ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
December 11, 2007
A Conversation with Ross Bagdasarian, Jr.
A producer of Alvin and the Chipmunks describes how the furry creatures were updated for today’s audiences
Ross Bagdasarian, Jr., is the son of the creator of the Chipmunks, Ross Bagdasarian Sr. After his father's death, Bagdasarian, Jr., worked on the original Chipmunks television show. He is also one of the producers of Alvin and the Chipmunks. Here's what he told TFK about growing up with the Chipmunks and making the new movie.
TFK:What was it like to grow up with a dad who created the Chipmunks?
ROSS BAGDASARIAN, JR.:I loved it. The Chipmunks and "Witch Doctor" (my dad's first hit song) did so well, that we got a swimming pool! We lived in Southern California where it was very, very hot in the summers and got to stay cool. So, I just loved them.
TFK:What did your friends think about your father's work?
BAGDASARIAN, JR.:I was desperate to prove to them that my dad was (the voices of) Alvin, Simon, Theodore and Dave Seville. So, when no one believed me, I had to bring my friends home and beg my dad to yell, "ALVIN," like Dave does in the movie. And then they'd go, "Okay, I guess your dad is that guy."
TFK:What other Chipmunks shows were there?
BAGDASARIAN, JR.:The first Chipmunks Christmas special (aired on television) in 1981. About 35 million people watched that program. It led to a weekly Saturday morning show, which quickly became No. 1. It beat Charlie Brown and Snoopy and Bugs Bunny.
TFK:How is the movie different from those programs?
BAGDASARIAN, JR.:It was really important for us to set the right tone for the movie. We had three generations of Chipmunks fans to please. We didn't want to make a movie that was so young that only kids could enjoy it. And we didn't want to make a movie that was so edgy and mean-spirited that parents didn't feel comfortable taking their kids to it.
But the biggest difference is the characters' look. We wanted to make sure that they were small; that they were the size of real chipmunks. In the animated (TV) show, they reached as high as a human's waist (about 4 feet tall). We didn't want the movie to be like the attack of the (giant) killer chipmunks. We wanted moviegoers to actually believe the chipmunks existed in a real world.
TFK:How would you describe each chipmunk?
BAGDASARIAN, JR.:Alvin is bold and hasty, but he also has a vulnerable side. Simon is really knowledgeable and scientific. But the chipmunks don't have parents, so Simon became the substitute who's always looking out for (his pals). And Theodore's really sweet and naive. As the youngest of the three chipmunks, he wants to make a family with Dave the most.
TFK:Why do you think the Chipmunks have been so popular?
BAGDASARIAN, JR.:I think people relate to their realistic personalities. They have real emotions.
