question_text: who plays tommy in texas chainsaw massacre the beginning

text: Plot[edit]

text: In 1939, a woman dies while giving birth in a slaughterhouse, and the manager disposes of the baby by leaving him in a dumpster outside. When young Luda Mae Hewitt, finds the child, she takes him back to the Hewitt residence, names him Thomas, and raises him as her own son. Thirty years later, Thomas, works in the slaughterhouse under the same manager that left him in the dumpster. When the plant is shut down by the health department, he refuses to leave until the manager forces him to. Thomas later returns to murder his manager, and finds a chainsaw, which he takes with him. When Sherrif Hoyt attempts to arrest him, Luda Mae's son, Charlie Hewitt, kills him, and assumes his identity. He then takes his body back home to use for stew meat.

text: Meanwhile, two brothers, Eric and Dean, are driving across the country with their girlfriends, Chrissie and Bailey, to enlist in the Vietnam War. At a diner, they meet a female biker named Alex, who follows them on her motorcycle. Alex soon draws a shotgun and orders the group to pull over. In the ensuing chaos, the car crashes, and Chrissie is thrown into a field out of sight. When Hoyt arrives he kills Alex, and makes them put her body in his car. Hoyt then forces the group in as well, and calls for Uncle Monty to tow the jeep, which Chrissie is hiding in. Hoyt drives them to the Hewitt house where he has Thomas butcher Alex's body. He then holds Eric, Dean, and Bailey captive. When Monty brings the wrecked car to the house, Chrissie runs back to the highway and flags down Holden, Alex's boyfriend, who follows her back to the house.

text: At the house, Hoyt tortures Dean after finding out he was going to dodge the Vietnam War draft. When Hoyt leaves, Eric breaks free from his restraints and gets Dean to safety before sneaking into the house to free Bailey. Bailey escapes in Monty's truck but Thomas stabs her with a meat hook and drags her back to the house. When Dean attempts to run he is caught in a bear trap and Hoyt knocks Eric unconscious. Meanwhile, Holden and Chrissie arrive at the house but part ways to search for their friends. Chrissie finds Dean, while Holden takes Hoyt hostage, and orders him to take him to Alex. Hoyt calls out to Thomas for help and he kills Holden with the chainsaw. Chrissie finds Eric in the basement but is unable to free him, and hides when Thomas returns. Thomas inspects Eric's face before killing him with the chainsaw. He then skins his face, and wears it as a mask.

text: Chrissie is about to flee when she hears Bailey's screams and decides to go back and save her. She finds her upstairs, but Hoyt catches her and brings her downstairs for dinner, along with Bailey and an unconscious Dean. Leatherface slits Bailey's throat and tries to take Chrissie to the basement, but she stabs him in the back with a screw driver and jumps out of a window. Dean regains consciousness and beats Hoyt before heading off to find Chrissie. Chrissie enters the slaughterhouse, and after noticing that Leatherface has followed her, she grabs a knife and cuts his face, but he overpowers her. Dean intervenes, but Leatherface kills him with the chainsaw. Chrissie escapes, hijacks an abandoned car, and drives off. She sees a state trooper in the distance, but as Chrissie pulls over, Leatherface appears in the backseat and impales her with the chainsaw, causing her to lose control and run over both the trooper and the man he pulled over. Leatherface then exits the car and walks along the road back towards the Hewitt house.

text: Cast[edit]

text:
Jordana Brewster as Chrissie
Taylor Handley as Dean A. Hill
Diora Baird as Bailey
Matt Bomer as Eric Hill
Lee Tergesen as Holden
R. Lee Ermey as Charlie Hewitt Jr. / Sheriff Hoyt
Marietta Marich as Luda Mae Hewitt

Allison Marich as young Luda Mae

Andrew Bryniarski as Thomas Hewitt / Leatherface
Terrence Evans as "Monty" Hewitt
Kathy Lamkin as Tea Lady Hewitt
Tim De Zarn as Slaughterhouse owner
Cyia Batten as Alex
Lew Temple as Sheriff Winston
John Larroquette as Narrator (uncredited)

text: Release[edit]

text: Box office[edit]

text: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning was released on October 6, 2006 in 2,820 theaters, debuting at #2 at the box office, grossing $18,508,228 on its first weekend. Its second week saw a 59.6% drop in attendance, grossing only $7,485,290 and coming in at #5 at the box office. During its third week it grossed $3,779,829 and came in at #10 at the box office. The film dropped out of the top ten and into eighteenth place with $1,269,942. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning would fail to regain a top ten spot at the box office for the remainder of its theatrical run,[3] ending with $51,764,406 in total gross.[2]

text: Home media[edit]

text: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning was released on DVD by New Line Home Video on January 16, 2007. This release included both theatrical and unrated versions of the film, as well as a double feature with the first film. EIV would release the film in the UK on February 19th that same year as both a two-disk uncut edition, a single-disk theatrical version, and as a part of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre collection. New Line would re-release the film in 2008 and 2009 before releasing the film on Blue-Ray on October 15, 2013. The film had previously been released for the first time on Blue-Ray by Ais on July 6, 2010.[4]

text: Reception[edit]

text: This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (January 2015)

text: On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 12% "rotten" rating, based on 83 reviews, with an average rating of 3.4/10. The site's consensus states: "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning is full of blood and gore, but not enough scares or a coherent story to make for a successful horror film."[5] Metacritic reports a 29 out of 100 rating, based on 18 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".[6] Peter Travers from Rolling Stone awarded the film zero stars, calling the film "putridly written, directed and acted", also criticizing the film's obvious plot turns.[7] Nathan Lee from The New York Times panned the film calling it "an invitation to hard-core sadism".[8] At the 27th Golden Raspberry Awards (2006), the film was nominated for a Worst Prequel or Sequel, but lost to Basic Instinct 2.[citation needed]


document_title: Alvin and the Chipmunks

question_text: who voiced theodore in alvin and the chipmunks

question_tokens: who voiced theodore in alvin and the chipmunks

root

text: Alvin and the Chipmunks

text: History[edit]

text: Witch Doctor[edit]

text: In 1958, Ross Bagdasarian Sr. released a novelty song (as David Seville) about being unsuccessful at love until he found a witch doctor who told him how to woo his woman. The song was done by Bagdasarian in his normal voice, except for the "magic" words, done first in Bagdasarian's pitched-up, pre-Chipmunk voice, then in a duet between his pitched-up voice and his normal voice. The words themselves are nonsense: "Oo-ee, oo-ah-ah, ting-tang, walla-walla, bing-bang".

tag: p

text: The song was a hit, holding number one for three weeks in the Billboard Top 100 chart. Nothing makes any reference to chipmunks, but the song is sometimes included on Chipmunk compilations, as if the Chipmunks had provided the voice of the Witch Doctor. Bagdasarian did record a Chipmunks version of "Witch Doctor", which appeared on the second Chipmunks album, Sing Again with the Chipmunks, in 1960.  Bagdasarian performed the song "live" (with a pre-recorded track of the pitched-up voice) on The Ed Sullivan Show.

text: Bagdasarian (again as Seville) recorded a follow-up song, "The Bird on My Head", singing a duet with his own sped-up voice as the bird. It also reached the Top 40, peaking at No. 34.[2] While driving in Sequoia National Park, Bagdasarian saw a chipmunk dash in front of him. That moment inspired him to create his chipmunk characters.[3]

text: The technique was imitated by Sheb Wooley's "Purple People Eater" and The Big Bopper's "The Purple People Eater Meets The Witch Doctor."

text: The Chipmunk Song[edit]

text: The Chipmunks first officially appeared on the scene in a novelty record released in late fall 1958 by Bagdasarian.  The song, originally listed on the record label (Liberty F-55168) as "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)", featured the singing skills of the chipmunk trio.  One phrase in the chorus has Alvin wishing for a hula hoop, which was that year's hot new toy.  The novelty record was highly successful, selling more than 4 million copies in seven weeks, and it launched the careers of its chipmunk stars.  It spent four weeks at Number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart from December 22, 1958 to January 12, 1959, succeeding "To Know Him Is To Love Him" at Number 1 on the same chart by another fictional animal act, The Teddy Bears.  It also earned three Grammy Awards and a nomination for Record of the Year. At the height of its popularity, Bagdasarian and three chipmunk hand-puppets appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show, lip-synching the song.  "The Chipmunk Song" appeared on the Chipmunks' debut album, Let's All Sing with the Chipmunks, in 1959, and was repeated on Christmas with the Chipmunks, released in 1962.  The song also has been included on several compilation albums.

text: Bob Rivers did a parody of this song for his 2000 Christmas album Chipmunks Roasting on an Open Fire which was titled "The Twisted Chipmunk Song".  In the song, the Chipmunks are referred to as Thagadore (Theodore),  Squeaky (Simon), and Melvin (Alvin).

text: The Three Chipmunks (1959)[edit]

text: The Chipmunks first appeared in comic book form on Dell's Four Color Comics series, issue #1042 (cover-dated Dec. 1959). Alvin, Theodore and Simon were depicted as somewhat realistic, nearly identical anthropomorphic rodents with almond-shaped eyes. When Herb Klynn's Format Films made a deal to develop the Three Chipmunks for animation, the old designs were rejected and new versions of the characters were created. Liberty Records eventually re-issued the early albums with the "new" Chipmunks and it was this new version of the Chipmunks that was used when Alvin's own title was released by Dell in 1962.

text: The Alvin Show (1961–62)[edit]

text: The first television series to feature the characters was The Alvin Show. The cartoon gave more distinctive looks and personalities to the three chipmunks than just their voices, and an animated portrayal of Seville was a reasonable caricature of Bagdasarian himself. The series ran from 1961 to 1962, and was one of a small number of animated series to be shown in prime time on CBS. Unfortunately, it was never an immediate success in prime time and was canceled after one season, only to find new life in syndication.

text: In addition to Alvin cartoons, the series also featured the scientist Clyde Crashcup and his assistant Leonardo. Those characters did not feature prominently on any of the later series. Crashcup made a single cameo appearance in A Chipmunk Christmas, and in an episode of Alvin and the Chipmunks. The television series was produced by Format Films for Bagdasarian Film Corporation. Although the series was broadcast in black and white, it was produced and later re-run in color. 26 episodes each were produced for the Alvin and the Chipmunks and Clyde Crashcup segments, along with 52 musical segments.

