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Alvin and the Chipmunks facts for kids

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Alvin and the Chipmunks
Alvin and the chipmunks1958.jpg
Background information
Origin Fresno, California, U.S.
Genres Pop, dance, hip hop, country, children's music
Years active 1958–1972
1979–present
Labels Liberty, RCA, Sony Wonder, Quality, Chipmunk, Atlantic
Members Alvin Seville
Simon Seville
Theodore Seville

Alvin and the Chipmunks is a super famous American animated music group. It was created by Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. in 1958. The group has three animated chipmunks who can sing and talk just like humans! Their names are Alvin, Simon, and Theodore.

A kind man named Dave Seville manages the trio. He also adopted the chipmunks. Fun fact: "David Seville" was actually the stage name of Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. The chipmunks themselves are named after important people at their first record label. These characters became very popular. They soon starred in animated cartoons and later in movies!

How the Voices Were Made

Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. did all the voices for the group himself. He would record his own voice and then play it back much faster. This made the funny, high-pitched voices we all know! This special way of recording was so amazing that it won two Grammy Awards for musical engineering. Bagdasarian, as the Chipmunks, released many albums and songs.

After Bagdasarian passed away in 1972, the Chipmunks were brought back to life in the 1980s and 1990s. His son, Ross Bagdasarian, Jr., and his wife, Janice Karman, took over doing the voices.

The Chipmunks on the Big Screen

A computer-animated movie about the Chipmunks came out in 2007. It was simply called Alvin and the Chipmunks. This movie was so popular that it had three sequels:

In these movies, actors like Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler, and Jesse McCartney did the talking voices for the Chipmunks. Ross Bagdasarian, Jr. and Janice Karman still did the singing voices for Alvin, Theodore, and the Chipettes. Steve Vining sings for Simon. The Chipmunks have won many awards, including five Grammy Awards, an American Music Award, a Golden Reel Award, and three Kids' Choice Awards. They have also been nominated for three Emmy awards!

Meet the Main Characters

  • David "Dave" Seville: He is the human who adopted the Chipmunks. He is like their dad and manager. In the movies, Jason Lee plays Dave.
  • Alvin: He is the lead singer and the oldest of the Chipmunk brothers. Alvin is known for being a bit mischievous and always wanting to have fun! Justin Long voices Alvin in the movies. Ross Bagdasarian, Jr. does his singing voice.
  • Simon: He is the middle brother and very smart. Simon often wears glasses and is the logical one in the group. Matthew Gray Gubler voiced Simon in the movies. Steve Vining does his singing voice.
  • Theodore: He is the youngest Chipmunk brother. Theodore is sweet, shy, and loves food. Jesse McCartney voices Theodore in the movies. Ross Bagdasarian, Jr. does his singing voice.
  • The Chipettes: This is a girl group of chipmunks! They are Brittany, Jeanette, and Eleanor.
  • Ian Hawke: He used to be a rival to Dave and the Chipmunks. David Cross plays him in the movies.
  • Agent James Suggs: He is a U.S. Air Marshal who becomes a challenge for the Chipmunks. Tony Hale plays him.

Other Characters You Might Know

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Alvin and the Chipmunks para niños

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