ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS (1983) / THE
CHIPMUNKS / THE CHIPMUNKS GO TO THE MOVIES
(NBC, September 17, 1983-December 1, 1990)
Bagdasarian Productions, Ruby-Spears Enterprises
(season 1-5), Murakami-Wolf-Swenson (season 6), DiC Enterprises (season 6-8)
MAIN
CAST:
Sherwood Ball
– Chipmunk singing voices
Rainy
Hayes – Chipette singing voices
Ross Bagdasarian Sr.
was the creator of Alvin and the Chipmunks. He came up with the notion of
creating characters to go along with his newfound trick of recording his voice
and playing it at double speed that he used in his songs “Witch Doctor” and “The Bird on My Head”.
He introduced the world to the Chipmunks with 1958’s “The Chipmunk Song
(Christmas Don’t Be Late)”, which launched an entertainment
franchise that led to 12 studio albums, a comic book, and an animated series.
 |
| Ross Bagdasarian Sr. among the fruits of his Chipmunk empire. |
All of that seemingly came to a halt
in 1972 when Bagdasarian died of a heart attack. However, the Chipmunks soon
returned to the airwaves as the original cartoon, The Alvin Show, was
repackaged as Alvin and the Chipmunks and aired on NBC Saturday mornings in
1979. Then, KMET
DJ Chuck
Taylor made a joke that the Chipmunks released a new single
by playing Blondie’s
“Call
Me”
at double speed. Bagdasarian’s son, Ross Bagdasarian Jr., who had taken over
his father’s company, Bagdasarian
Productions, found himself bombarded with requests
for the new Chipmunks “release”. With the aid of Steve Vining,
Bagdasarian rushed a recording of the first new Chipmunks album: Chipmunk Punk (which
was the name Taylor used, rather than a description of the type of music
featured).
When the album went platinum, NBC
decided to see how far the Chipmunk resurgence would go by commissioning an
all-new special. Produced by Bagdasarian Productions and Chuck Jones
Enterprises, A
Chipmunk Christmas made its debut on
the network on December 14, 1981. Bagdasarian once again supplied the main
voices except for Theodore, who was handled by his wife and business partner,
Janice Karman. The special, written by Bagdasarian and Karman, saw Alvin
secretly give the harmonica that Dave gave him to a sick boy. However, his
plans to save enough to buy a new one before Dave found out was spoiled by Carnegie Hall
wanting him to perform with it on Christmas Eve. A companion
album containing the special’s songs was released by RCA the following
year.
 |
| Simon, Alvin and Theodore. |
Encouraged by the ratings of the
special, NBC went forward with ordering a brand-new series. This time,
animation production was handled by Ruby-Spears Enterprises,
however the minor softening to the characters’ designs made in the Christmas
special were kept. Like The Alvin Show before it, Alvin and the
Chipmunks focused on the daily lives of the Chipmunks as they dealt with
school, modest fame, and everyday life in the Seville household. Along with
typical slice of life stories, many episodes were done as parodies of pop culture either in their title (such as
“Urban Chipmunk” referencing the film Urban Cowboy or
“Swiss Family Chipmunks” referencing the book Swiss
Family Robinson) or in their entire plot (such as “The Brunch
Club” based on the film The Breakfast Club or
“Chipmunk Vice” based on the series Miami Vice).
A little fantasy was thrown in with Simon creating various inventions,
including a time machine that factored into several plots. One notable
storyline featured the Chipmunks inspiring the fall of the Berlin
Wall,
which would air 11 months prior to the actual toppling of the wall.
 |
| The Chipettes: Jeanette, Brittany and Eleanor. |
The series introduced several new
characters to the mythos. Chief among them were the Chipettes (all voiced by
Karman); a band of girl chipmunks from Australia that had a friendly rivalry
with the Chipmunks, and were every bit their counterparts. Brittany, the
eldest, was every bit like Alvin with her vanity and self-centeredness, but
deep down cared about others. Jeanette was the tallest and nerdiest, but unlike
Simon with Alvin she wasn’t able to stand up to Brittany. Eleanor loved food
and cooking like Theodore, but was more athletic, intelligent and was able to
stand up to Brittany. They would alternate being just friends to being
romantically interested with their Chipmunk counterparts. The Chipettes were
initially living on their own in a treehouse until they were eventually adopted
by the Sevilles’ absent-minded neighbor, Beatrice Miller (Dody Goodman), who
was also once a performer like them. The Chipmunks’ birth mother, Vinny
(June Foray
& Karman), was introduced and it was explained she left them with Dave to
spare them having to deal with a rough winter. Members of Dave’s family were also
introduced, including his parents and adventurous elderly uncle, Willy (Thomas
H. Watkins). The first new chipmunk introduced in the series was recurring antagonist,
“Uncle”
Harry (Frank
Welker). He continually tried to con the Chipmunks in order
to enrich himself. The characters were designed by Corny Cole,
Fred Hellmich,
Toby Bluth
and Sandy
Berez.
 |
| Hijinx with Beatrice Miller and Dave Seville. |
Alvin and the Chipmunks debuted
on NBC on September 17, 1983, although they made an appearance as costumed
actors the night before in the Saturday morning preview special, The Yummy Awards.