text: New albums and A Chipmunk Christmas (1969–82)[edit]

text: The final Chipmunks album in the project's original incarnation, The Chipmunks Go to the Movies, was released in 1969. After the death of Ross Bagdasarian in 1972 from a heart attack, the Chipmunks' careers stalled until NBC showed interest in the original show (the network carried Saturday morning reruns of The Alvin Show as a midseason replacement in 1979) and the following year, Excelsior Records released a new album of contemporary songs performed by the Chipmunks. That album, Chipmunk Punk, featured Bagdasarian's son, Ross Bagdasarian Jr., doing the voices of the characters. That album and the continued reruns of the series proved to be popular enough to warrant further new records as well as a new television production, and in 1981, the Chipmunks and Seville returned to television in the Christmas special A Chipmunk Christmas, produced by Chuck Jones, which was first broadcast on NBC on December 14 of that year. Next year, two more albums were released (Chipmunk Rock and The Chipmunks Go Hollywood).

text: Alvin and the Chipmunks (1983–90)[edit]

text: The group's name changed from the "Chipmunks" to "Alvin and the Chipmunks".[4] In 1983, a second animated television series for the group, produced by Ruby-Spears Productions, was released. Titled simply Alvin and the Chipmunks, the outline of the show closely paralleled the original Alvin Show. The series lasted eight production seasons, until 1990. In the first season, the show introduced the Chipettes, three female versions of the Chipmunks — Brittany, Jeanette, and Eleanor, who each paralleled the original Chipmunks in personality except for Brittany being vainer than Alvin, with Jeanette smart like Simon, and Eleanor fond of food like Theodore, with their own human guardian, the myopic Miss Beatrice Miller (who arrived for the 1986 season). The success of the show led to the release of a soundtrack album in 1984, Songs from Our TV Shows.

text: The Chipmunks even walked[clarification needed] a variation of NBC's "Let's All Be There" campaign[clarification needed] for its Saturday-morning lineup in 1984 (shows included The Smurfs, Snorks, Going Bananas, Pink Panther and Sons, Kidd Video, Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, Mister T, etc.). After 1988, the show was renamed just The Chipmunks to indicate that there were now two groups of them. Also introduced was the boys' "Uncle" Harry, who may or may not have actually been a relative. The show reflected contemporaneous trends popular culture; the Chipmunks sang recent hits, and wore contemporary clothing. One "documentary" episode spoofed John Lennon's 1966 infamous comment that The Beatles had become "more popular than Jesus", by recalling how the Chipmunks had fallen in popularity after Alvin boasted they were "bigger than Mickey Mouse!". In 1985, the Chipmunks, along with the Chipettes, were featured in the live stage show, Alvin and the Chipmunks and the Amazing Computer. In 1987, during the fifth season of the show on television, the Chipmunks had their first animated feature film, The Chipmunk Adventure, directed by Janice Karman and Ross Bagdasarian Jr. and released to theaters by The Samuel Goldwyn Company. The film featured the Chipmunks and the Chipettes in a contest traveling around the world.

text: In the 1988–89 season, the show switched production companies to DIC Entertainment, by which time the Chipmunks had truly become anthropomorphized. In 1990, the show switched titles again to The Chipmunks Go to the Movies. Each episode in this season was a spoof of a Hollywood film, such as Back to the Future, King Kong, and others.[5] In addition, several television specials featuring the characters were also released. At the conclusion of the eighth season, the show was canceled again. In 1990, a documentary was produced about the show entitled Alvin and the Chipmunks/Five Decades with the Chipmunks. In that year, the Chipmunks also teamed up for the only time with other famous cartoon stars (such as Bugs Bunny, Garfield, etc.) for the drug abuse-prevention special Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue.

text: Main characters[edit]

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tag: table

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text: The Chipmunks[edit]

text: The origin of the Chipmunks was totally rebooted in 2007 for its feature film. They are living in a tree, fending for themselves as their parents had taken off to join a hippie commune, and having problems gathering nuts for the winter. Their tree is cut down and carted off to grace the entrance lobby of a city office building, with them in it. They then hitch a ride in  a basket of pastries Dave is carrying and wind up in his home, where they wreak havoc & uproar in his kitchen and get thrown out before showing Dave how well they can sing and becoming celebrities as a result. Despite repeatedly testing Dave's putting up with them, they finally win his heart.

text: Alvin Seville[edit]

text: Alvin is the lead vocalist and is the oldest of the Chipmunks (which is confirmed in the 1980s episode "Grounded Chipmunk"). He wears a red baseball cap and sweater sporting a yellow "A". His eyes are blue (amber in the live action/animated films) and his build is thin. In personality, Alvin is enthusiastic, mischievous, wacky, hot-tempered, and funny. The term look before you leap does not usually apply to Alvin as he is impulsive, charming and musically talented. He often makes up harebrained schemes to achieve his goals, whether it be trying to help his brothers, keeping Dave from figuring something out, or getting out of a sticky situation. Alvin seems to refer to his often illogical or crazy plans as "challenging the ordinary". He is proud of his fame and often self-centered and vain, but Alvin does have a kind heart and loves his brothers very much, often proving that his heart is stronger than his voice. He's also not ashamed to admit when he's wrong and will help others when the time comes. There are times when Alvin displays true selflessness, such as when he gave his golden harmonica to a sick boy at Christmas and when he helped Theodore get Nathan, a bully, off his back for a while.

text: He is shown to be infatuated with Brittany, although they often quarrel with each other, but they look out for each other when things look bad. He sometimes struggles with her to prove who is the better, such as when he and Brittany each ran for class president at their school in the animated series, but he is often kind to her and is implied to have a crush on her. He sometimes displays affection for Brittany such as hugging her, kissing her hand or cheeks, and comforting her when she is upset. In one CGI episode, Alvin overheard two girls insulting Brittany and he stood up for her, displaying his gentle side once again.

text: Like his brothers, Alvin was originally voiced by Ross Bagdasarian Sr. In the animated series and film, he was voiced by Ross Bagdasarian Jr. Justin Long voiced Alvin in the live-action/animated film series. On July 30, 2002, Alvin was No. 44 on TV Guide's list of "Top 50 Best Cartoon Characters of All Time".[6]

text: Simon Seville[edit]

text: Simon is the middle brother and the tallest of the Chipmunks. In addition to having an IQ just north of Einstein, Simon possesses a dry sense of humor as well as keen wit. He wears glasses and blue attire, and has blue eyes (a trait he shares with Alvin). He is kind, gentle, logical, responsible, and at times poetic. He often takes charge when Alvin goes too far with his harebrained schemes. Although Simon tends to disagree and argue with Alvin, he truly loves his brother and sticks by him despite everything. Simon tends to hold grudges, but these are often short-lived as he knows that he should be more forgiving. Simon plays the bass, bass clarinet, saxophone, bagpipes, tuba, and drums, among others. In vocal harmonies, he consistently sings the lower parts due to having a deeper voice than his brothers. He is shown playing the keyboard in the original open for the 1980s series.[citation needed] He was also shown playing guitar in a 1980s Hardee's commercial.

text: Simon is often implied to have a crush on Jeanette, as she is like him in many details; wearing glasses and blue or purple attire and having a high IQ, possibly rivalling his own. However, he seems braver in standing up to siblings than her because Jeanette doesn't often stand up for herself when Brittany pushes her around. But like Simon to Alvin, Jeanette shares a sisterly bond with Brittany.

text: Like his brothers, Simon was originally voiced by Ross Bagdasarian Sr. In the animated series and film, he was voiced by Ross Bagdasarian Jr. Matthew Gray Gubler voiced Simon in the live-action/animated film series.

text: Theodore Seville[edit]

text: Theodore is the child of innocence and the youngest of the Chipmunks. He is shy, loving, sensitive, chubby, gullible, trusting, and naïve. In short, he is an easy target for Alvin's manipulations. He wears green attire and has green eyes (brown in the CGI animated series). Theodore often holds the swing vote between his two brothers' choices of action: Simon appeals to Theodore's better nature while Alvin goes straight to bribery. He has a big appetite, constantly craving snacks and in one episode, Theodore tried to eat Alvin's hand because of his hunger. He plays the drums, the guitar, and other instruments. In vocal harmonies, his voice is typically the highest. He is fragile yet unpredictable and not very brave, but he will put on a brave face when his brothers are in trouble. At times, he is childish and Alvin's follower, but he is also the glue that binds his brothers despite Alvin and Simon's differences and regular disagreements. Although he is sometimes teased by Alvin, Theodore loves his big brother and knows that Alvin loves him too.

text: He seems to have affection for Eleanor, who shares physical traits with him, but she is smarter, braver and more athletic. They each have a passion for cooking, as Theodore is seen baking Christmas cookies in some Christmas episodes. In the live action/animated films, it is revealed that Theodore is sensitive about his weight and is often hurt when he is criticized for his chubby physique. This also applies to Eleanor, but she is able to stand for herself and wishes that Theodore would do the same.

text: Like his brothers, he was originally voiced by Ross Bagdasarian Sr. In the animated series and film, his voice was provided by Janice Karman, Ross Bagdasarian Jr.'s wife and the voice of all three Chipettes. Jesse McCartney voiced Theodore in the live-action/animated film series.

text: The Chipettes[edit]

text: Brittany Miller[edit]

text:
Brittany is the lead singer and leader of The Chipettes and is the female counterpart of Alvin. She wears pink attire and has red hair often drawn up in a ponytail and has blue eyes. Brittany is considerably beautiful, self-centered, ambitious, and vain, but she does have a kind side and is loyal to her sisters, Jeanette and Eleanor. Brittany is often trying to look pretty and desires to make herself popular or get what she wants, but she does learn her lessons and is willing to do the right thing.
Brittany often displays affection for Alvin as they are alike in many ways. Although she and Alvin are often quarrelsome with each other and often compete over who is the better, she does stick by his side in tough situations and deep down, she and Alvin do love each other. Brittany pushes Jeanette around a lot and takes advantage of her kindness, but deep down, they love each other very much and care about each other, proving that Brittany does have a gentle side. Eleanor always stands up to Brittany when she tries to push Jeanette around, but they do share a strong sisterly relationship.

text: Jeanette Miller[edit]

text: Jeanette is the second eldest sister and smartest of the Chipettes, as well as the tallest. Like Simon, she wears glasses and blue attire. She has brown hair in a bun in the '80s show and a short ponytail in the recent films. Her eyes are green in her TV appearances and The Chipmunk Adventure but were changed to purple in the live-action/CGI films. In personality, Jeanette is intelligent, gentle, kind, compassionate, and attractive. She cares about Simon and gets along with him very well, although the two of them are very shy about their relationship. She is often pushed around by Brittany, but she loves her sister and knows that Brittany loves her too. Jeanette tries to be her best, but she is shy and often viewed as clumsy, as she does have a habit of tripping over her feet. Still, she is beloved by her sisters and finds companionship with their guardian, Miss Miller.

