Shari & Lamb Chop
Directed by Lisa D’Apolito
Before Fred Rogers and Jim Henson, there was Shari Lewis, a children’s television pioneer whose whimsical characters and ebullient spirit have guided generations of children as they came of age. Raised in the Bronx by a proud feminist mother and a professor father who moonlighted as Peter Pan the Magic Man, Shari became a multitalented dancer, singer, and magician. But when an injury sidelined her dance aspirations, she channeled her creativity into a passion for ventriloquism, creating the now beloved sock puppet characters Charlie Horse, Hush Puppy and, of course, Lamb Chop. From her early years of TV success to the crush of her show’s cancellation to her 1990s comeback in her 60s, Lisa D’Apolito’s heartfelt doc charts the life, loves, and career hits and misses of the spunky perfectionist whose talent and perseverance stand as a testament to women’s power and forever changed the landscape of children’s entertainment. Featuring interviews with ventriloquists inspired by Lewis alongside nostalgia-rich clips and home movies, this vibrant portrait brims with the same warmth, wit, and magic that defined her, celebrating the power of imagination and the inner child within.
Reviews
“A charming introduction to a remarkable artist and the characters she created, which have endured across generations because they reflect the playfulness at the heart of their creator.”
"A perfect sendup to the feel-good art Shari Lewis put out during her time on this Earth.”
“A long-overdue documentary on the pioneering ventriloquist and TV personality.”
“A fitting tribute to an entertainer who paved the way for children’s television titans like Mr. Rogers and Jim Henson – and was often overshadowed by them.”
“An engaging portrait of one of TV’s great characters, one girl and her talking sock who somehow conquered the world.”