The majority of the episodes were broken up into two story segments each, with
at least one musical number per story. The show proved a success and ran for 8 seasons.
During that time, there were also three television specials—I Love the
Chipmunks Valentine Special, A Chipmunk Reunion and Rockin’ Through the
Decades—as well as a Saturday morning preview special centered on the
Chipmunks entitled Alvin
Goes Back to School, and a theatrically-released film, The Chipmunk
Adventure.
 |
| The Chipmunks get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (which they actually would in 2019). |
While the first season was largely
comprised of original songs made for the show and some of Bagdasarian Sr.’s
previous hits (including “Witch Doctor”, which was often considered the first
Chipmunk song by fans), gradually cover songs became the norm. Covered artists
included a mix of contemporary and classic ones from a variety of genres, such
as Michael Jackson
(who also was the focus of an episode and appeared via live archive footage), Irving Berlin,
Olivia Newton-John,
Queen,
The Beach Boys,
Kool & the Gang,
Lesley
Gore,
Billy Joel,
Pat Benatar,
Duke
Ellington, The
Beatles, Willie
Nelson, Devo,
Cyndi Lauper,
Huey Lewis and the
News,
Little
Richard, ZZ
Top,
Madonna,
The
Drifters, The
Go-Go’s, Patti
LaBelle, The
Pointer Sisters, Elvis,
Aretha Franklin,
The Bangles,
Bonnie Tyler,
Bill Haley & His
Comets, Ray
Charles and James
Brown, among others.
Each song was chosen to have some kind of connection to the story’s plot.
Dean
Elliott handled the original music for the first five
seasons, then Randy
Edelman, Thomas
Chase and Stephen
Rucker through Chase/Rucker
Productions, Inc. for the remainder. The theme songs were
composed by Bagdasarian and Karman. Sherwood Ball and Rainy Hayes provided the
singing voices for the Chipmunks and Chipettes, respectively.
As the Chipettes became more
prominent in the show, it was decided to rename it simply The Chipmunks for
the 6th season. To cut costs, production was moved over to DiC Enterprises
for the remainder of the series’ run, and original songs began to dominate
again. At the same time, Bagdasarian Productions wanted to sell the series into
the growing syndication market and commissioned Murakami-Wolf-Swenson
to produce the 11 episodes they needed to round out the package (which included
all 52 Ruby-Spears episodes and the Valentine and Reunion
specials), which also aired as part of season 6 when DiC’s episodes ran late.
The syndicated version retained the original Alvin title. Clips from The
Chipmunk Adventure were used in the original opening titles for the season
played against a modified version of the theme before it was changed to an
all-new intro. The syndicated episodes retained the original opening but
utilized the modified theme.
For the final season, it was decided
to shake things up and try and revitalize the show. The original format was
abandoned in favor of going all-out on the parodies. Each episode was a spoof
of a movie including Back to the Future,
King
Kong (1976), Batman (1989),
Indiana
Jones, Star Trek,
RoboCop,
E.T.
the Extra-Terrestrial, National Lampoon’s
European Vacation, Dick Tracy,
Gremlins,
Splash and
Honey,
I Shrunk the Kids (although Jaws,
Frankenstein and
Star
Wars were seen in the opening
titles, they weren’t adapted). The series’ name was once again changed to The
Chipmunks Go to the Movies, invoking the name of the final
album released by Bagdasarian Sr. The season’s title had
Alvin spoofing the MGM
Lion.
 |
| The Chipmunks meet their past selves thanks to Simon's time machine. |
The series was written by Bagdasarian,
Karman, Michael
Maurer, Matt
Uitz,
Cliff
Ruby,
Elana
Lesser, Gordon
Kent,
Jack Enyart,
Tom Swale,
Duane Poole,
Buzz Dixon,
Kayte Kuch,
Dianne Dixon,
F. James Barry,
Sheryl Scarborough,
Janis Diamond,
David Schwartz,
Rowby
Goren, Barbara
Chain, Elinor
Pullen, Dorothy
Middleton, Ted
Field, Christi
Olson, Richard
Merwin, Sean
Roche, Barry
O’Brien, David
Weimers, Ken
Koonce, Steve
Moore, Sue
Shakespeare, Bruce Morris, Rebecca Rees, Russ Miller, Patsy Cameron, Tedd Anasti, Tom Dunsmuir, Evelyn A-R Gabai, Denice Ferguson, Alicia Marie Schudt, Duane Capizzi, Cynthia Friedlob, John Semper, William J. Thutt, Bob Carrau, and Ralph Sanchez. Ruby and Lesser
served as the story editors during the Ruby-Spears years, Bagdasarian and
Karman for the Murakami-Wolf-Swenson episodes, and Anasti and Cameron for the
DiC episodes.
 |
| Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue VHS. |
In 1990, the Chipmunks appeared in the
anti-drug special Cartoon
All-Stars to the Rescue with several other Saturday morning characters.