text: Eleanor Miller[edit]

text: Eleanor is the youngest of the Chipettes. She has a lot in common with Theodore in terms of body shape and color of attire, but she is braver, more fit and has a better memory. She is blonde with pigtails and has brown eyes in the 80`s show, which changed to green in the more recent appearances. Eleanor is kind, sweet, trusting, courteous, and fairly pretty. She shares Theodore's love of food and she is also skilled in cooking, and like him, she is the drummer for the Chipettes. Eleanor often stands up to Brittany when she pushes Jeanette around, but she loves her big sister and is always willing to forgive. She seems to have affection for Theodore and they are the two most open about their relationship. Like him, Eleanor is sensitive about her weight and doesn't like to be insulted for it, but she often stands up for herself and wishes to help Theodore gain self-confidence.

text: Dave[edit]

text: David "Dave" Seville is a quick-tempered yet kind and somewhat insecure songwriter for the musical trio and Chipmunks' adoptive father and confidant. While Dave struggles to remain calm and objective, Alvin often irritates him, causing Dave to yell "Alvin!", to which Alvin (sometimes) responds with "Okay!" Dave plays piano and the guitar. He has short black hair and brown eyes. In the original incarnations of the group (including the original recordings and The Alvin Show) he is portrayed by Alvin and the Chipmunks creator Ross Bagdasarian Sr. In the 1983–1990 revival of the show, he is portrayed by Ross Bagdasarian Jr., the son of the original creator.  For the series of films produced from 2007 to 2015, he is portrayed by Jason Lee.

text: In the 1983–1990 animated series, it is revealed that Dave first found the Chipmunks as infants abandoned on the doorstep of his old cottage. At first, he grows to like them but had trouble keeping them from misbehaving as he had important songs to write or else he'd lose his job. On top of that, Dave's landlord is a nasty man who even tries to kill the Chipmunks. However, Dave eventually hears their amazing singing voices and records them, making their song a hit and with the money they earn they manage to move into a large house, which Dave owns and live happily together as one big family. The mother of the Chipmunks has made a few guest appearances, to see how her children are doing, and Dave had to acquaint her with urban ways.

text: In the 2007 film, the visuals and history established in the animated show, are totally rebooted. Dave first discovers the boys eating food in his cabinets and he panics and throws them out. He later changes his mind and allows them into his home upon them showing their singing talent. However, the Chipmunks find an old letter and mistakenly think Dave doesn't want them anymore so they go to live with Ian Hawke, their conniving music producer; he begins to miss the boys and frees them from Ian. He welcomes the Chipmunks into his home and eventually he starts to love them like his own children.

text: However, in the 2009 sequel Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, Dave plays a minor role in the film, mainly due to his being in the hospital in Paris. This happened due to Alvin accidentally causing a billboard to crash into him and he is sent flying across the room and is severely injured, so he is placed in intensive care. He is rarely seen in the film. His cousin Toby acts as both a main character and the Chipmunks' temporary guardian. Dave appears at the end of the film watching his boys and the Chipettes perform together.

text: Dave appears for a third time in Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked, where he, the Chipmunks and Chipettes board a cruise ship heading to the International Music Awards. He gets mad at Alvin, Simon and the Chipettes for leaving their cabin room for their own reasons. Later, he teams up with his old enemy, Ian, to find the Chipmunks and Chipettes when the six get blown away while hang-gliding a kite. He & Ian find them and leaves the island with them before its volcano erupts. with Ian getting his career back He later watches his family perform at the International Music Awards; he is last seen on an airplane with them heading for home.

text: In the fourth film, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip, Dave now owns a music record company, and moved to a new home with the Chipmunks and Chipettes. Upset from Alvin throwing a surprise birthday bash, to his dismay, he decides to take his lover, Samantha, to Florida for one of his client's album release party, instead of taking the Chipmunks. Both Samantha and Dave leave, leaving Samantha's son, Miles, to stay with the Chipmunks, being that the Chipettes have gone to judge in American Idol. Dave, for most of the movie, is at Florida, having dinners with Samantha. After being suspected of going to propose to her, Dave is unwittingly sabotaged by Miles and the Chipmunks. He also gets upset, as the Chipmunks presumed, ruining his coworker's proposal, and for causing much trouble on their trip to stop him. Alvin, Simon, Theodore, and Miles perform for Dave as an apology, during his client's album release, finally mending the ruined proposal of Dave's coworker. Back to Los Angeles, Dave adopts the boys, and is last seen yelling Alvin's name after he finds his home wrecked.

text: Film characters[edit]

text: Ian Hawke[edit]

text: Ian is played by comedian David Cross, and serves as the main antagonist in the first two films. He is Dave's friend-turned rival and former college roommate, and serves as the CEO of Jett Records in the first film. One day, the Chipmunks sneak off to his home to audition, whereupon he automatically signs them on to the label. He rockets them to the top of music business but after seeing how much they're truly worth, he attempts to lure them away from Dave for his own profit. His plan ultimately fails, as the Chipmunks have learned of it and escaped from his grasp, thus leaving him to be ousted from his job as CEO of Jett Records. In the second film, Ian is now unemployable, in debt, and lives in the basement of Jett Records stating that he lost everything except his dignity. However, he happens upon The Chipettes, who want to be famous like the Chipmunks, and cannot wait to make them famous, so he takes them in, in hopes of getting his sworn revenge on the Chipmunks. He enrolls the Chipettes into the same school as the Chipmunks, and after showing Dr. Rubin (Wendie Malick) their talent, she agrees to let them battle the Chipmunks for the right to represent the school for the district's music competition. However, in the climax, Ian decides to blow off the competition to have the Chipettes to perform at a Britney Spears concert, and takes them by force, threatening to take them to a barbecue restaurant if they will not comply. Alvin saves the Chipettes from Ian, who then tries to imitate them at the Britney Spears concert, only to get thrown into a dumpster by security guards losing everything again including his dignity. Ian makes his third and final appearance in the third film. Here, Ian has mellowed and now works on the Carnival Dream cruise ship, dressed in a pelican suit because record labels are not interested in hiring him for ruining the concert of the Chipmunks, the Chipettes and for passing on Justin Bieber twice. As a well-respected mascot, he takes his job very seriously and threatens to have Dave and the Chipmunks removed from the ship if they continue to act up. However, he becomes Dave's friend again while helping him find the Chipmunks after they were marooned on the island. In the end, he gets his wealth back by starting a career as a screenwriter, having sold a screenplay about Zoe's story to Hollywood.

text: Claire Wilson[edit]

text: Claire is Dave's ex-girlfriend who adores the Chipmunks after she finally gets to meet them. She becomes good friends with Dave again by the end of the movie. She is played by Cameron Richardson.

text: Toby Seville[edit]

text: Dave's immature and very careless first cousin who appeared in the second film. Toby is a slacker who loves to play video games and still lives with his grandmother and Dave's aunt, Jackie Seville, until he figures out what he wants to do with his life. Toby's immaturity keeps him from acting like an adult (although he seems to take on some responsibility in the middle of the film), and he has a crush on the Chipmunks' homeroom and music teacher, Julie Ortega (Erika Casanova), ever since he went to the same school as the Chipmunks. He is played by Chuck star Zachary Levi.

text: Zoe[edit]

text: Zoe is a deluded castaway who was found by the Chipmunks when they end up being marooned on an island that she took refuge. She claims to be on the island for eight or nine years. At first, she was believed to be crash-landed into the island, but it turns out that she intentionally came there to look for treasure. She is played by former SNL actress Jenny Slate and is the antagonist-turned protagonist of the third film.

text: Agent James Suggs[edit]

text: Agent James Suggs is the main antagonist of Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip. He is an air marshal who personally despises the Chipmunks for being dumped by his girlfriend and plots to hunt them down and have revenge. He first appears on an airplane where Theodore releases a monkey from a cage who releases several other animals. Suggs confronts the Chipmunks and gets attacked by the animals. He next encounters Alvin at a bar and fights him, but Alvin and the Chipmunks escape. He then chases them, but runs into a sign and gets knocked out. When he finds them at a musical parade he tries to catch them, but gets hit by a trumpet and then gets drunk. He wakes up in a room with a man and finds a tattoo on his stomach and another one of the Chipmunks on his back. He goes to a rental car station and urges a man to get him the fastest car he's got to find the Chipmunks, but it is a yellow and sort of slow car. He initially is embarrassed, but accepts the car. He then finds the Chipmunks in a hotel and catches them in an elevator, but the Chipmunks defeat him by hitting the emergency stop button and leaving him trapped inside. During the mid-credits, he is released by a maid and is escorted to a pool. He then gets confronted by a man who tells him to move, but Suggs refuses and is subsequently carried out by two guards. He is presumably fired as air marshal for harassing the Chipmunks. He is similar to Ian Hawke. He is portrayed by Tony Hale.

text: Samantha[edit]

text: Samantha is a protagonist of Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip. She first appears at a miniature golf course with her son Miles (who is later introduced into the movie). Her occupation is a doctor. She is portrayed by Kimberly Williams-Paisley.

text: Television characters[edit]

text: Miss Beatrice Miller[edit]

text: The kindly, absent-minded adoptive mother of the Chipettes. She occasionally babysits the Chipmunks and has a crush on Dave, even though she's old enough to be his mother. In her youth, she was part of an all-girl singing group called "The Thrillers". She appeared in the 1983 TV series and was voiced by Dody Goodman.

text: The character does not exist in the rebooted concept of the Chipettes.

text: Professor Clyde Crashcup[edit]

text: Clyde Crashcup – voiced by Shepard Menken – is a scientist in a white coat whose experiments invariably failed. His was the only voice heard in many of the episodes, because the other character in the series was his assistant Leonardo, who only whispered into Clyde's ear in order to communicate with him. In one episode, though, Clyde invented a wife, voiced by June Foray. Clyde had one of the four segments, and the Chipmunks starred in the other three (two of which were musical segments). In the episode "Crashcup Invents the Birthday Party", Foray provided the (all too audible) voice for the mother of Crashcup's inaudible assistant Leonardo.

text: Clyde Crashcup was primarily an inventor rather than a researcher, although he tended to "invent" things which had already been invented. However, in one episode, he built a functioning time machine. He typically would invent something by taking a pencil out of his lab coat's pocket and drawing a picture in midair of his conception: the picture would then become the actual object.

