children, most notably the show star of the same name, whose mischief contrasted with his tall, intelligent brother. Simon and his chubby, greedy brother Theodore, as well as their ailing father figure, perpetually father-coach, David Seville. The animation was produced by Herbert Klynn's Format Films. The pilot episode, an early version of the fifth episode "Good Neighbor," [4] was written and produced to sell the show to CBS. The actual show featured a reworked version, broadcast as part of the fifth episode.
The show was followed in 1983 by another series of Chipmunks, Alvin and the Chipmunks.
The first television series to feature the characters was The Alvin Show . During this time, the Chipmunks looked a lot like their modern incarnations. Furthermore, an animated portrait of Seville was a reasonable caricature of Bagdasarian himself. The series ran from 1961 to 1962 and was one of the few animated series to be shown in prime time on CBS. It was not a prime time chart hit and was subsequently canceled after one season. Ratings have improved significantly in syndication.
In addition to Alvin's cartoons, the series also featured scientist Clyde Crashcup and his assistant Leonardo. Those characters didn't feature prominently in any of the later series. Crashcup made a single cameo in A Chipmunk Christmas , and in an episode of Alvin and the Chipmunks . The television series was produced by Format Films for Bagdasarian Film Corporation. Although the series aired in black and white, it was produced and later reproduced in color. 26 episodes were produced each for the segments of Alvin and the Chipmunks e Clyde Crashcup , along with 52 musical segments.
The story of Alvin and the Chipmunks
Alvin and the Chipmunks, originally David Seville and the Chipmunks or simply the Chipmunks, are an American animated virtual band created by Ross Bagdasarian for a novelty record in 1958. The group is made up of three animated anthropomorphic squirrels singing: Alvin; Simone; and Theodore. The trio is run by their human foster father, David (Dave) Seville.
The group's voices were all performed by Bagdasarian, who sped up playback to create shrill, shrill voices. This often used process was not entirely new to Bagdasarian, who had also used it for two previous novelty songs, including "Witch Doctor", but it was so unusual and well executed, that it earned the record of two Grammy Awards for the 'engineering. Bagdasarian, performing as Chipmunks, has released a long line of albums and singles, with "The Chipmunk Song" becoming a number one single in the United States. After Bagdasarian's death in 1972, the characters 'voices were played by his son Ross Bagdasarian Jr. and the latter'
Technical data
Author Ross Bagdasarian
Designed by Ross Bagdasarian
Voiced by Ross Bagdasarian
Years 1961
Hollywood Awards Walk of Fame
Characters: Alvin, Simon and Theodore, David Seville, Toby Seville, Jackie Seville