Three more specials utilizing the show’s designs were made between 1994 and
1995: Trick or Treason, A Chipmunk Celebration, and The Easter
Chipmunk. They aired on USA Network
where the final seasons was currently running as part of their Cartoon Express block. Three
direct-to-video movies were released between 1999 and 2003. Universal Studios purchased the
rights to the characters leading to the film Alvin and the
Chipmunks Meet Frankenstein and
its sequel, Meet
the Wolfman. Both featured the
Chipmunks encountering the titular monsters. A breach of contract caused
Universal to lose the rights shortly after. Little
Alvin and the Mini-Munks was
a live-action movie that featured the characters done in puppet form and made
pre-school age. During its run, the
series was nominated for three Emmys and a
Young Artists award. The film
was also nominated for a Young Artist, but it would be Meet Frankenstein that
would end up taking home a Golden Reel
award.
 |
| To boldly go where no Chipmunk has gone before. |
In 1983, Ideal released plush
dolls based on the Chipmunks, notably giving each one an initial on their
shirt, followed by the Chipettes
in 1985. Ideal would also make a set
of wind-up toys for both bands. Shortly after the series premiered, Random House published short
story books based on various episodes, both in
standard form and with audio accompaniment. In 1984, Playskool
released an electronic
Talk ‘n Play book where the reader could conduct the
Chipmunks in a concert. In 1987, Bagdasarian Productions published two books on
their own before Golden
Books picked up the license in 1990. Between 1992-94, Harvey Comics released a
five-issue
comic book series, two of which adapted episodes directly.
 |
| Chipmunks in harmony. |
While the Chipmunks had been releasing
albums since Chipmunk Punk, three albums released after 1984 focused on
material used in the program and related media. Songs
From our TV Shows from IJE
Records featured several of the cover and original songs used
during the first season. Buena
Vista Records published the soundtrack
for The Chipmunk Adventure in 1987. EMI
Americana Records released Rockin’
Through the Decades, tying into the special of the same
name. 1988’s Solid
Gold Chipmunks from Buena Vista and The
Chipmunks and the Chipettes: Born to Rock from
Quality
Records did feature songs from the show, but not exclusively.
 |
| Coming out on top. |
Following the successful release of Adventure on VHS by Lorimar
Home Video in 1987, episode
compilations were released across seven VHS tapes in
1989 by The Chipmunk Video Library. Buena
Vista Home Video took over distribution in 1992, releasing
20 more tapes between then and 1996. In 2003, Paramount Home Video
released The Mini-Munks to DVD, while Universal Studios Home Video
re-released their films in a compilation pack with Monster Mash and
several episodes of Archie’s
Weird Mysteries called Monster
Bash Fun Pack. Paramount continued
releasing DVDs comprised of the specials and episodes, particularly from the
last season. Their release of
The Alvin Show also included episodes of the 1980s series as
special features. In 2011, Bagdasarian Productions took over releasing the DVDs
themselves. There have also been a number of international releases, many of
which feature episodes that have never been released to North America such as
“The Phantom”, “The Wall”, “Queen of the High School Ballroom”, “Alvin’s Not So
Super Hero”, “Home Sweet Home”, “All Worked Up” and “Phantom of the Rock
Opera”.
EPISODE
GUIDE (linked songs are covers):
Season
1:
“The
C-Team / The Chipettes” (9/17/83) – The Chipmunks ask Mr. T for advice on how
to retrieve Dave’s pocket watch from some bullies. / The Chipettes arrive on
the scene and believe they have a claim to the name “The Chipmunks”.
Songs:
The
C-Team & We Aim to Please
“Uncle
Harry / Rock ‘n’ Robot” (9/24/83) – A conman convinces the Chipmunks he’s their
uncle and will take them to their mother when they earn enough money. / The
Chipmunks use Alvin’s videogame to create a robot roadie that ends up returning
to its original programming.
“The
Television Stars / The Cruise” (10/1/83) – Alvin lies that the Chipmunks are
going to perform on TV to a girl he likes. / Alvin unknowingly helps a jewel
thief commit his crime.
Songs:
Something
Told Me (Your Love Was Just For Me), Mister Winter’s Birthday & Cruisin
“The
Chipmunks Story” (10/8/83) – The origin of the Chipmunks and how they ended up with
Dave.