text: Recording technique[edit]

text: The Chipmunks' voices were recorded at half the normal tape speed onto audiotape by voice talent (on the 60's records, generally Ross Bagdasarian Sr.'s own voice overdubbed three times, on the post-80's records, studio singers) talking or singing at half the normal speaking rate. When the tape was played back at normal speed, they would sound a full octave higher in pitch, at normal tempo. The technique was by no means new to the Chipmunks. For example, the high and low pitched characters in The Wizard of Oz were achieved by speeding up and slowing down vocal recordings. Also, Mel Blanc's voice characterization for Daffy Duck was sped up to some extent. Now, the same effect is created digitally and in real time with a pitch shift.

text: However, the extensive use of this technique with the Chipmunks, coupled with their popularity, linked this technique to them. The term "chipmunk-voiced" has entered the American vernacular to describe any artificially high-pitched voice. A similar effect could be obtained in playback by merely taking an LP recorded at 331⁄3 RPM and playing it back at 45 or 78 RPM, a trick sometimes tried out by ordinary record listeners. The instrumental portions of the song are sped up as well, however, making it obvious that the music is being played at the wrong speed. Bagdasarian recorded vocals and music at different speeds to combine properly on his recording. Guitarist Les Paul said he visited Bagdasarian's studio in 1958 and helped with the recording.[7]

text: The technique was used extensively in the British puppet show Pinky and Perky, which pre-dated the Chipmunks. The sound was frequently imitated in comedy records, notably "Transistor Radio" by Benny Hill, "Bridget the Midget" by Ray Stevens, "The Laughing Gnome" by David Bowie, and on several tracks on Joe Meek and the Blue Men's album I Hear a New World. The technique also appears in the "Yeah! You!" line of The Coasters' "Charlie Brown".  Prince used the technique on several of his songs, as well as Frank Zappa on We're Only In It For The Money and on the instrumental album Hot Rats, among others. The early production style of hip-hop artist Kanye West involved sped-up, high-pitch vocal samples from classic soul records incorporated with his own (additional) instrumentation.[8][9] Due in part to the acclaim of his debut album The College Dropout, such sampling techniques subsequently became much copied by a myriad of other hip-hop producers.[10] In the early '90s rave scene, many breakbeat hardcore productions would utilize the same studio tricks, often taking a cappella from house records and speeding them up to fit the faster tempo. Vocals in songs that used this method would typically be referred to as "chipmunk vocals".

text: Guest appearances[edit]

text: The Chipmunks make a guest appearance on the Canned Heat song "The Chipmunk Song" (which is not the same song as the 1958 hit) that appeared on their Christmas single.[11]

text: They also appeared on the FOX NFL Sunday intro (which premiered on December 20, 2009) with the cameo character, Digger (the mascot for NASCAR on Fox).

text: Filmography[edit]

text: TV shows[edit]

text:
The Alvin Show (1961-1962)
Alvin and the Chipmunks (1983-1990)
ALVINNN!!! and the Chipmunks (2015–present)

tag: ul

text: Movies[edit]

text: There have been 8 Alvin and the Chipmunks films.

text: Theatrical[edit]

text:
The Chipmunk Adventure (1987)
Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007)
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (2009)
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (2011)
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip (2015)

text: Direct to video[edit]

text:
Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet Frankenstein (1999)
Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet the Wolfman (2000)
Little Alvin and the Mini-Munks (2004)

text: Discography[edit]

text: Video games[edit]

text:
The Chipmunks (1990) - Platforms: Tiger Electronic Game.
Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007) - Platforms: Nintendo DS, Wii, PlayStation 2 and Microsoft Windows.
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (2009) - Platforms: Nintendo DS and Wii.
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (2011) - Platforms: Nintendo DS, Wii and Xbox 360.

text: Concert tours[edit]

text:
1984 :The Chipmunks and the Magic Camera (The Chipmunks)[12]
2008: Get Munk'd Tour (The Chipmunks)
2015: Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Musical (The Chipmunks and The Chipettes)[13]

text: Awards and nominations[edit]

text:
1959, won three Grammy Awards for Best Recording for Children, Best Comedy Performance and Best Engineered Record –Non-Classical for the song "The Chipmunk Song" (it was also nominated for Record of the Year, but did not win).
1960, won a Grammy Award for Best Engineered Recording -Non-Classical for the song "Alvin's Harmonica."
1961, won a Grammy Award for Best Album for Children for the album Let's All Sing with The Chipmunks (it was also nominated for Best Engineered Record -Non-Classical). The song "Alvin for President" was also nominated for both Best Comedy Performance –Musical and Best Engineered Record –Novelty, making two nominations in the latter category.
1962, was nominated again for a Grammy Award for Best Engineered Record –Novelty for the television tie-in album The Alvin Show.
1963, was nominated again for Grammy Awards for both Best Album for Children and Best Engineered Record –Novelty for the album The Chipmunk Songbook.
1966, was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Recording for Children for the song "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious".
1985, was nominated for an Emmy Award in the category "Outstanding Animated Program (Daytime)."
1987, the second television series was nominated for a Young Artist Award in the category "Exceptional Family Animation Series or Specials."
1987, was nominated for an Emmy Award in the category "Outstanding Animated Program (Daytime)."
1988, was nominated for an Emmy Award in the category "Outstanding Animated Program (Daytime)."
1988, was nominated for a Young Artist Award in the category "Best Motion Picture –Animation" for the movie The Chipmunk Adventure.
2000, won the Golden Reel Award in the category "Best Sound Editing –Direct to Video – Sound Editorial" for the movie Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet Frankenstein.
2008, Jason Lee won The Kids' Choice Awards in the category "Favorite Movie" for the movie Alvin and the Chipmunks.
2008, the 2007 Alvin and the Chipmunks soundtrack won the American Music Award for "Best Movie Soundtrack."
2010, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel won the Kids' Choice Awards in the category "Favorite Movie."
2012, Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked won the 2012 Kids' Choice Awards in the category "Favorite Movie."

text: There were six Grammy Awards, an American Music Award, a Golden Reel Award and three Kids Choice Awards in total.

text: Home releases[edit]

text:
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text: List of VHS releases[edit]

text:
Following the cult success of the Lorimar Home Video release of the previously successful movie The Chipmunk Adventure on VHS, select episodes of the show from 1983 to 1990, as well as several specials from the '80s and '90s, were released on VHS. Initially, in 1989, they were distributed by Burbank Video. From 1992 to 1996, they were distributed by Buena Vista Home Video. From 1998 to 2000, they were distributed by Universal Studios Home Entertainment. The VHS Chipmunk Video Library titles featured select episodes from the Ruby-Spears and Murakami-Wolf-Swenson eras, but no opening and closing credits were included (even though the opening credits were intact on A Chipmunk Reunion).
Instead, each tape opened with previews from the six primary Chipmunk Library titles, set to the 1988 version of the show's theme song titled "We're the Chipmunks". Also, a synthesized version of the 1983–1987 title card music was used on the Ruby-Spears episodes. However, unlike the syndicated versions for most of these episodes that were airing at the time, these episodes were presented in their original speed, just as they were on NBC, before they were sped-up for syndication. The early-mid-'90s Chipmunk VHS releases featured select episodes from the DiC era. The Universal Home Video releases consisted of the reissue of The Chipmunk Adventure and the two direct-to-video films.

text:
The Chipmunk Adventure (released by Lorimar Home Video in 1987, Celebrity's Just for Kids Video in 1993 and Universal Studios Home Entertainment in 1999)
Alvin and the Chipmunks in Alvin and the Chipettes (released by Burbank Video in 1989)
The Greatest Showoffs on Earth
Sisters
Tell It to the Judge
Alvin and the Chipmunks in Chipmunk Classics (released by Burbank Video in 1989)
Snow Wrong
Cinderella? Cinderella!
Alvin and the Chipmunks in Chipmunkmania (released by Burbank Video in 1989)
Every Chipmunk Tells a Story
Who Ghost There
A Horse of Course
Alvin and the Chipmunks in The Chipmunk Family Tree (released by Burbank Video in 1989)
The Chipmunk Story (Parts 1 and 2)
A Chipmunk Reunion
Around the World with Alvin and the Chipmunks (released by Burbank Video in 1989)
Maids in Japan
Alvie's Angels
The Mystery of Seville Manor
Alvin and the Chipmunks in Alvin's Wildest Schemes (released by Burbank Video in 1989)
Romancing Miss Stone
Snow Job
A Chip off the Old Tooth
Alvin and the Chipmunks in A Chipmunk Christmas (released by Burbank Video in 1989 and by Buena Vista Home Video in 1992)
A Chipmunk Christmas
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Rockin' With the Chipmunks: Featuring Michael Jackson (released by Buena Vista Home Video in 1992)
The Chipmunks: Rockin' Through the Decades
Alvin and the Chipmunks: It's a Wonderful Life, Dave (released by Buena Vista Home Video in 1993)
Dave's Wonderful Life
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Alvin's Christmas Carol (released by Buena Vista Home Video in 1993)
Merry Christmas, Mr. Carroll
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Love Potion #9 (released by Buena Vista Home Video in 1994)
Theodore and Juliet
Dr. Simon and Mr. Heartthrob
Dear Diary
Alvin and the Chipmunks Sing-Alongs: Video Audio Fun-Pack Ragtime Cowboy Joe (11 songs from The Alvin Show, released by Buena Vista Home Video in 1994)
Alvin and the Chipmunks Sing-Alongs: Video Audio Fun-Pack Working on the Railroad (11 songs from The Alvin Show, released by Buena Vista Home Video in 1994)
Alvin and the Chipmunks: School's Out for Summer (released by Buena Vista Home Video in 1994)
Alvin's Summer Job (a.k.a. Going For Broke)
Thinking Cap Trap
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Hair Raising Chipmunk Tales (released by Buena Vista Home Video in 1994)
Babysitter Fright Night
Theodore's Life as a Dog
Unfair Science
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Nightmare on Seville Street (released by Buena Vista Home Video in 1994)
Nightmare on Seville Street
No Chipmunk is an Island
Psychic Alvin
Alvin and the Chipmunks Go to the Movies: Back to Alvin's Future (released by Buena Vista Home Video in 1994)
Back to Our Future
Alvin and the Chipmunks Go to the Movies: Kong! (released by Buena Vista Home Video in 1994)
Kong!
Alvin and the Chipmunks Go to the Movies: Batmunk (released by Buena Vista Home Video in 1994)
Batmunk
Alvin and the Chipmunks Go to the Movies: Funny, We Shrunk the Adults (released by Buena Vista Home Video in 1994)
Funny, We Shrunk the Adults
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Easter Chipmunk (released by Buena Vista Home Video in 1995)
The Easter Chipmunk
Alvin and the Chipmunks Go to the Movies: Daytona Jones (released by Buena Vista Home Video in 1995)
Daytona Jones and the Pearl of Wisdom
Alvin and the Chipmunks Go to the Movies: Robomunk (released by Buena Vista Home Video in 1995)
Robomunk
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Trick or Treason (released by Buena Vista Home Video in 1995)
Trick or Treason
Alvin and the Chipmunks: A Chipmunk Celebration (released by Buena Vista Home Video in 1995)
A Chipmunk Celebration
Alvin and the Chipmunks Go to the Movies: Bigger! (released by Buena Vista Home Video in 1996)
Bigger!
Alvin and the Chipmunks Go to the Movies: Star Wreck: The Absolutely Final Frontier (Released by Buena Vista Home Video in 1996)
Star Wreck: The Absolutely Final Frontier
Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet Frankenstein (Released by Universal Studios Home Entertainment in 1999)
Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet the Wolfman (Released by Universal Studios Home Entertainment in 2000)

text: There were also VHS releases in the UK that included episodes that have yet to be released in the U.S. on DVD and have never been released in the U.S. on VHS. They consist of "The Phantom", "The Wall", "Queen of the High School Ballroom", "Alvin's Not So Superhero", "Home Sweet Home", "All Worked Up" and "Phantom of the Rock Opera".

