Tonight's Halloween Countdown Bonus: David Seville's Witch Doctor

David Seville is the professional name of Ross Badasarian, the US-born child of Armenian parents. Cousin to famed writer William Saroyan. Bagdasarian's first pop musical success was the song he wrote with Saroyan, "Come on-a My House," reluctantly recorded by Rosemary Clooney in 1951, though it was a humungous hit for her. (The lyrics are based on dialogue from Saroyan's novel The Human Comedy!) In 1958, as David Seville, he had a major novelty hit with "Witch Doctor." The "chipmunk" element commented on in the wake of its success led Dave to even bigger success with Alvin & the Chipmunks as a result.