“Mr.
Fabulous / Grandpa and Grandma Seville” (10/15/83) – Alvin and Simon have
Theodore enter a wrestling exhibition that pits him against a giant Russian
wrestler. / The Chipmunks meet their grandparents and help raise money to save
their farm.
Songs:
Pump,
Pump, Pump & We Wish You a Happy Birthday
“Unidentified
Flying Chipmunk / Mother’s Day” (10/22/83) – A plan to attract more fans with
an alien costume leads the government to investigate. / The Chipmunks search
for an ideal mother so that they can attend their school’s Mother’s Day picnic.
Songs:
There’s
No Rock & Roll on Mars & It’s Your Mother (to the tune of “Dance of the Hours”
from La
Gioconda)
“The
Chip-Punks / From Here to Fraternity” (10/29/83) – Alvin tries to give the
Chipmunks a new image. / Trying to earn money for a birthday gift for Dave
leads the Chipmunks into pulling pranks for some bored college students.
Songs:
We
Don’t Care, 3-Ring Birthday & Every 365th Day of the Year
“Urban
Chipmunk / The Incredible Shrinking Dave” (11/5/83) – The Chipmunks illegally
enter a contest to win a chance to sing with Dolly Parton and the runner-up is
determined to prove it. / Dave has a nightmare about his shrinking.
“Angelic
Alvin / The Trouble With Nanny” (11/12/83) – Alvin is upset with playing an
angel in the school play until a bump on the head makes him believe he really
is one. / The Chipmunks try to get rid of the nanny Dave hired to watch them.
“The
Bully Ballet / Alvin…and the Chipmunk” (11/19/83) – A boy who takes ballet
stays with the Chipmunks and must show a bully that ballet is cool. / Wanting a
break from his fans, Alvin trades places with a wild chipmunk.
“Swiss
Family Chipmunks / Santa Harry” (11/26/83) – Dave takes the Chipmunks camping
to get away from a tabloid reporter and they end up on a search for Bigfoot. /
Harry disguises himself as Santa and tricks the Chipmunks into building a
Christmas-themed amusement park.
“A
Dog’s Best Friend Is His Chipmunk / The Curse of Lontiki” (12/3/83) – The
Chipmunks try to raise money for an animal fund and end up taking home a dog
instead. / The Chipmunks go to Hawaii and Alvin finds a medallion he believes
is cursed.
*replaced
by Surfin’ Safari on DVD
“Baseball
Heroes / May the Best Chipmunk Win” (12/10/83) – The Chipmunks get jobs as
vendors to earn money for new baseball uniforms and end up stopping a
pickpocket. / The Chipettes transfer to the Chipmunks’ school and Brittany runs
against Alvin for class president.
Season
2:
“The
Chipmunk who Bugged Me / Rich and Famous” (9/8/84) – Alvin uses his detective
kit to try and solve a mystery on the Orient Express. / Alvin pretends to be
rich to compete with another kid for a girl’s affections.
“Don’t
Be a Vidiot / A Horse, of Course” (9/15/84) – The Chipmunks all make their own
music videos. / The Chipmunks invest in an old racehorse.
“The
Camp Calomine Caper / Lights, Camera, Alvin” (9/22/84) – The Chipmunks compete
against the Chipettes at camp. / Harry schemes to make Alvin a movie star to
break up the Chipmunks.
“Some
Entrancing Evening / Match Play” (9/29/84) – A hypnotist gives Dave Alvin’s personality
so that he won’t be nervous appearing on a show. / The Chipmunks trick Dave
into playing against a man Alvin made a wager with for Dave’s signed golf club.
“The
Picture of Health / The Victrola Awards” (10/6/84) – Alvin decides they need to
join a gym and try to meet the qualifications for a free membership. / The
Chipmunks try to get publicity shots of their doing good deeds to win an award.
*replaced
by the original When I’m Old and Gray on DVD.
“Royally
Received / Gone Fishin” (10/13/84) – Alvin tries to impress a girl in London by
saying they’re there to play for the Queen. / Working at an aquarium for
Simon’s science project leads the Chipmunks to have to rescue two prized
dolphins.
“Setting
the Record Straight / Father’s Day Muffins” (10/20/84) – Theodore is turned
into a record mascot to win a radio contest. / A batter mix-up ruins the
muffins the Chipmunks planned to sell to raise money for a present for Dave.
“Alvin
on Ice / Operation Theodore” (10/27/84) – Alvin plots to get a famous figure
skater to appear in the school pageant. / Theodore goes missing when he brings
Eleanor’s homework to the hospital where she’s volunteering.
“The
Gang’s All Here / Snow Job” (11/3/84) – Alvin gets challenged by a gang. /
Alvin gets himself invited to the celebrity ski tournament, now he just has to
learn how to ski.
