Out on a Limb

You wouldn’t know it to look at ‘em, but Alvin and the Chipmunks hit the big Three-Oh this year. Yep, come October, they’re 30!

Plans to commemorate the birthday are “in the embryonic stages,” according to Ross Bagdasarian Jr., who inherited the Chipmunk legacy from his dad, who died in 1972.

A possible star-studded NBC variety special combining live action with animation is in the talking stage. Bagdasarian’s hoping to include a segment that pays tribute to songs from the past three decades--with Theodore doing a Little Richard routine (“Good Golly, Miss Molly”), Simon as Buddy Holly (“Peggy Sue”) and Alllvin! as Elvis and--to commemorate the ‘80s--maybe even Prince!

There are also plans for an album and a reissue of all 18 Chipmunk albums. And look for lots of new merchandising, even a tie-in with Kellogg’s cornflakes. (Hey, kids--look for a Chipmunk toy inside specially marked boxes!)