In Honor Of The Beloved Ventriloquist Shari Lewis And Famous Puppet Character Lamb Chop

Jul 24, 2020

Shari Lewis is among the most memorable and prolific children’s entertainers from the last century. Through a career that spanned across four decades, Shari has left a lasting mark on countless children and has strongly impacted the entertainment industry. While Shari’s life was cut short in 1998, her memory lives on through her incredible work.

Shari’s passion for entertainment was evident in her childhood, and her parents actively encouraged her to explore that passion. According to Biography, she was born in New York City in 1933 to two teachers. In addition to the support that her parents gave her to study dancing and singing, she studied ventriloquism with John W. Cooper.

However, in an interview later in her life, Shari stated that she believed ventriloquism is not a learned skill. Instead, she believed that it is a talent that some people are born with and can improve upon. Early experience with ventriloquism left a lasting impression on her. She recalled that her father had heard her sister crying to be let out of the closet. However, when he opened the closet door, he realized that Shari had thrown her voice. He was thrilled by how great her talent was.

Shari landed her first big break in the industry when she won first place on Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts in 1952. She continued to refine her puppetry skills, and she introduced Lamb Chop to the world only four years later.

Lamb Chop is the puppet character that Shari Lewis is most well-known for, and this character was introduced on Captain Kangaroo to a welcoming audience. Because of the puppet’s popularity and Shari’s incredible skills, NBC created The Shari Lewis Show in 1960. This show directly replaced The Howdy Doody Show.

Shari and Lamb Chop continued to be seen on various TV shows long after The Shari Lewis Show had run its course. Notably, Lamb Chop took center stage in PBS’s Lamb Chop’s Play-Along. This show ran for five years starting in 1992. In 1998, she introduced The Charlie Horse Music Pizza, which ran on PBS for only 12 months. Unfortunately, Shari passed away from uterine cancer during that show’s run. According to Hollywood, DreamWorks now owns the rights to Lamb Chop.

Shari’s mastery of puppets and her innate ability to touch the hearts and minds of children combine to create her legacy. Notably, she passed on a passion for music and the arts during decades when schools were progressively defunding these programs. Through re-runs of her shows and through the passion that she spread, her impact on the world continues to be felt.

Do you have fond memories of Shari Lewis and Lamb Chop? Tell us about your experiences and memories in the space below and don’t forget to spread this amazing story to your friends and family!