“Maids
in Japan / My Fair Chipette” (11/10/84) – Alvin signs the group up to be in a
Kabuki theater in Japan. / Brittany challenges Alvin to turn Jeanette into a
beauty pageant winner.
“New,
Improved Simon / The Greatest Show-Offs on Earth” (11/17/84) – Alvin changes
Simon’s image so he can impress a girl he likes. / The Chipmunks and Chipettes
team up to save a circus.
“Guardian
Chipmunks / Carsick” (11/24/84) – Dave starts a neighborhood watch to catch a
burglar, and the Chipmunks try to catch him themselves. / After Dave gets sick
taking care of them, the Chipmunks try to fix up his car for the car show.
“Hat
Today Gone Tomorrow / Snow Wrong” (12/1/84) – Alvin goes crazy searching for
his cap. / The Chipmunks and Chipettes audition to be in a production of Snow
White.
Season
3:
“Film
Flam / The Secret Life of Dave Seville” (9/14/85) – The Chipmunks hire a
cut-rate film editor to make their greatest hits video, and he ends up using
home movies instead. / The Chipmunks interview Dave’s friends to find out what
secret he’s hiding.
“Who
Ghost There? / Romancing Miss Stone” (9/21/85) – Stuck at home without lights,
the Chipmunks believe their house is haunted. / Alvin gets a crush on his
teacher and becomes jealous when Dave starts dating her.
“A
Chip Off the Old Tooth / Three Alarm Alvin” (9/28/85) – Alvin disguises himself
as the Tooth Fairy to try and cash in on Theodore’s lost tooth. / The Chipmunks
decide to start their own fire department for publicity, which goes fine until
an actual fire breaks out.
“Sisters
/ Court Action” (10/5/85) – Brittany wants to join a popular clique which means
keeping her distance from clumsy, unpopular Jeanette. / Alvin’s participation
in the championship basketball game is in jeopardy when he’s put on trial for
plagiarizing a book report.
“Good
Old Simon / The Chipmunks Go to Washington” (10/12/85) – Feeling unappreciated,
Simon runs away and stows away on a cargo ship. / Dave, the Chipmunks and
Chipettes head to Washington to try and save a bald eagle nest from a building
development.
“Soccer
to Me / Every Chipmunk Tells a Story” (10/19/85) – Alvin needs a new player for
his team, and only Eleanor fits the bill. / The Chipmunks all have a different
story on how Dave’s piano ends up destroyed and covered in pudding.
“A
Little Worm in the Big Apple / Staying Afloat” (10/26/85) – Harry attempts to
trick the Chipettes while they visit New York. / Alvin accidentally causes
Dave’s friend’s boat to sink while on vacation.
“The
Chipette Story” (11/2/85) – The Chipettes meet and old friend and remember
their struggles going from an Australian orphanage to being music stars.
*Replaced
by original songs You Are Beautiful & Keep Dancing on DVD
“The
Prize Isn’t Right / The Gold of My Dreams” (11/9/85) – Alvin and Theodore
disguise themselves as Simon to compete in a game show for him when he falls
ill. / Alvin sells Dave’s RV to buy a gold claim.
Songs:
Magic
Bus,
We’re
in the Money & I Need That Gold Tonight (based on “I Need Your Love Tonight”)
“Mind
Over Matterhorn / Alvin’s Oldest Fan” (11/16/85) – Alvin arranges to have the
gang climb the Matterhorn so that the Chipettes can perform on the peak and
gain more fame. / Alvin sets up a contest for one of his fans to win a date
with him, but it ends up being an elderly lady.
Season 4:
“Help Wanted: Mommy” (9/13/86) – Dave takes in the
Chipettes when it’s discovered that they live alone, but they begin fighting
with the Chipmunks.
*Repeat
“Teevee or Not Teevee / A Rash of Babies” (9/20/86)
– When their appearance on a talk show is cancelled, the Chipmunks follow the
crew to try and get on TV anyway. / Disaster strikes when the Chipmunks start a
babysitting service.
“Whatever Happened to Dave Seville? / Simon
Seville, Superstar” (9/27/86) – The Chipmunks believe that a wax figure of Dave
is actually him suffering from some rare disease. / When Simon becomes popular
in Australia, Alvin sets it up so that he can “rescue” them and steal his fame.
“Miss Miller’s Big Gamble / Sweet Smell of Success”
(10/4/86) – The Chipettes accidentally cause Miss Miller to become a compulsive
gambler. / Brittany wants to market her own perfume by giving some to a Queen,
but the bottle ends up being switched with one full of fish soup.
“Cinderella? Cinderella!” (10/11/86) – Brittany
dreams she’s Cinderella when Miss Miller forces her to do her chores before she
can to go to the dance.
