Ross Bagdasarian

Though the name Ross Bagdasarian is familiar only to devoted collectors of Americana, the three characters he created -- Alvin, Simon, and Theodore Chipmunk -- have been famous around the world for decades. The man who brought the Chipmunks to life was born on January 27, 1919, in Fresno, CA. He came to Los Angeles in 1950, and appeared in the films Viva Zapata, Stalag 17, and Rear Window. Bagdasarian also worked as a songwriter, reaching the charts first in 1956, as his production of Alfi and Harry's "The Trouble With Harry" hit number 44. He later charted two solo singles (r...