Ross Bagdasarian's Main TV Roles Show Character(s) The Alvin Show Alvin Simon Theodore David Seville The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse Father (2)

Main Movie Roles 1955 - Kismet 1954 - Rear Window 1953 - Stalag 17 1952 - The Greatest Show On Earth

BIOGRAPHY:

Composer, prolific songwriter ("Come On-a My House", "Witch Doctor", "Chipmunk Song"), author, actor, producer, impressionist, educated at Coll. Writer, and has made many records. He joined ASCAP in 1951, and specialized in catchy, hummable melodies. Some of his other popular-song compositions include "Armen's Theme"; "Safari"; "Freddy, Freddy"; "Copyright 1960"; "Medicore"; "Sack Time"; "A Little Beauty"; "The Prom"; "Bagdad Express"; "Little Brass Band"; "Maria from Madrid"; "Gotta Get to Your House"; "The Donkey and the School Boy", and many more.


TRIVIA:

• Father of 'Ross Bagdasarian Jr.' (qv).
• Claimed he got the idea for his hit "The Witch Doctor" from the title of a book he was reading, "Duel with a Witch Doctor" by Jan De Hartog.
• Named the Chipmunks after executives at Liberty Records, who released Seville's and the Chipmunks' albums. Alvin was named for company president Alvin Bennett, Simon for company vice-president/record producer Si Waronker, and Theodore for recording engineer Ted Keep.
• Got the idea for the 1958 hit "The Chipmunk Song" ("Christmas, Don't Be Late") from his youngest son, Adam, who began asking when Christmas was coming ... in July! Bagdasarian began to wonder whether other children were thinking the same thing, and these thoughts evolved into what's become a Yuletide classic and a number one hit when it was released.
• Of Armenian descent.
• Singer. a.k.a. David Seville of Alvin and the Chipmunks.
• Cousin of author 'William Saroyan' (qv), with whom he collaborated on the song "Come On-a My House," 'Rosemary Clooney' (qv)'s all-time biggest hit.
• Took the professional name of David Seville because he'd been stationed in Seville, Spain, during World War II and liked the area.