The Alvin Show

The Alvin Show is an American animated television series that aired on CBS in the early 1960s. It is the first series to feature the singing characters Alvin and the Chipmunks. The Alvin Show aired for two seasons in prime time from October 4, 1961, to September 12, 1962 [1] 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 telecast in black and white. It was later rebroadcast in color from 1962-64 for Saturday mornings on CBS and aired again Saturday mornings in 1979.[2]

The Alvin Show
Title card from The Alvin Show.
GenreComedy
Musical
Sitcom
Created byRoss Bagdasarian Sr.
Based on
Alvin and the Chipmunks
by
  • Ross Bagdasarian Sr.
Written byRoss Bagdasarian Sr.
Jack Cosgriff
Al Bertino
Tedd Pierce
Bill Danch
Chris Jenkyns
Jan Strejan
Dale Hale
Directed byOsmond Evans
Rudy Larriva
Alan Zaslove
Gil Turner
Hal Ambro
Jack Kinney
Voices of
Theme music composer
ComposersRoss Bagdasarian Sr.
Johnny Mann
Country of originUnited States
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes26 (104 segments)
Production
Executive producerHerbert Klynn
ProducerRoss Bagdasarian Sr.
Running time30 minutes per episode (7½ per segment)
Production companies
DistributorCBS Films
Release
Original networkCBS, ABC
Picture formatColor (originally telecast in Black-and-white)
Original releaseOctober 4, 1961 (1961-10-04) –
September 12, 1962 (1962-09-12)
Chronology
Followed by

The series rode the momentum of creator Ross Bagdasarian Sr.'s original hit musical gimmick and developed the singing Chipmunk trio as rambunctious kids–particularly the show's namesake star–whose mischief contrasted to his tall, brainy brother Simon and his chubby, gluttonous brother Theodore, as well as their long-suffering, perpetually put-upon manager-father figure, David Seville.[3] 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.[5] The actual show featured a re-worked version, which aired as part of the fifth episode.

The show was followed in 1983 by another Chipmunks series, Alvin and the Chipmunks.

Syndication

CBS reran the series on Saturday mornings for a few years after the show's prime time run ended in 1962.

In the mid- and late 1960s, the individual show segments were culled together and sold as a syndication package under the title Alvin and the Chipmunks. The original episodes began airing under the Alvin and the Chipmunks title on NBC Saturday mornings in 1979 for a short period.

Ross Bagdasarian, Sr., died of a heart attack on January 16, 1972, seemingly bringing to an end any further Chipmunk productions. Years later, his son, Ross Jr., picked up on a disc jockey's joke and produced the album Chipmunk Punk in 1980. The success of Chipmunk Punk spurred renewed interest in a new animated series by Ruby-Spears, which launched in September 1983 on NBC and was titled Alvin and the Chipmunks, with Ross, Jr. taking over for his father as the voices of Alvin, Simon, and Dave Seville. His wife, Janice Karman, voiced Theodore, as well as The Chipettes, who are the Chipmunks' female counterparts. The show ran until 1988 when a reboot of the show took place on the same network by Murakami-Wolf-Swenson and later taken over by DIC Entertainment. At the time, the Ruby-Spears episodes were later picked up on mostly FOX and a few independent stations in the same year until as late as early 1994. To coincide with the new series, Viacom Enterprises distributed reruns of The Alvin Show to local (mostly independent and future FOX) stations; the rerun package was also carried nationally over superstations WGN and WTBS at various times beginning in September 1983 and ran for mostly a few years on half of the markets. However, some stations continue to run the show at various times as late as 1993. Prior to its superstation runs, The Alvin Show was picked up in a few markets such as New York, Cleveland, and even in Australia and Brazil in the early 1970s. The show made its way to Europe in the United Kingdom when the BBC (now BBC One) began broadcasting the program as well.