text: There was also a VHS tape released exclusively in Germany that featured seven different segments (albeit in German). On it were "The Wall", "The Amazing Chipmunks", "Psychic Alvin", "A Special Kind of Champion", "Cookie Chomper III", "Nightmare on Seville Street" and "Thinking Cap Trap". Of the seven, "The Amazing Chipmunks", which originally aired alongside "The Wall", is extremely hard to find in its original English language.[14]

text: List of DVD releases[edit]

text: In 2005, Bagdasarian Productions struck a deal with Paramount Home Video to distribute their latest direct-to-video release, Little Alvin and the Mini-Munks, on DVD. As a result, Paramount continues to distribute selected episodes of the show from 1983 to 1990, as well as several specials from the '80s and '90s on DVD, except for Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet Frankenstein, Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet The Wolfman (the home video rights to these specials are still owned by Universal Studios Home Entertainment) and the live-action films made from 2007 to 2015 (the home video rights to these films are owned by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment). The DVD releases include episodes of the 80's Alvin and the Chipmunks animated series that were previously released on VHS as well as episodes that have been previously unreleased on a home video format. Also one episode of The Alvin Show from the 1960s was released.

text:
Monster Bash Fun Pack (Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet Frankenstein / Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet the Wolfman / Monster Mash / Archie & the Riverdale Vampires) (released by Universal Studios Home Entertainment in 2004)
Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet Frankenstein
Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet The Wolfman
Little Alvin and the Mini-Munks (released by Paramount Home Video in 2005)
Alvin and the Chipmunks: A Chipmunk Christmas (released by Paramount Home Video in 2005 and again in 2008)
A Chipmunk Christmas
Merry Christmas, Mr. Carroll
Dave's Wonderful Life
The Chipmunk Adventure (released by Paramount Home Video in 2006 and again in 2008 (2008 reissue includes bonus CD); released on Blu-ray and DVD combo pack in 2014)
The Brave Chipmunks (2014 re-release)[15]
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Trick or Treason (released by Paramount Home Video in 2006 and again in 2008)
Trick or Treason
Babysitter Fright Night
Theodore's Life as a Dog
Nightmare on Seville Street
No Chipmunk is an Island
Alvin and the Chipmunks: A Chipmunk Christmas: 25th Anniversary Edition (released by Paramount Home Video in 2006)
Same as previous release, except with a bonus CD.
Alvin and the Chipmunks: A Chipmunk Valentine (released by Paramount Home Video in 2007, again in 2009 and again in 2012)
I Love the Chipmunks Valentine Special
Dr. Simon and Mr. Heartthrob
Dear Diary
Theodore and Juliet
Sploosh (2012 re-release)
I Wish I Could Speak French (2012 re-release)
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Chipmunks Go to the Movies (released by Paramount Home Video in 2007)
Star Wreck: The Absolutely Final Frontier
Batmunk
Funny, We Shrunk the Adults
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Scare-riffic Double Feature: Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet Frankenstein and Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet the Wolfman (released by Universal Studios Home Entertainment in 2008)
Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007 film) (released by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment on April 1, 2008; Special Edition released in December 2008)
Alvin and the Chipmunks Go to the Movies: Funny, We Shrunk the Adults (released by Paramount Home Video on April 1, 2008)
Funny, We Shrunk the Adults
Back to Our Future
Bigger
Alvin and the Chipmunks Go to the Movies: Daytona Jones and the Pearl of Wisdom (released by Paramount Home Video on September 9, 2008)
Daytona Jones and the Pearl of Wisdom
Batmunk
Robomunk
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Alvinnn!!! Edition (released by Paramount Home Video on September 16, 2008)
The Curse of Lontiki
Mr. Fabulous
Unidentified Flying Chipmunk
A Horse, Of Course
New Improved Simon
Snow Job
Maids in Japan
Every Chipmunk Tells a Story
Romancing Miss Stone
Three Alarm Alvin
Alvin's Oldest Fan
A Chip Off the Old Tooth
Whatever Happened to Dave Seville?
Cadet's Regrets
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Alvin's Thanksgiving Celebration (released by Paramount Home Video on September 23, 2008)
A Chipmunk Celebration
Food for Thought
Cookie Chomper III
Dave's Getting Married
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Classic Holiday Gift Set (released by Paramount Home Video on September 23, 2008)
Includes all the episodes from the DVDs "Trick or Treason", "Alvin's Thanksgiving Celebration", and "A Chipmunk Christmas"
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Chipettes (released by Paramount Home Video on January 13, 2009)
May the Best Chipmunk Win
Operation: Theodore
Sisters
The Greatest Show-Offs on Earth
My Fair Chipette
Tell It to the Judge
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Mystery of the Easter Chipmunk (released by Paramount Home Video on February 10, 2009)
The Easter Chipmunk
Snow Wrong
Luck o' the Chipmunks
A Special Kind of Champion
Thinking Cap Trap
Alvin and the Chipmunks Go to the Movies: Star Wreck (released by Paramount Home Video on September 8, 2009)
Star Wreck: The Absolutely Final Frontier
Elementary, My Dear Simon
Chip Tracy
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Very First Alvin Show (released by Paramount Home Video on September 8, 2009)
Episode No. 1 of The Alvin Show
A Chipmunk Reunion
The Chipmunks: Rockin' Through the Decades
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Alvin and the Chipettes in Cinderella, Cinderella (released by Paramount Home Video on March 30, 2010)
Cinderella? Cinderella!
Alvie's Angels
The Brunch Club
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel: Blu-ray and DVD combo pack, standard DVD, double disc DVD and standard Blu-ray disc were released on March 30, 2010 (by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment).
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Driving Dave Crazy (Released by Paramount Home Video on December 6, 2011)
Dave's Getting Married
Every Chipmunk Tells a Story
Romancing Ms. Stone
Maids in Japan
The Incredible Shrinking Dave
Mother's Day
The Chipette Diaries (released by Paramount Home Video on March 13, 2012)
Alvie's Angels
Tell it to The Judge
My Fair Chipette
May the Best Chipmunk Win
The Greatest Show-Offs on Earth
The Chipettes
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked: Blu-ray and DVD combo pack, standard DVD, double disc DVD and standard Blu-ray disc were released on March 27, 2012 (by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment).
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Batmunk (released by Paramount Home Video on July 10, 2012)
Batmunk
Treasure Island
Elementary, My Dear Simon
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Halloween Collection (released by Paramount Home Video on September 4, 2012)
Trick or Treason
Babysitter Fright Night
Theodore's Life as a Dog
Nightmare on Seville Street
Once Upon a Crime
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Easter Collection (released by Paramount Home Video on February 19, 2013)
The Easter Chipmunk
A Special Kind of Champion
Thinking Cap Trap
The Picture of Health
Snow Wrong
Luck o' the Chipmunks
The Chipettes: The Glass Slipper Collection (released by Paramount Home Video on May 14, 2013)
Cinderella? Cinderella!
The Chipette Story
Sisters
Operation: Theodore
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Driving Dave Crazier (released by Paramount Home Video on August 20, 2013)
Cookie Chomper III
Grounded Chipmunk
Whatever Happened to Dave Seville?
A Chip Off the Old Tooth
The Alvin Show (released by ANconnect on March 10, 2015)
Episode 1:
Stanley the Eagle
Oh, Gondanliero
Clyde Crashcup Invents the Baseball
I Wish I Could Speak French
Episode 2:
Ostrich
The Brave Chipmunks
Clyde Crashcup Invents the Baby
Yankee Doodle
Episode 3:
Overworked Alvin
Witch Doctor
Clyde Crashcup Invents Flight
The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)
ALVINNN!!! and the Chipmunks: Alvin's Wild Adventures (released by Bagdasarian Productions on November 11, 2015)
Principal Interest
Talking Teddy
Mystic Mountain
A Is for Alien
Clowning Around
Driving Dave Crazy
What a Gem
ALVINNN!!! and the Chipmunks Season 1 Volume 1 (released by Bagdasarian Productions on December 4, 2015)
ALVINNN!!! and the Chipmunks Season 1 Volume 2 (released by Bagdasarian Productions on January 26, 2016)
ALVINNN!!! and the Chipmunks: Alvin vs. Brittany (released by Bagdasarian Productions on March 1, 2016)
Sister Act
Albrittina
My Sister the Weirdo
Mister Manners
Reality or Not
Turf War
Don Juan Theodoro


document_title: Working time

question_text: who works the most hours in the world

question_tokens: who works the most hours in the world

text: Working time

text: Hunter-gatherer[edit]

text: Since the 1960s, the consensus among anthropologists, historians, and sociologists has been that early hunter-gatherer societies enjoyed more leisure time than is permitted by capitalist and agrarian societies;[6][7] for instance, one camp of !Kung Bushmen was estimated to work two-and-a-half days per week, at around 6 hours a day.[8] Aggregated comparisons show that on average the working day was less than five hours.[6]

text: Subsequent studies in the 1970s examined the Machiguenga of the Upper Amazon and the Kayapo of northern Brazil. These studies expanded the definition of work beyond purely hunting-gathering activities, but the overall average across the hunter-gatherer societies he studied was still below 4.86 hours, while the maximum was below 8 hours.[6] Popular perception is still aligned with the old academic consensus that hunter-gatherers worked far in excess of modern humans' forty-hour week.[7]

text: History[edit]

text: The industrial revolution made it possible for a larger segment of the population to work year-round, because this labor was not tied to the season and artificial lighting made it possible to work longer each day. Peasants and farm laborers moved from rural areas to work in urban factories, and working time during the year increased significantly.[9] Before collective bargaining and worker protection laws, there was a financial incentive for a company to maximize the return on expensive machinery by having long hours. Records indicate that work schedules as long as twelve to sixteen hours per day, six to seven days per week were practiced in some industrial sites.[citation needed]

text: Over the 20th century, work hours shortened by almost half, mostly due to rising wages brought about by renewed economic growth, with a supporting role from trade unions, collective bargaining, and progressive legislation. The workweek, in most of the industrialized world, dropped steadily, to about 40 hours after World War II. The limitation of working hours is also proclaimed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,[10] International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,[11] and European Social Charter.[12] The decline continued at a faster pace in Europe: for example, France adopted a 35-hour workweek in 2000. In 1995, China adopted a 40-hour week, eliminating half-day work on Saturdays (though this is not widely practiced). Working hours in industrializing economies like South Korea, though still much higher than the leading industrial countries, are also declining steadily.

