Rostom Sipan Bagdasarian (January 27, 1919 – January 16, 1972), otherwise known by his stage name David Seville, was an American pianist, musician, actor, voice actor, and record producer of Armenian descent. He created Alvin and the Chipmunks and was the founder of Bagdasarian Productions (formerly Bagdasarian Film Corporation).
He was born in Fresno, California, the youngest child of Dick and Virginia (nėe Saroyan) Bagdasarian, Armenian immigrants from the Ottoman Empire. He enlisted in the United States Army one month after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour, and served until the end of World War II. Ross worked as an actor and spent two years acting in Saroyan's The Time Of Your Life. The two of them wrote ![]()
a song they called Come On-A My House while they were driving across New Mexico in 1939. The song was used in an off-Broadway play called The Son in 1950 before it was recorded by Kay Armen. In 1951 a recording by Rosemary Clooney of Come On-A My House became a huge hit. Ross continued with his acting career and appeared in some films, including Stalag 17, Viva Zapata and most notably, Alfred Hitchcock's 1954 masterpiece Rear Window.
a song they called Come On-A My House while they were driving across New Mexico in 1939. The song was used in an off-Broadway play called The Son in 1950 before it was recorded by Kay Armen. In 1951 a recording by Rosemary Clooney of Come On-A My House became a huge hit. Ross continued with his acting career and appeared in some films, including Stalag 17, Viva Zapata and most notably, Alfred Hitchcock's 1954 masterpiece Rear Window.
He had been writing songs and recording at Liberty Records. On April 14, 1958 what proved to be his first big hit entered the charts: Witch Doctor. Seville had read a book titled Duel With The Witch ![]()
Doctor. He spent $190 on a tape recorder that would allow him to change tape speeds. He experimented with recording at half speed and then playing his tapes back at full speed. The result was Witch Doctor, and the public liked it. It shot up the charts until it could go no higher, resting in the #1 position for three weeks of its eighteen week run.
Doctor. He spent $190 on a tape recorder that would allow him to change tape speeds. He experimented with recording at half speed and then playing his tapes back at full speed. The result was Witch Doctor, and the public liked it. It shot up the charts until it could go no higher, resting in the #1 position for three weeks of its eighteen week run.That success led to him to record "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)" with The Chipmunks, for which he won two Grammy Awards in 1959: Best Comedy Performance and Best Recording for Children. Ross named the three Chipmunk characters after record executives: Simon Waronker, Ted Keep (Theodore), and Alvin Bennett.
After the success of "The Chipmunk Song", a series of follow-up ![]()
hit singles were quickly released, also on Liberty Records. "Alvin's Harmonica" was the second, "Ragtime Cowboy Joe" the third and "Alvin's Orchestra" the fourth, with instrumental B-sides (like "Mediocre" and "Almost Good") sometimes featuring non-chipmunk semi-comedic concepts. Albums continued this trend, the first album being released on red vinyl, successfully continuing well into the 60s with an album of the Chipmunks singing various early hits of the Beatles in 1964. The enormous popularity of the Chipmunks wound down but their place in the entertainment world endured. By 1970 they had sold over thirty million records.
hit singles were quickly released, also on Liberty Records. "Alvin's Harmonica" was the second, "Ragtime Cowboy Joe" the third and "Alvin's Orchestra" the fourth, with instrumental B-sides (like "Mediocre" and "Almost Good") sometimes featuring non-chipmunk semi-comedic concepts. Albums continued this trend, the first album being released on red vinyl, successfully continuing well into the 60s with an album of the Chipmunks singing various early hits of the Beatles in 1964. The enormous popularity of the Chipmunks wound down but their place in the entertainment world endured. By 1970 they had sold over thirty million records.
Following his hit records, Ross provided the voice for David Seville and Alvin in the Chipmunks' short-lived 1961–62 animated television series The Alvin Show. The Chipmunks' recordings had the performers often labelled as "David Seville and the Chipmunks" and the composer typically listed as "Bagdasarian". Bagdasarian's last album was The Chipmunks Go to the Movies, released in 1969, almost three years before his death.Bagdasarian, not yet 53, died of a heart attack suddenly on January 16, 1972, and was cremated at the Chapel of the Pines Crematory in Los Angeles, California. His ashes were removed many years ago by his son. All Chipmunk activity ceased until 1980, when his ![]()
son began to release Chipmunks recordings. Ross Jr. also assumed the voice for David Seville and the Chipmunk characters, except for those performed by Ross Jr.'s wife, Janice Karman, such as Theodore and all of The Chipettes.
son began to release Chipmunks recordings. Ross Jr. also assumed the voice for David Seville and the Chipmunk characters, except for those performed by Ross Jr.'s wife, Janice Karman, such as Theodore and all of The Chipettes.The 2007 film Alvin and the Chipmunks was dedicated to his memory. A title card shown in the middle of the end credits reads "This film is dedicated to Ross Bagdasarian Sr., who was crazy enough to invent three singing chipmunks nearly fifty years ago. (Edited from Wikipedia & an article by Tom Simon)