In 1981, Clyde Crashcup made an appearance during a dream sequence in A Chipmunk Christmas. During recent network airings of the special, the sequence has been cut out, due to network time constraints concerning commercial ad time.

In 1990, The Alvin Show versions of the Chipmunks and Clyde Crashcup reappeared in an episode of The Chipmunks Go To the Movies titled "Back to Alvin’s Future" (a spoof of the 1985 movie, Back to the Future).

A majority of the songs and clips from The Alvin Show were featured in the Alvin and the Chipmunks Sing Along Songs VHS releases that were released in the mid-1990s. The songs, however, were slightly remixed to sound more modern. The only song that kept its original broadcast soundtrack was "Alvin's Orchestra" in the 1993 Sing Along video Ragtime Cowboy Joe. The Bagdasarian closing logo from the show was also remixed in the 1994 Sing Along video, Working on the Railroad.

Nickelodeon picked up US broadcast rights to The Alvin Show on March 7, 1994, after the last of a few independent stations pulled the show. The network aired digitally restored versions of each episode as it originally was broadcast (save for the omissions of one song from each episode, due to the necessary commercial timing, commercial plugs and Alvin's addition of his name to the closing), adding its logo to the opening. The show aired on weekday mornings for approximately a year.

During this time, as well as for sometime after the full episodes stopped airing, the individual Chipmunk and Clyde Crashcup cartoons and musical segments were inserted into episodes of Weinerville. In 1996, Nickelodeon stopped showing The Alvin Show segments altogether and no television station has aired them since then.

Voice cast

Episodes (1961–1962)

26 episodes each were produced for the Alvin and the Chipmunks and Clyde Crashcup segments, along with 52 musical segments.

# The Chipmunks Musical Segment 1 Clyde Crashcup Musical Segment 2 Original air date
1Stanley the EagleOh GondalieroClyde Crashcup Invents BaseballI Wish I Could Speak FrenchOctober 4, 1961 (1961-10-04)
2Sam Valiant, Private NoseAugust DearClyde Crashcup Invents the BathtubAlvin's OrchestraOctober 11, 1961 (1961-10-11)
3SquaresSwanee RiverClyde Crashcup Invents the WifeThe Magic MountainOctober 18, 1961 (1961-10-18)
4OstrichThe Brave ChipmunksClyde Crashcup Invents the BabyYankee DoodleOctober 25, 1961 (1961-10-25)
5Good NeighborThe Little Dog (Oh Where Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone)Clyde Crashcup Invents ElectricityOld MacDonald Cha Cha ChaNovember 1, 1961 (1961-11-01)