text: Technology has also continued to improve worker productivity, permitting standards of living to rise as hours decline.[13] In developed economies, as the time needed to manufacture goods has declined, more working hours have become available to provide services, resulting in a shift of much of the workforce between sectors.

text: Economic growth in monetary terms tends to be concentrated in health care, education, government, criminal justice, corrections, and other activities that are regarded as necessary for society rather than those that contribute directly to the production of material goods.[citation needed]

text: In the mid-2000s, the Netherlands was the first country in the industrialized world where the overall average working week dropped to less than 30 hours.[14]

text: Gradual decrease in working hours[edit]

text: Most countries in the developed world have seen average hours worked decrease significantly.[15][16] For example, in the U.S in the late 19th century it was estimated that the average work week was over 60 hours per week.[17] Today the average hours worked in the U.S. is around 33,[18] with the average man employed full-time for 8.4 hours per work day, and the average woman employed full-time for 7.7 hours per work day.[19] The front runners for lowest average weekly work hours are the Netherlands with 27 hours,[20] and France with 30 hours.[21] At current rates the Netherlands is set to become the first country to reach an average work week under 21 hours.[22] In a 2011 report of 26 OECD countries, Germany had the lowest average working hours per week at 25.6 hours.[23]

text: The New Economics Foundation has recommended moving to a 21-hour standard work week to address problems with unemployment, high carbon emissions, low well-being, entrenched inequalities, overworking, family care, and the general lack of free time.[24][25][26] Actual work week lengths have been falling in the developed world.[27]

text: Factors that have contributed to lowering average work hours and increasing standard of living have been:

text:
Technological advances in efficiency such as mechanization, robotics and information technology.
The increase of women equally participating in making income as opposed to previously being commonly bound to homemaking and childrearing exclusively.
Dropping fertility rates leading to fewer hours needed to be worked to support children.

text: Recent articles[28][29] supporting a four-day week have argued that reduced work hours would increase consumption and invigorate the economy. However, other articles state that consumption would decrease.[30][31] Other arguments for the four-day week include improvements to workers' level of education (due to having extra time to take classes and courses) and improvements to workers' health (less work-related stress and extra time for exercise). Reduced hours also save money on day care costs and transportation, which in turn helps the environment with less carbon-related emissions. These benefits increase workforce productivity on a per-hour basis.

text: Workweek structure[edit]

text: The structure of the work week varies considerably for different professions and cultures. Among salaried workers in the western world, the work week often consists of Monday to Friday or Saturday with the weekend set aside as a time of personal work and leisure. Sunday is set aside in the western world because it is the Christian sabbath.

text: The traditional American business hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday, representing a workweek of five eight-hour days comprising 40 hours in total. These are the origin of the phrase 9-to-5, used to describe a conventional and possibly tedious job.[32] Negatively used, it connotes a tedious or unremarkable occupation. The phrase also indicates that a person is an employee, usually in a large company, rather than self-employed. More neutrally, it connotes a job with stable hours and low career risk, but still a position of subordinate employment. The actual time at work often varies between 35 and 48 hours in practice due to the inclusion, or lack of inclusion, of breaks. In many traditional white collar positions, employees were required to be in the office during these hours to take orders from the bosses, hence the relationship between this phrase and subordination. Workplace hours have become more flexible, but even still the phrase is commonly used.

text: Several countries have adopted a workweek from Monday morning until Friday noon, either due to religious rules (observation of shabbat in Israel whose workweek is Sunday to Friday afternoon) or the growing predominance of a 35–37.5 hour workweek in continental Europe. Several of the Muslim countries have a standard Sunday through Thursday or Saturday through Wednesday workweek leaving Friday for religious observance, and providing breaks for the daily prayer times.[citation needed]

text: Average annual hours actually worked per worker[edit]

text: OECD ranking[edit]

text:
2016[33]

Rank
Country
Hours

1
 Mexico
2,255

2
 South Korea
2,069

3
 Greece
2,035

4
 Chile
1,974

5
 Russia
1,974

6
 Poland
1,928

7
 Latvia
1,910

8
 Israel
1,889

9
 Iceland
1,883

10
 Ireland
1,879

11
 Estonia
1,855

12
 Portugal
1,842

13
 United States
1,783

14
 Czech Republic
1,770

OECD average
1,763

15
 Hungary
1,761

16
 New Zealand
1,752

17
 Slovak Republic
1,740

18
 Italy
1,730

19
 Japan
1,713

20
 Canada
1,703

21
 Spain
1,695

22
 Slovenia
1,682

23
 United Kingdom
1,676

24
 Australia
1,669

25
 Finland
1,653

26
 Sweden
1,621

27
 Austria
1,601

28
  Switzerland
1,590

29
 Belgium
1,541

30
 Luxembourg
1,512

31
 France
1,472

32
 Netherlands
1,430

33
 Norway
1,424

34
 Denmark
1,410

35
 Germany
1,363

2015[34]

Rank
Country
Hours

1
 Mexico
2,246

2
 South Korea
2,113

3
 Greece
2,033

4
 Chile
1,988

5
 Poland
1,963

6
 Latvia
1,903

7
 Iceland
1,880

8
 Portugal
1,868

9
 Israel
1,858

10
 Estonia
1,852

11
 Turkey
1,832

12
 Ireland
1,820

13
 United States
1,790

14
 Czech Republic
1,779

OECD average
1,766

15
 New Zealand
1,757

16
 Slovak Republic
1,754

17
 Hungary
1,749

18
 Italy
1,725

19
 Japan
1,719

20
 Canada
1,706

21
 Spain
1,691

22
 Slovenia
1,676

23
 United Kingdom
1,674

24
 Australia
1,665

25
 Finland
1,646

26
 Austria
1,625

27
 Sweden
1,612

28
  Switzerland
1,590

29
 Belgium
1,541

30
 Luxembourg
1,507

31
 France
1,482

32
 Denmark
1,457

33
 Norway
1,424

34
 Netherlands
1,419

35
 Germany
1,371

2014[35]

Rank
Country
Hours

1
 Mexico
2,228

2
 South Korea
2,124

3
 Greece
2,042

4
 Chile
1,990

5
 Latvia
1,938

6
 Poland
1,923

7
 Iceland
1,864

8
 Estonia
1,859

9
 Hungary
1,858

10
 Portugal
1,857

11
 Israel
1,853

12
 Turkey
1,832

13
 Ireland
1,821

14
 United States
1,789

15
 Czech Republic
1,776

OECD average
1,770

16
 Slovak Republic
1,763

17
 New Zealand
1,762

18
 Italy
1,734

19
 Japan
1,729

20
 Canada
1,704

21
 Spain
1,689

22
 United Kingdom
1,677

23
 Australia
1,664

24
 Finland
1,645

25
 Luxembourg
1,643

26
 Austria
1,629

27
 Sweden
1,609

28
 Belgium
1,576

29
  Switzerland
1,568

30
 Slovenia
1,561

31
 France
1,473

32
 Denmark
1,436

33
 Norway
1,427

34
 Netherlands
1,425

35
 Germany
1,371

text: Differences among countries and regions[edit]

text: South Korea[edit]

text: South Korea has the fastest shortening working time in the OECD,[36] which is the result of the government's proactive move to lower working hours at all levels to increase leisure and relaxation time, which introduced the mandatory forty-hour, five-day working week in 2004 for companies with over 1,000 employees. Beyond regular working hours, it is legal to demand up to 12 hours of overtime during the week, plus another 16 hours on weekends.[citation needed] The 40-hour workweek expanded to companies with 300 employees or more in 2005, 100 employees or more in 2006, 50 or more in 2007, 20 or more in 2008 and a full inclusion to all workers nationwide in July 2011.[37] The government has continuously increased public holidays to 16 days in 2013, more than the 10 days of the United States and double that of the United Kingdom's 8 days.[38] Despite those efforts, South Korea's work hours are still relatively long, with an average 2,163 hours per year in 2012.[39]

text: Japan[edit]

text: Work hours in Japan are decreasing, but many Japanese still work long hours.[40] Recently, Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) issued a draft report recommending major changes to the regulations that govern working hours. The centerpiece of the proposal is an exemption from overtime pay for white-collar workers.[citation needed]Japan has enacted an 8-hour work day and 40-hour work week (44 hours in specified workplaces). The overtime limits are: 15 hours a week, 27 hours over two weeks, 43 hours over four weeks, 45 hours a month, 81 hours over two months and 120 hours over three months; however, some workers get around these restrictions by working several hours a day without 'clocking in' whether physically or metaphorically.[41][citation needed] The overtime allowance should not be lower than 125% and not more than 150% of the normal hourly rate.[42]

text: European Countries[edit]

text: In most European Union countries, working time is gradually decreasing.[43] The European Union's working time directive imposes a 48-hour maximum working week that applies to every member state except the United Kingdom and Malta (which have an opt-out, meaning that UK-based employees may work longer than 48 hours if they wish, but they cannot be forced to do so).[44] France has enacted a 35-hour workweek by law, and similar results have been produced in other countries through collective bargaining.[citation needed] A major reason for the low annual hours worked in Europe is a relatively high amount of paid annual leave.[45] Fixed employment comes with four to six weeks of holiday as standard. In the UK, for example, full-time employees are entitled to 28 days of paid leave a year.[46]

text: Mexico[edit]

text: Mexican laws mandate a maximum of 48 hours of work per week, but they are rarely observed or enforced due to loopholes in the law, the volatility of labor rights in Mexico, and its underdevelopment relative to other members countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Indeed, private sector employees often work overtime without receiving overtime compensation. Fear of unemployment and threats by employers explain in part why the 48-hour work week is disregarded.[citation needed].

