Las Vegas Weekly

November 19, 2008 · 1 PM

Madame Tussauds immortalizes 007 Daniel Craig and Alvin and the Chipmunks

By Robin Leach

The Bond display at Madame Tussauds.

Photo: Solters & Digney

It’s considered the ultimate showbiz honor -- and more important than an Oscar or a Grammy. You’re really somebody of world stature if you are immortalized in wax for the prestigious Madam Tussauds museums around the world as far away as Hong Kong, Berlin, Shanghai and Amsterdam.

This week the distinction has fallen on actor Daniel Craig, who plays 007 James Bond in the new mega box-office smash Quantum of Solace, the 22nd sequel of the spy franchise. The actor sat at the Madame Tussauds studios in London for the figure session as a team of artists took some 500 measurements plus photos to ensure the accurate wax casting in his striking spy stance.

The model, which took 20 dedicated sculptors to complete in four months, has now just gone on display at the Madame Tussauds exhibit here at the entranceway to The Venetian. Mr. Bond joins wax statues of everybody from Hugh Hefner to George Clooney to Shaquille O’Neal there.

Also added this week were the tiniest-ever likenesses created by the Madame Tussauds experts -- Alvin and the Chipmunks -- standing just 19” tall. Visitors will be able to sing along in a Chipmunks karaoke session.

It took 640 man hours to complete the characters, followed by another 180 man hours for their wardrobe and props. The synthetic fur was dyed to 15 different colors and then trimmed to length before being individually inserted one at a time by hand using a miniaturized hook!

On hand for the unveiling was rising pop singer Drew Seeley from High School Musical and Another Cinderella Story. Drew is featured on the Alvin and the Chipmunks duet “Shake Your Groove Thing” on their just-released album Undeniable.

The sequel to their 2007 box office hit that earned more than $350 million worldwide is due in theaters next Christmas 2009! Ross Bagdasarian Jr., who is the son of the Alvin creator and his partner wife Janice Karman, told us that over their 30-year career, Alvin, Simon and Theodore have received six Grammy Awards and 18 Grammy nominations. They’ve amassed 13 gold and platinum albums, plus $750 million in retail sales of licensed merchandise!

No wonder they’ve been immortalized in wax -- that’s bigger than George Clooney’s box office so far!

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