“Experiment in Error / How You Gonna Keep ‘em Down
on the Farm?” (10/18/86) – Brittany uses an accident in Simon’s lab to get
Alvin to take her to a ball. / Theodore tries to keep Grandpa Seville from
turning his calf into veal.
*Repeat
“Middle-Aged Davey / I Love L.A.” (10/25/86) – The
Chipmunks try to set Dave up with an old girlfriend to make him feel young
again, but he ends up with her younger sister instead. / Alvin wants to get a
star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame before Dan the Dog.
“Chipmunk Vice / Hooping It Up” (11/1/86) – Alvin
is sick with the flu and dreams he’s a detective searching for his prized
baseball card. / The school holds a 1950s-themed scavenger hunt.
Season 5:
“Back to Dave’s Future / Tell It to the Judge” (9/12/87)
– The Chipmunks are propelled back in time where they must help young Dave
start his music career. / Alvin and Brittany go to court and try to out-lie
each other over who caused their accident.
“Sincerely Theodore / My Pharaoh Lady” (9/19/87) – When
Alvin finds out Theodore’s pen pal is the daughter of a film director he steals
his date with her. / Brittany bets another girl that if a mummy doesn’t rise
and visit her house Brittany will have to drop out of the Carnival queen race.
“Simon Says / When the Chips Are Down” (9/26/87) –
When Simon breaks his glasses and looks through a telescope, he believes he
sees aliens coming to Earth. / Alvin tricks the others into investigating an
old mansion for treasure by promising to paint the garage himself if he’s
wrong.
“Alvin, Alvin, Alvin! / Dave’s Dream Cabin”
(10/3/87) – Alvin tries out different personalities. / Dave finally buys his
dream cabin and Alvin uses it as an opportunity to get Robby Leach to interview
him.
“Old Friends / The Mystery of Seville Manor”
(10/10/87) – Alvin tries to find the old woman he almost ran over when he finds
out she’s wealthy. / The Chipmunks look into if they’re related to one Lord
Seville in England.
“Ask Alvin / Theodore Lucks Out” (10/17/87) – Simon
and Theodore get Alvin a talk show so that he’ll stop giving them unsolicited
advice. / Theodore becomes convinced a bent dime he finds is good luck.
“Big Dreams / Island Fever” (10/24/87) – Simon uses
his time machine to find out the results of Alvin’s choice of prize in a
sweepstakes he won. / Tempers flare as the Chipmunks and Chipettes get tossed
off the cruise ship where they perform and end up stranded on an island.
“Just One of the Girls / Goin’ Down to Dixie”
(10/31/87) – The Chipettes and Miss Miller with her old singing group both
decide to audition for a TV show. / The Chipettes have to deal with a cut-rate
travel service in order to get to a gig in New Orleans.
Season 6:
“Dreamlighting” (9/10/88) – While waiting for Alvin
for a date, Brittany has a dream that they’re a pair of detectives and Alvin
has to stop her from marrying an evil Simon.
Song: Alvinson’s
Root Beer Cooler
“Elementary, My Dear Simon” (9/17/88) – Simon hosts
a show where he plays Sherlock Holmes.
Song: Home
Skiddle De Doorey
“The Brunch Club” (10/1/88) – While in detention,
the Chipmunks and Chipettes try to figure out who knocked over a statue.
Song: What
Were You Doing at the Time?
“Food for Thought” (10/15/88) – Alvin and Simon try
to help Theodore pass his history test.
Song: History
Rap
“Wings Over Siesta Grande” (12/2/88) – A tribe of
wild chipmunks helps the Chipmunks stop a thief in Mexico.
Songs: The
Key & Witch Doctor*
*Repeat
“Treasure Island” (10/29/88) – Dave reads to the
Chipmunks after the TV blows up.
Song: The
Sea Life
“Chipmunkmania” (12/5/88) – An overview of the
Chipmunks’ career.
Songs: Puttin’
on the Ritz*, Witch Doctor*, Poopsie Cola, Three Little Maids from School*, Bad
to the Bone*
*Repeat
“Grounded Chipmunk” (12/6/88) – Alvin doesn’t get
to go to the fun park and is forced to clean up the house after holding a
forbidden party.
Song: Bippidee
Bop With My Favorite Mojo
“Alvie’s Angles” (12/7/88) – The Chipettes hunt
down a popular jewel thief.
Song: Beat
of the Jungle
“Cadet’s Regrets” (12/8/88) – Alvin enrolls them in
a cadet camp, and the Chipmunks consider running away when it proves too tough.
Song: Commandos
“Alvin in Analysis” (12/9/88) – Alvin goes to a
psychologist.
Songs: Goodbye
to You*, First Date*, Rock Around the Clock* & The Heat Is On*
*Repeat
“Dave’s Getting Married” (9/24/88) – Dave’s new
love-interest seems almost perfect, except that her own sons clash with the
Chipmunks.