6FancyJapanese BananaClyde Crashcup Invents MusicWhen Johnny Comes Marching HomeNovember 8, 1961 (1961-11-08)
7Alvin’s Alter EgoThe Pidgin English HulaClyde Crashcup Invents the WestChipmunk FunNovember 15, 1961 (1961-11-15)
8Sam Valiant, Real EstateWorking on the RailroadClyde Crashcup Invents the StoveStuck in ArabiaNovember 22, 1961 (1961-11-22)
9Camping TripGood Morning SongClyde Crashcup Invents JokesI Wish I Had a HorseNovember 29, 1961 (1961-11-29)
10Overworked AlvinWitch DoctorClyde Crashcup Invents FlightThe Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)December 6, 1961 (1961-12-06)
11Dude RanchHome on the RangeClyde Crashcup Invents First AidAlvin for PresidentDecember 13, 1961 (1961-12-13)
12Jungle RhythmLily of LagunaClyde Crashcup Invents EgyptRow, Row, Row Your BoatDecember 20, 1961 (1961-12-20)
13Bentley Van RollsSwing Low, Sweet ChariotClyde Crashcup Invents Self-PreservationComin' Thru the RyeDecember 27, 1961 (1961-12-27)
14Good MannersBicycle Built for TwoClyde Crashcup Invents Physical FitnessRagtime Cowboy JoeJanuary 3, 1962 (1962-01-03)
15Little LeagueBuffalo GalsClyde Crashcup Invents the ChairWhile Strolling in the Park One DayJanuary 10, 1962 (1962-01-10)
16Hillbilly SonSpainClyde Crashcup Invents the BedPop Goes the WeaselJanuary 17, 1962 (1962-01-17)
17Alvin’s CruiseAlvin's HarmonicaClyde Crashcup Invents the TelephoneIf You Love Me (Alouette)January 24, 1962 (1962-01-24)
18Lovesick DaveComing 'Round the MountainClyde Crashcup Invents the Time MachineThe Three Blind-Folded MiceJanuary 31, 1962 (1962-01-31)
19Eagle In LoveSing a Goofy SongClyde Crashcup Invents Do it YourselfTwinkle, Twinkle, Little StarFebruary 7, 1962 (1962-02-07)
20Theodore’s DogClementineClyde Crashcup Invents the ShoeMaria from MadridFebruary 14, 1962 (1962-02-14)
21Haunted HouseWhistle While You WorkClyde Crashcup Invents GlassMy Wild Irish RoseFebruary 21, 1962 (1962-02-21)
22Alvin's StudioJeanie with the Light Brown HairThis is Your Life, Clyde Crashcup!The Band Played OnFebruary 28, 1962 (1962-02-28)
23The WhistlerThe Alvin TwistClyde Crashcup Invents the BoatThe Man on the Flying TrapezeMarch 7, 1962 (1962-03-07)
24Sir AlvinGit Along, Little DogiesClyde Crashcup Invents CrashcuplandDown in the ValleyMarch 14, 1962 (1962-03-14)
25Disc JockeyFuniculì, FuniculàClyde Crashcup Invents BirthdaysPolly Wolly DoodleMarch 21, 1962 (1962-03-21)
26Eagle MusicOn Top of Old SmokyClyde Crashcup Invents Self-DefenseAmerica the BeautifulMarch 28, 1962 (1962-03-28)

