---
name: "Ross Bagdasarian"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/ross-bagdasarian"
fi1m_id: "ross-bagdasarian"
imdb_id: "nm0046564"
tmdb_id: 49906
wikidata_id: "Q1176607"
roles: ["Writer"]
born: "27 January 1919"
died: "16 January 1972"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 3
average_fi1m_score: 40
average_as: "writer"
average_over: 2
updated: "2026-10-05T11:18:34.559073+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Ross Bagdasarian

## Identity

Ross Bagdasarian

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/ross-bagdasarian
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** ross-bagdasarian
- **IMDb ID:** nm0046564
- **TMDB ID:** 49906
- **Wikidata ID:** Q1176607
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ross_Bagdasarian, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1176607, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0046564/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/49906

Writer. Born 27 January 1919 in Fresno, California, USA. Died 16 January 1972.

## Details

- **Work:** Writer
- **Born:** 27 January 1919, Fresno, California, USA
- **Died:** 16 January 1972
- **Active:** 1954–2009
- **Also known as:** David Seville, Dave Seville, Ross Sipan Bagdasarian
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 3: 1 acting, 2 writing
- **Average Fi1m score:** 40, as writer, over 2 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1950s 94 (1), 2000s 40 (2)
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ross_Bagdasarian, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1176607, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0046564/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/49906

## Streaming the US now

- **Disney+:** [*Alvin and the Chipmunks*](https://film.one/film/alvin-and-the-chipmunks.md) (43)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Ross S. Bagdasarian (1919–1972), also known professionally as David Seville, was an American actor, singer, songwriter and record producer. Born in Fresno, California, he made his Broadway debut in 1939 in a play by his cousin William Saroyan and appeared in minor film roles including *Viva Zapata!* (1952) and *Stalag 17* (1953).

In Alfred Hitchcock's *Rear Window* (1954) he played the songwriter at the piano. He later achieved success with novelty records under the name David Seville, most notably creating the cartoon band Alvin and the Chipmunks, which featured in *The Alvin Show* (1961–62).

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (3)

### Performed in (1)

- *Rear Window* (1954), Fi1m 94, as Songwriter — [page](https://film.one/film/rear-window.md)

### Wrote (2) — the average rests on these

- *Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel* (2009), Fi1m 36, Characters — [page](https://film.one/film/alvin-and-the-chipmunks-the-squeakquel.md)
- *Alvin and the Chipmunks* (2007), Fi1m 43, Producer, Characters — [page](https://film.one/film/alvin-and-the-chipmunks.md)

## Complete filmography (23)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Alvin and the Chipmunks: Batmunk* (2012), Director
- *Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel* (2009), Characters — Fi1m 36, [page](https://film.one/film/alvin-and-the-chipmunks-the-squeakquel.md)
- *Alvin and the Chipmunks* (2007), Producer, Characters — Fi1m 43, [page](https://film.one/film/alvin-and-the-chipmunks.md)
- *Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Easter Chipmunk* (1995), Characters
- *Alvin and the Chipmunks: Alvin's Christmas Carol* (1993), Characters
- *The Chipmunks Rockin' Through The Decades* (1990), Characters
- *The Chipmunk Adventure* (1987), Characters
- *Alvin and the Chipmunks* (1983), series, as Creator
- *Call Her Mom* (1972), as Songs
- *The Alvin Show* (1961), series, as Creator
- *The Deep Six* (1958), as Pvt. Aaron Slobodjian
- *The Devil's Hairpin* (1957), as Tani Ritter
- *Three Violent People* (1956), as Asuncion Ortega
- *The Proud and Profane* (1956), as Louie
- *Hot Blood* (1956), as Gas Station Attendant (uncredited)
- *Kismet* (1955), as Fevvol (uncredited)
- *Rear Window* (1954), as Songwriter — Fi1m 94, [page](https://film.one/film/rear-window.md)
- *Alaska Seas* (1954), as Joe · Jim's crewman
- *Destination Gobi* (1953), as Paul Sabatello
- *Viva Zapata!* (1952), as Officer (uncredited)
- *Alvin and the Chipmunks Sing-Alongs: Ragtime Cowboy Joe*, as Alvin/Simon/Theodore/David Seville (voice)
- *Alvin and the Chipmunks Sing-Alongs: Workin' On The Railroad*, as Alvin, Simon, Theodore, David Seville, Songs
- *Alvin and the Chipmunks*, Characters

## Awards

### Other awards — 3 won

- Grammy Award for Best Album for Children 1960: Grammy Award for Best Album for Children (won), for *Let's All Sing with The Chipmunks*
- Grammy Award for Best Album for Children 1958: Grammy Award for Best Album for Children (won), for *The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)*
- Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album 1958: Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album (won)

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/ross-bagdasarian