text: Colombia[edit]

text: Articles 161 to 167 of the Substantive Work Code in Colombia provide for a maximum of 48 hours of work a week.[47]

text: Australia[edit]

text: In Australia, between 1974 and 1997 no marked change took place in the average amount of time spent at work by Australians of "prime working age" (that is, between 25 and 54 years of age). Throughout this period, the average time spent at work by prime working-age Australians (including those who did not spend any time at work) remained stable at between 27 and 28 hours per week. This unchanging average, however, masks a significant redistribution of work from men to women. Between 1974 and 1997, the average time spent at work by prime working-age Australian men fell from 45 to 36 hours per week, while the average time spent at work by prime working-age Australian women rose from 12 to 19 hours per week. In the period leading up to 1997, the amount of time Australian workers spent at work outside the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays also increased.[48]

text: In 2009, a rapid increase in the number of working hours was reported in a study by The Australia Institute. The study found the average Australian worked 1855 hours per year at work. According to Clive Hamilton of The Australia Institute, this surpasses even Japan. The Australia Institute believes that Australians work the highest number of hours in the developed world.[49]

text: From January 1, 2010, Australia enacted a 38-hour workweek in accordance with the Fair Work Act 2009, with an allowance for additional hours as overtime.[50]

text: The vast majority of full-time employees in Australia work additional overtime hours. A 2015 survey found that of Australia's 7.7 million full-time workers, 5 million put in more than 40 hours a week, including 1.4 million who worked more than 50 hours a week and 270,000 who put in more than 70 hours.[51]

text: United States[edit]

text: In 2006, the average man employed full-time worked 8.4 hours per work day, and the average woman employed full-time worked 7.7 hours per work day.[19] There is no mandatory minimum amount of paid time off for sickness or holiday. The majority of jobs in America do not offer paid time off. [52] Because of the pressure of working, time is increasingly viewed as a commodity.[53]

text: Recent history[edit]

text: By 1946 the United States government had inaugurated the 40-hour work week for all federal employees.[54] Beginning in 1950, under the Truman Administration, the United States became the first known industrialized nation to explicitly (albeit secretly) and permanently forswear a reduction of working time. Given the military-industrial requirements of the Cold War, the authors of the then secret National Security Council Report 68 (NSC-68)[55] proposed the US government undertake a massive permanent national economic expansion that would let it “siphon off” a part of the economic activity produced to support an ongoing military buildup to contain the Soviet Union. In his 1951 Annual Message to the Congress, President Truman stated:

text: In terms of manpower, our present defense targets will require an increase of nearly one million men and women in the armed forces within a few months, and probably not less than four million more in defense production by the end of the year. This means that an additional 8 percent of our labor force, and possibly much more, will be required by direct defense needs by the end of the year. These manpower needs will call both for increasing our labor force by reducing unemployment and drawing in women and older workers, and for lengthening hours of work in essential industries.[56]

text: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average non-farm private sector employee worked 34.5 hours per week as of June 2012.[57]

text: As President Truman’s 1951 message had predicted, the share of working women rose from 30 percent of the labor force in 1950 to 47 percent by 2000 – growing at a particularly rapid rate during the 1970s.[58] According to a Bureau of Labor Statistics report issued May 2002, "In 1950, the overall participation rate of women was 34 percent ... The rate rose to 38 percent in 1960, 43 percent in 1970, 52 percent in 1980, and 58 percent in 1990 and reached 60 percent by 2000. The overall labor force participation rate of women is projected to attain its highest level in 2010, at 62 percent.”[58] The inclusion of women in the work force can be seen as symbolic of social progress as well as of increasing American productivity and hours worked.

text: Between 1950 and 2007 official price inflation was measured to 861 percent. President Truman, in his 1951 message to Congress, predicted correctly that his military buildup “will cause intense and mounting inflationary pressures.” Using the data provided by the United State Bureau of Labor Statistics, Erik Rauch has estimated productivity to have increased by nearly 400%.[59] According to Rauch, “if productivity means anything at all, a worker should be able to earn the same standard of living as a 1950 worker in only 11 hours per week.”

text: In the United States, the working time for upper-income professionals has increased compared to 1965, while total annual working time for low-skill, low-income workers has decreased.[60] This effect is sometimes called the "leisure gap".

text: The average working time of married couples – of both spouses taken together – rose from 56 hours in 1969 to 67 hours in 2000.[61]

text: Overtime rules[edit]

text: Many professional workers put in longer hours than the forty-hour standard.[62] In professional industries like investment banking and large law firms, a forty-hour workweek is considered inadequate and may result in job loss or failure to be promoted.[63][64] Medical residents in the United States routinely work long hours as part of their training.

text: Workweek policies are not uniform in the U.S. Many compensation arrangements are legal, and three of the most common are wage, commission, and salary payment schemes. Wage earners are compensated on a per-hour basis, whereas salaried workers are compensated on a per-week or per-job basis, and commission workers get paid according to how much they produce or sell.

text: Under most circumstances, wage earners and lower-level employees may be legally required by an employer to work more than forty hours in a week; however, they are paid extra for the additional work. Many salaried workers and commission-paid sales staff are not covered by overtime laws. These are generally called "exempt" positions, because they are exempt from federal and state laws that mandate extra pay for extra time worked.[65] The rules are complex, but generally exempt workers are executives, professionals, or sales staff.[66] For example, school teachers are not paid extra for working extra hours. Business owners and independent contractors are considered self-employed, and none of these laws apply to them.

text: Generally, workers are paid time-and-a-half, or 1.5 times the worker's base wage, for each hour of work past forty. California also applies this rule to work in excess of eight hours per day,[67] but exemptions[68] and exceptions[69] significantly limit the applicability of this law.

text: In some states, firms are required to pay double-time, or twice the base rate, for each hour of work past 60, or each hour of work past 12 in one day in California, also subject to numerous exemptions and exceptions.[67] This provides an incentive for companies to limit working time, but makes these additional hours more desirable for the worker. It is not uncommon for overtime hours to be accepted voluntarily by wage-earning workers. Unions often treat overtime as a desirable commodity when negotiating how these opportunities shall be partitioned among union members.

text: Brazil[edit]

text: The work time in Brazil is 44 hours per week, usually 8 hours per day and 4 hours on Saturday or 8.8 hours per day. On duty/no meal break jobs are 6 hours per day. Public servants work 40 hours a week.

text: It is worth noting that in Brazil meal time is not usually counted as work. There is a 1-hour break for lunch and work schedule is typically 8:00 or 9:00–noon, 13:00–18:00. In larger cities people have lunch meal on/near the work site, while in smaller cities a sizable fraction of the employees might go home for lunch.

text: A 30-day vacation is mandatory by law and there are about 13 to 15 holidays a year, depending on the municipality.

text: China[edit]

text: China adopted a 40-hour week, eliminating half-day work on Saturdays (though this was not widely practiced initially). [70]

text: Traditionally, Chinese have worked long hours, and this has led to many deaths from overwork, with the state media reporting in 2014 that 600,000 people were dying annually from overwork. Despite this, work hours have reportedly been falling for about three decades due to rising productivity, better labor laws, and the spread of the two-day weekend. The trend has affected both factories and white-collar companies that have been responding to growing demands for easier work schedules.[71][72]

text: Hong Kong[edit]

text: Hong Kong has no legislation regarding maximum and normal working hours. The average weekly working hours of full-time employees in Hong Kong is 49 hours.[73] According to the Price and Earnings Report 2012 conducted by UBS, while the global and regional average were 1,915 and 2,154 hours per year respectively, the average working hours in Hong Kong is 2,296 hours per year, which ranked the fifth longest yearly working hours among 72 countries under study.[74] In addition, from the survey conducted by the Public Opinion Study Group of the University of Hong Kong, 79% of the respondents agree that the problem of overtime work in Hong Kong is “severe”, and 65% of the respondents support the legislation on the maximum working hours.[75] In Hong Kong, 70% of surveyed do not receive any overtime remuneration.[76] These show that people in Hong Kong concerns the working time issues. As Hong Kong implemented the minimum wage law in May 2011, the Chief Executive, Donald Tsang, of the Special Administrative Region pledged that the government will standardize working hours in Hong Kong.[77]

text: On 26 November 2012, the Labour Department of the HKSAR released the "Report of the policy study on standard working hours". The report covers three major areas, including: (1) the regimes and experience of other places in regulating working hours, (2) latest working time situations of employees in different sectors, and (3) estimation of the possible impact of introducing standard working hour in Hong Kong.[78] Under the selected parameters, from most loosen to most stringent, the estimated increase in labour cost vary from 1.1 billion to 55 billion HKD, and affect 957,100 (36.7% of total employees) to 2,378,900 (91.1% of total) employees.[73]

text: Various sectors of the community show concerns about the standard working hours in Hong Kong. The points are summarized as below:

text: Opinions from various sectors[edit]

text: Labor organizations[edit]

text: Hong Kong Catholic Commission For Labour Affairs urges the government to legislate the standard working hours in Hong Kong, and suggests a 44 hours standard, 54 hours maximum working hours in a week. The organization thinks that long working time adversely affects the family and social life and health of employees; it also indicates that the current Employment Ordinance does not regulate overtime pays, working time limits nor rest day pays, which can protect employees rights.

text: Businesses and related organizations[edit]

text: Generally, business sector agrees that it is important to achieve work-life balance, but does not support a legislation to regulate working hours limit. They believe "standard working hours" is not the best way to achieve work-life balance and the root cause of the long working hours in Hong Kong is due to insufficient labor supply. The Managing Director of Century Environmental Services Group, Catherine Yan, said Employees may want to work more to obtain a higher salary due to financial reasons. If standard working hour legislation is passed, employers will need to pay a higher salary to employees, and hence the employers may choose to segment work tasks to employer more part time employees instead of providing overtime pay to employees. She thinks this will lead to a situation that the employees may need to find two part-time jobs to earn their living, making them wasting more time on transportation from one job to another.[79]

text: The Chairman of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, Chow Chung-kong believes that it is so difficult to implement standard working hours that apply “across-the-board”, specifically, to accountants and barristers.[80] In addition, he believes that standard working hours may decrease individual employees' working hours and would not increase their actual income. It may also lead to an increase of number of part-timers in the labor market.