General Foods was the show's main sponsor; as such, Dave Seville and The Chipmunks appeared in several humorous half-minute commercials for Jell-O and Post Cereals.

Credits
  • "The Alvin Show" · © 1961 Bagdasarian Film Corp. All Rights Reserved
  • Produced by Format Films, Inc.[6]
  • Executive Producer: Herbert Klynn[7]
  • Producers: Jules Engel, Jack Kinney
  • Associate Producer: Leo Salkin
  • Art Director: Jules Engel
  • Production Executive: Bud Getzler
  • Direction: Osmond Evans, Rudy Larriva, Alan Zaslove, Gil Turner, Hal Ambro, Jack Kinney[8]
  • Story: Leo Salkin, Cal Howard, Bob Kurtz, Ed Nofziger, Dale Hale, Jan Strejan, Al Bertino, Jack Cosgriff, Bill Danch, Chris Jenkyns, Dick Kinney, Tedd Pierce, Jim Rivind, Carol Beers, Eddie Rehberg, Ken Hultgren, Rosemary O'Connor, Jack Miller, Milt Schaffer, Ralph Wright, Joe Grant, Walter Schmidt, Harvey Toombs, Noel Tucker, Joseph Stewart, Raymond Jacobs, Jack Kinney, Tom Hix, Nick George, Osmond Evans, Dennis Fraser, Warren Bennett, Tony Benedict, Ruben Apodaca, Jerry Nevius, Wesley Bennett, Joe Siracusa, Cliff Millsap[9]
  • Animation: Ed Friedman, Bob Goe, Fred Grable, Chuck Harriton, Leroy Cross, Chuck Downs, Frank Braxton, Ken Hultgren, Hal Ambro, Fred Wolf, Stan Wilkins, Amby Paliwoda, Ruth Kissane, Ruben Apodaca, Doris Collins, Jim Fletcher, Roy Abel, Hank Smith, William Luckey, Harvey Toombs, Volus Jones, Eddie Rehberg, Abe Levitow, Eric Cleworth, Bill Keil, Murray McClellan, Phil Duncan, Hugh Fraser, Rudy Larriva, Alan Zaslove, Osmond Evans, Gil Turner[10]
  • Assistant Animation: Don Selders, Ric Gonzales
  • Production Design: Sam Weiss, Vern Jorgensen, Ernie Nordli, Dale Barnhart, Cullen Houghtaling, Raymond Jacobs, Ray Aragon
  • Layout: Ken Hultgren, Vern Jorgensen, Robert Givens, Raymond Jacobs, Eddie Rehberg, Bruce Bushman, Jerry Nevius, Noel Tucker
  • Background: Rosemary O'Connor, Bob McIntosh, Boris Gorelick, Ervin Kaplan, Jules Engel, Vern Jorgensen, Connie Matthews, Peggy Morrow, Raymond Jacobs, Noel Tucker[11]
  • Supervising Editor: Joe Siracusa
  • Editors: Joe Siracusa, Roger Donley, Cliff Millsap
  • Voices: Ross Bagdasarian, Shepard Menken, June Foray, Bill Lee, Johnny Mann, Lee Patrick, Don Messick, Joe Besser, Mel Blanc, Paul Frees, Tim Matheson[12]
  • Musical Direction and Arrangements: Johnny Mann
  • Music by: Ross Bagdasarian, Charles E. King, Ken Lowman
  • Production Manager: Ray Thursby
  • Production Associate: Nick Draklich
  • Final Colorist: Richard Garibaldi
  • Title Design: Herbert Klynn
  • Ink and Paint: Vera McKinney
  • Checking: Paul Marron, Pat Helmuth, Moley McColley, Christine Decker, Evelyn Sherwood, Rollie Greenwood, Grace McCurdy, Ruth Tompson, Jane Philippi, Buf Nerbovig, Barbara Ruiz
  • Camera: Jack Eckes, Dick Blundell, Bill Kotler, Jack Buehre
  • Sound Engineers: Marne Fallis, Ted Keep
  • Sound: Ryder Sound Service
  • Recording: Glen Glenn Sound
  • This Picture Made Under the Jurisdiction of IATSE-IA Affiliated with A.F.L.
  • A Presentation of Bagdasarian Film Corporation[13]

Home media

Other than the two VHS releases from Buena Vista Home Video, both of which featured 11 songs from The Alvin Show, up until recently, the show has never been released on DVD. However, on September 8, 2009, Paramount Home Entertainment released the first episode of the show, along with two "modern" specials. A future "Complete Series" DVD set of the series has not been planned. In 2014, "The Brave Chipmunks" musical sequence was released as a bonus feature on The Chipmunk Adventure Blu-ray and DVD combo pack. In 2015, three complete episodes (#01, #04, and #10) were released together as The Alvin Show on Blu-ray and DVD.[14]

International broadcast

See also

References
  1. Perlmutter, David (2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 24. ISBN 978-1538103739.
  2. Woolery, George W. (1983). Children's Television: The First Thirty-Five Years, 1946-1981. Scarecrow Press. pp. 14–15. ISBN 0-8108-1557-5. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  3. Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. pp. 75–78. ISBN 978-1476665993.
  4. Tiscareno, Andrea (January 17, 2019). "Good Neighbor (Episode 5, Pilot)". KimCartoon.
  5. "Story: Alvin Show Pilot Board". 18 November 2021.
  6. ''The Alvin Show" Episode Credits
  7. ''The Alvin Show" Episode Credits
  8. ''The Alvin Show" Episode Credits
  9. ''The Alvin Show" Episode Credits
  10. ''The Alvin Show" Episode Credits
  11. ''The Alvin Show" Episode Credits
  12. ''The Alvin Show" Episode Credits
  13. ''The Alvin Show" Episode Credits
  14. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-01-30. Retrieved 2016-01-23.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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