Songs: She’s
Alright & Count on Me
“No Chipmunk is an Island / Babysitter Fright
Night” (10/8/88) – Constant fighting leads the Chipmunks to want their own
rooms. / A movie encourages Alvin to think their babysitter is a murderer.
Songs: Help
Me Get Out & Babysitter Rock
“Alvin’s Summer Job” (10/22/88) – Alvin gets a job
in order to afford an expensive toy.
Songs: We’re
the Chipmunks & Swing
“Once Upon a Crime” (11/5/88) – The Chipmunks end
up taking a toy from Miss Miller’s attic without permission.
Song: Sorro
“The Phantom / Mad About Alvin” (11/12/88) – Dave
becomes a successful rock singer. / Alvin ends up challenged to a fight at
school.
Song: The
Phantom
“Vinny’s Visit” (11/19/88) – The Chipmunks’ mother
visits for “Parents’ Day” but has trouble adapting to modern life.
“Uncle Adventure / Luck O’ the Chipmunks”
(11/26/88) – The Chipmunks try to alleviate Dave’s concerns about his elderly
uncle. / The Chipmunks investigate a new student who claims to have a
leprechaun.
“Theodore and Juliet / Quarterback in Curlers”
(12/3/88) – Theodore’s crush ends up crushing on Alvin when she overhears a
line Alvin said to help Theodore. / Brittany tries out for the football team,
prompting Alvin to try out for the cheer squad in revenge.
*replaced by “Witch Doctor” on DVD
“The Wall / The Amazing Chipmunks” (12/17/88) – The
Chipmunks play a concert in Berlin and help inspire the tearing down of the
wall. / A crook uses the Chipmunks’ concerts as cover to rob their audiences’
homes.
“Theodore’s Life as a Dog / Queen of the High
School Ballroom” (1/7/89) – Theodore and Simon trick Alvin into thinking
Theodore is becoming a dog after Alvin makes him eat a dog biscuit. / The
Chipettes try to disguise the Chipmunks as Miss Miller’s date for her high
school reunion.
“Psychic Alvin / A Special Kind of Champion”
(1/14/89) – Alvin believes he’s psychic when he passes a test that Simon fails.
/ When Alvin can’t keep up with the track team, the coach makes him the trainer
for a Special Olympian.
“Alvin’s Obsession / Alvin’s Not So Super Hero”
(1/21/89) – Alvin challenges a new boy to various competitions to prove he’s
better. / Alvin gets to meet his favorite TV hero.
*Repeat
“Dave’s Wonderful Life” (1/28/89) – A series of
setbacks has Dave questioning his existence, and he’s shown what would happen
to the Chipmunks without him.
Song: Wonderful
Life
Season 7:
“Cookie Chomper III” (9/9/89) – The Chipmunks adopt
a new kitten.
Song: Beautiful
Memories
“Home Sweet Home / All Worked Up” (9/16/89) – Alvin
tells his classmates he’s performing with Michael Jackson. / The Chipmunks
overhear Dave suggestion different careers for them, and they promptly being
exploring them.
“Nightmare on Seville Street / Thinking Cap Trap”
(9/23/89) – The Chipmunks sneak a horror movie and end up terrified the rest of
the night. / Tired of being the only genius, Simon invents a helmet that will
make the rest of his family as smart as he is.
Songs: Hideous
Harold & Calculate
“Bye, George / A Day in the Life” (9/30/89) – Alvin
uses Simon’s time machine to pass his history class. / Concerned about the
video Simon takes of them at home, Dave and the others decide to break into the
TV studio to take the video back.
Songs: Time
Warp Rap & Coast Is Clear
“Like Father, Like Son / Dr. Simon and Mr. Heartthrob”
(10/7/89) – Alvin gets tired of being treated like a kid and trades places with
Dave. / Alvin mucks with Simon’s formula, turning him into a heartthrob and
threatening Alvin’s status as a teen idol.
“Too Hip to Be Dave / Hearts and Flowers”
(10/14/89) – A bump on the head causes Dave to lose his memory and adopt a
trendy style he saw on TV. / The Chipettes decide to get Miss Miller a
boyfriend so that she’ll stop making plans for them.
Songs: Hip
and Happenin’ & Hello, Mr. Flowers
“Maltese Chipmunk / Dear Diary” (10/21/89) – Alvin
dreams he’s a 1940s detective on the search for Brittany who has disappeared. /
The Chipettes take up diary writing, and problems arise when they sneak a peek
at each other’s.
Songs: Follow
That Clue, Brittany’s Vamp & Dear Diary
“Unfair Science / Shaking the Family Tree”
(10/28/89) – The Chipmunks all develop a crush on the substitute science
teacher and compete for her affection. / The Chipmunks want a family reunion
but find out their family is full of tension and hostility.