text: According to a study conducted jointly by the Business, Economic and Public Affairs Research Centre and Enterprise and Social Development Research Centre of Hong Kong Shue Yan University, 16% surveyed companies believe that a standard working hours policy can be considered, and 55% surveyed think that it would be difficult to implement standard working hours in businesses.[81]

text: Employer representative in the Labour Advisory Board, Stanley Lau, said that standard working hours will completely alter the business environment of Hong Kong, affect small and medium enterprise and weaken competitiveness of businesses. He believes that the government can encourage employers to pay overtime salary, and there is no need to regulate standard working hours.[82]

text: Political parties[edit]

text: On 17–18 October 2012, the Legislative Council members in Hong Kong debated on the motion "legislation for the regulation of working hours". Cheung Kwok-che proposed the motion "That is the Council urges the Government to introduce a bill on the regulation of working hours within this legislative session, the contents of which must include the number of standard weekly hours and overtime pay".[83] As the motion was not passed by both functional constituencies and geographical constituencies, it was negatived.[84]

text: The Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions suggested a standard 44-hour work week with overtime pay of 1.5 times the usual pay. It believes the regulation of standard working hour can prevent the employers to force employees to work (overtime) without pay.[85]

text: Elizabeth Quat of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB), believed that standard working hours were a labor policy and was not related to family-friendly policies. The Vice President of Young DAB, Wai-hung Chan, stated that standard working hours would bring limitations to small and medium enterprises. He thought that the government should discuss the topic with the public more before legislating standard working hours.

text: The Democratic Party suggested a 44-hour standard work week and compulsory overtime pay to help achieve the balance between work, rest and entertainment of people in Hong Kong.[86]

text: The Labour Party believed regulating working hours could help achieve a work-life balance.[87] It suggests an 8-hour work day, a 44-hour standard work week, a 60-hour maximum work week and an overtime pay of 1.5 times the usual pay.[76]

text: Poon Siu-ping of Federation of Hong Kong and Kowloon Labour Unions thought that it is possible to set work hour limit for all industries; and the regulation on working hours can ensure the overtime payment by employers to employees, and protect employees’ health.

text: The Civic party suggests "to actively study setting weekly standard working hours at 44 hours to align with family-friendly policies" in LegCo Election 2012.[88]

text: Member of Economic Synergy, Jeffery Lam, believes that standard working hours would adversely affect productivity, tense the employer-employee relationship, and increase the pressure faced by businesses who suffer from inadequate workers. He does not support the regulation on working hours at its current situation.[89]

text: Government[edit]

text: Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, the Secretary for Labour and Welfare Bureau, said the Executive Council has already received the government report on working hours in June, and the Labour Advisory Board and the LegCo’s Manpower Panel will receive the report in late November and December respectively.[90] On 26 November 2012, the Labour Department released the report, and the report covered the regimes and experience of practicing standard working hours in selected regions, current work hour situations in different industries, and the impact assessment of standard working hours. Also, Matthew Cheung mentioned that the government will form a select committee by first quarter of 2013, which will include government officials, representative of labor unions and employers’ associations, academics and community leaders, to investigate the related issues. He also said that it would "perhaps be unrealistic" to put forward a bill for standard working hours in the next one to two years.[91]

text: Academics[edit]

text: Yip Siu-fai, Professor of the Department of Social Work and Social Administration of HKU, said that professions such as nurse, accountants, have a long work time, and this may affect their social life. He believes standard working hour can help making Hong Kong to become a family-friendly workplace and increase fertility rate. Randy Chiu, Professor of Department of Management of HKBU, said that standard working hour could avoid excessively long working hours of employees.[92] He also said that nowadays Hong Kong attains almost full employment, has a high rental price and severe inflation, recently implemented minimum wage, and affected by gloomy global economy; he also mentioned that comprehensive considerations on macroeconomic situations are needed, and pushed to the awareness that it is perhaps inappropriate to adopt working time regulation examples in other countries to Hong Kong.[93]

text: Lee Shu-Kam, Associate Professor of the Department of Economics and Finance of HKSYU, believed standard working hours cannot achieve ‘work-life balance’. He referenced the research to the US by the University of California, Los Angeles in 1999 and pointed out that in the industries and regions which the wage elasticity is low, the effects of standard working hours on lowering actual working time and increasing wage is limited: for regions where labor supply is inadequate, standard working hours can protect employees’ benefit yet cause unemployment; but for the regions, such as Japan, where the problem does not exist, standard working hour would only lead to unemployment.[94] In addition, he said the effect of standard working hour is similar to that of giving overtime pay, say, making employees to favor overtime work more. In this sense, standard working hour does not match its principle: to shorten work time and increase recreation time of employees.[95] He believed that the key point is to help employees to achieve work-life balance and get a win-win situation of employers and employees.

text: Francis Lui, Head and Professor of the Department of Economics of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, believed that the standard working hour may not lower work time but increase unemployment. He used Japan as an example to illustrate that the implementation of standard working hours lowered productivity per head and demotivated the economy. He also said that even if the standard working hours can shorten employees’ weekly working hours, they may need to work for more years to earn sufficient amount of money for retirement, i.e. delay their retirement age. The working time in the whole life may not change.[96]

text: Lok-sang Ho, Professor of Economics and Director of the Centre for Public Policy Studies of Lingnan University, pointed out that “as different employees perform various jobs and under different degrees of pressures, it may not appropriate to establish standard working hours in Hong Kong; and he proposed 50-hour maximum work week to protect workers health.[97]

text: Singapore[edit]

text: Singapore enacts an 8-hour normal work day, a 44-hour normal working week, and a maximum 48-hour work week. It is to note that if the employee works no more than five days a week, the employee’s normal working day is 9-hour and the working week is 44 hours. Also, if the number of hours worked of the worker is less than 44 hours every alternate week, the 44-hour weekly limit may be exceeded in the other week. Yet, this is subjected to the pre-specification in the service contract and the maximum should not exceed 48 hours per week or 88 hours in any consecutive two week time. In addition, a shift worker can work up to 12 hours a day, provided that the average working hours per week do not exceed 44 over a consecutive 3-week time. The overtime allowance per overtime hour must not be less than 1.5 times of the employee’s hour basic rates.[98]

text: Other countries[edit]

text: The Kapauku people of Papua think it is bad luck to work two consecutive days. The !Kung Bushmen work just two-and-a-half days per week, rarely more than six hours per day.[99]

text: The work week in Samoa is approximately 30 hours,[100] and although average annual Samoan cash income is relatively low, by some measures, the Samoan standard of living is quite good.

text: In India, particularly in smaller companies, someone generally works for 11 hours a day and 6 days a week. No Overtime is paid for extra time. Law enforcement is negligible in regulating the working hours. A typical office will open at 09:00 or 09:30 and officially end the work day at about 19:00. However, many workers and especially managers will stay later in the office due to additional work load. However, large Indian companies and MNC offices located in India tend to follow a 5-day, 8- to 9-hour per day working schedule. The Government of India in some of its offices also follows a 5-day week schedule.[citation needed]

text: Nigeria has public servants that work 35 hours per week.[citation needed]

text: Recent trends[edit]

text: Many modern workplaces are experimenting with accommodating changes in the workforce and the basic structure of scheduled work. Flextime allows office workers to shift their working time away from rush-hour traffic; for example, arriving at 10:00 am and leaving at 6:00 pm. Telecommuting permits employees to work from their homes or in satellite locations (not owned by the employer), eliminating or reducing long commute times in heavily populated areas. Zero-hour contracts establish work contracts without minimum-hour guarantees; workers are paid only for the hours they work.


question_text: who has played for the most premiership clubs

text: Since the Premier League's formation at the start of the 1992–93 season, 12 players have managed to accrue 500 or more appearances in the Premier League.

text: The first player to reach the milestone was midfielder Gary Speed, in representation of Leeds United, Everton, Newcastle United and Bolton Wanderers; his 500th match was Bolton's 4–0 win over West Ham United on 9 December 2006.[1] Speed held the record for most appearances until 14 February 2009, when goalkeeper David James played his 536th match, for Portsmouth against his former team Manchester City.[2] James ended with 572 appearances, a record which was broken by Ryan Giggs on 14 May 2011, having played all of his matches for Manchester United.[3] On 25 September 2017, Gareth Barry broke Giggs' record by playing his 633rd match, West Bromwich Albion's 2–0 loss at Arsenal.[4] At the time of breaking the record, Barry ranked 8th in English top division appearances since the Second World War, trailing Giggs in 6th (672 total top division appearances) and six other players.[5][6]

text: The only player from outside the United Kingdom to play 500 Premier League games is Australia goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, for Middlesbrough, Fulham, Chelsea and Leicester City.[7]

text: Players[edit]

text:
Bold denotes players still playing in the Premier League.
Italics denote players active outside the Premier League.
Correct as of 16 July 2018.[8]

text:
List of Premier League players with 500 or more appearances

Rank

Player

Premier League Club(s)

Appearances

1

 Gareth Barry

Aston Villa, Manchester City, Everton, West Bromwich Albion

653

2

 Ryan Giggs

Manchester United

632

3

 Frank Lampard

West Ham United, Chelsea, Manchester City

609

4

 David James

Liverpool, Aston Villa, West Ham United, Manchester City, Portsmouth

572

5

 Gary Speed

Leeds United, Everton, Newcastle United, Bolton Wanderers

535

6

 Emile Heskey

Leicester City, Liverpool, Birmingham City, Wigan Athletic, Aston Villa

516

7

 Mark Schwarzer

Middlesbrough, Fulham, Chelsea, Leicester City

514

8

 Jamie Carragher

Liverpool

508

9

 Phil Neville

Manchester United, Everton

505

10

 Steven Gerrard

Liverpool

504

10

 Rio Ferdinand

West Ham United, Leeds United, Manchester United,  Queens Park Rangers

504

12

 Sol Campbell

Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Portsmouth, Newcastle United

503


document_title: Rail Budget

question_text: who present in the parliament the last separate rail budget of india

text: Rail Budget

text: History[edit]

text: Following the recommendation of the Acworth Committee in 1920-21, headed by British railway economist William Acworth[2] The "Acworth Report" led to reorganisation of railways, the railway finances were separated from the general government finances in 1921. After that in 1924 the budget was announced, a practice that continued till 2016.[3][4][5]

text: The first live telecast took place on 24 March 1994.

text: Lalu Prasad Yadav, who remained Railways Minister from 2004 to May 2009, presented the railway budget 6 times in a row. In 2009, under his tenure a ₹108 billion (US$1.7 billion) budget was passed.[6]

text: In the year 2000, Mamata Banerjee (later Chief Minister of West Bengal) became the first female Railway Minister. In 2002, she became the first female to present the Railway budget and is the only woman to do so for two different governing coalitions (NDA and UPA).

text: In 2014 budget, Railway Minister D. V. Sadananda Gowda announced the first bullet train and 9 High-Speed Rail routes.[7]

text: The last Railway Budget [8] was presented on 25 February 2016 by Mr. Suresh Prabhu.