Songs: Put
on Your Tappin’ Shoes & Family Tree
“Inner Dave / The Legend of Sleeping Brittany”
(11/11/89) – The Chipmunks end up shrunken by one of Simon’s inventions. /
While covering the story of Sleeping
Beauty, Brittany pricks her finger
on a spinning wheel and ends up cursed.
“Three Chipmunks and a Puppy / Phantom of the Rock
Opera” (11/25/89) – Finding difficulty in training Lilly, the Chipmunks give
her away. / The Chipmunks take part in an opera that has been plagued with
problems.
Songs: Hound
Dog, Bombingo Mio, Opera Opening, Potato Potahto,
Thunder and Lightning, Star of the Show & Lance the Knife
“The Return of Uncle Adventure / The Princess and
the Pig” (12/2/89) – Seeing the boys are bored playing an old folks’ cruse,
Uncle Willy takes them to find the Fountain of Youth. / Brittany ends up
working on a farm that she has to save from being sold to an unscrupulous
businessman.
“Alvin in Neverland” (12/9/89) – When a girl
rejects him for being too childish, Alvin decides to make him and his brothers
behave like adults.
“Merry Christmas, Mr. Carroll” (12/16/89) – It’s
Christmas time, which means once again Alvin is only thinking about himself and
what he wants.
Season
8:
“Back
to Our Future” (9/8/90) –
*Repeat
“Bigger”
(9/15/90) – Alvin wishes he were bigger so people would stop treating him like
a kid.
*Repeat
“Kong!”
(9/22/90) – Alvin tries to convince Kong to come back to America with him.
“Batmunk”
(9/29/90) – Batmunk merchandise is being stolen, and the only criminal mad
enough to pull that off is—the Jokester.
“Daytona
Jones and the Pearl of Wisdom” (10/6/90) – Archaeologist Daytona Jones and his
brother, Saratoga, head off to find the Pearl of Wisdom.
*Replaced
by original song “Good Grief” in UK airings.
“Star
Wreck: The Absolutely Final Frontier” (10/13/90) – The USS Booby Prize encounters
an alien race that wants everything to be the same.
“Robomunk”
(10/20/90) – After Officer Malone suffers a terrible accident, he’s turned into
the half-robot, half-chipmunk Robomunk.
*Repeat
“S.T.
the Space Traveler” (10/27/90) – The Chipmunks meet an alien and try to hide
him from scientists.
“Irrational
Buffoon’s European Vacation” (11/3/90) – Clark Sevillewald wins a trip to
Europe for him and his boys on a game show.
“Chip
Tracy” (11/10/90) – Chip Tracy sets out to clean-up the city of crime.
“Gremlionis”
(11/17/90) – The Chipmunks encounter Italian gremlins.
“Sploosh”
(11/24/90) – Trusty must save mermaid Princess Montana from his fame-hungry scientist
boss before he exposes her to the world to the world.
“Funny,
We Shrunk the Adults” (12/1/90) – Simon’s invention shrinks Dave and Zelda,
leaving the kids on their own to cause chaos.
Specials:
“I
Love the Chipmunks Valentine Special” (1984) – Simon and Theodore give Alvin a
tape to help him be more confident in asking Brittany out, but instead it turns
him into Captain Chipmunk.
“A
Chipmunk Reunion” (1985) – The Chipmunks decide to go in search of their
mother.
“Alvin
Goes Back to School” (9/12/86) – Alvin takes over a school to try and make it
more fun for the kids there (NBC preview special).
“Rockin’
with the Chipmunks” (1990) – The Chipmunks celebrate their history with a
variety of celebrity guests.
“Trick
or Treason” (1994) – Alvin wants to join a gang notorious for pulling mean
pranks on Halloween.
“A
Chipmunk Celebration” (1994) – The Chipmunks are all given jobs different than
they wanted in the town play and come to dread failing horribly.
“The
Easter Chipmunk” (4/14/95) – Alvin learns his grandfather was the original
Easter Chipmunk and sets out to prove it to the world.
Films:
“The
Chipmunk Adventure” (5/22/87) – The Chipmunks and Chipettes compete in a hot
air balloon race around the world that serves as cover for a diamond smuggling
ring.
“Meet
Frankenstein” (9/28/99) – The Chipmunks befriend the classic monster only to
discover his creator is the true monster as he tries to kidnap and transform
Alvin.
“Meet
the Wolfman” (8/29/00) – When Theodore is bitten by a strange dog, he becomes a
werewolf.
“Little
Alvin and the Mini-Munks” (11/15/03) – When Dave needs peace to write a new
song, he leaves the Chipmunks and Chipettes with his friend, La-Lu, at her
magic cottage.
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