Latest news with #ShariLewis


New York Times
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
‘Shari & Lamb Chop': A Singular Talent Gets Her Due
I was a PBS-watching child, and one of the shows I loved was 'Lamb Chop's Play-Along,' with a theme song I could still sing for you today and an infinitely earwormy outro, 'The Song That Doesn't End.' (Sorry.) I was a little old for the show when it started airing in 1992 — I watched with my brother, who would have been a toddler around then — but no matter. The mechanics of the puppetry and ventriloquism were entrancing, and they all revolved around a curly-haired woman named Shari Lewis and her puppet friends, especially the lightly sardonic and always funny Lamb Chop. My mother told me she used to watch Shari and Lamb Chop on TV, too. But it wasn't till I was older that I realized what a trailblazer Lewis, who died in 1998, had been over her long career. She's the subject of Lisa D'Apolito's light and nostalgic new documentary, 'Shari & Lamb Chop' (in theaters), which is full of archival footage stretching from Lewis's early days on 'Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts,' the CBS variety show that provided her big break, through the children's shows she hosted single-handedly (so to speak) with her puppets from the mid-1950s to 1960s, including 'Facts N' Fun,' 'Shariland' and 'The Shari Lewis Show.' The film explores her work in the years after 'The Shari Lewis Show' was canceled, including nightclub acts, variety shows, telethons, county fairs and guest turns on various TV shows. And it chronicles her triumphant return to TV in the 1990s with 'Lamb Chop's Play-Along,' as well as her emergence as an advocate for children's educational television. This biographical information is presented in a fairly perfunctory manner, especially since Lewis's life isn't punctuated by any great scandals, the sort of thing that usually provides shape to biographical documentaries. Instead, the most interesting part of the film — aside from copious clips of Lamb Chop, who is just as funny as I recall, and pretty subversive, too — is its strong (if perhaps too brief) argument that Lewis has never gotten her due as a pioneer in children's television. Several interviewees suggest that Lewis was doing Mr. Rogers before Mr. Rogers was: speaking directly to the children watching the show, telling them that they were special and important, encouraging them and providing a positive adult presence for those who might not have that in their lives. Furthermore, the film makes clear just how talented Lewis was, and how easy she made near-impossible feats look. Several interviewees — including Megan Piphus Peace, a puppeteer for 'Sesame Street,' and Darci Lynne Farmer, a ventriloquist and winner of 'America's Got Talent' — discuss the incredible difficulty of operating two puppets separately, one on each hand, and talking to them both while keeping personalities and voices straight. Lewis was also able to sing while performing as a ventriloquist, which is phenomenally demanding. Her whole career was unusual: She got her start at a time when few, if any, ventriloquists were women. 'Shari & Lamb Chop' is 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.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Shari & Lamb Chop' Trailer: The True Story Behind Shari Lewis and Her Beloved Sock Puppet
Iconic ventriloquist and puppeteer Shari Lewis gets a documentary ode to her trailblazing career as a children's entertainer in 'Shari & Lamb Chop.' The new documentary, from 'Love, Gilda' director and Emmy-nominated filmmaker Lisa D'Apolito, takes an up-close and personal look at her life and career starting with the CBS television series 'Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts' in the early 1950s, through 'The Shari Lewis Show' and 'The Charlie Horse Music Pizza,' with her second husband Jeremy Tarcher. Kino Lorber releases the documentary in theaters on July 18, with digital, educational, and home video releases to follow. Watch the trailer, an IndieWire exclusive, for 'Shari & Lamb Chop' below. More from IndieWire Brad Pitt Says David Fincher 'Reinvigorated' His Love of Acting During 'Se7en' James Cameron Expects 'Ghosts of Hiroshima' to Be His Lowest Grossing Film Ever Here's the official synopsis: '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.' Said D'Apolito, 'Shari Lewis's life is the ultimate comeback story. Shari mesmerized and empowered generations of children and their family in believing in themselves and having fun doing it. Audiences for the film have been multi-generational and have laughed and cried together and fallen in love with Shari and Lamb Chop. I hope it is a film that you can go with your grandparent, parents and your children and whether you watched Shari on TV or not, it brings the magic of childhood.' Said Mallory Lewis, Shari's daughter, 'I could not be happier that the world is finally going to get to truly know my mother's story and for the first time meet the fascinating and complex woman, the wife, the mother, the producer, that was Shari Lewis! They will not be disappointed.' The film is produced by White Horse Pictures and MoJo Global Arts and presented by Concord Originals and Olive Hill Media in association with The 51 Fund, Carlene Laughlin, and Chicago Media Project. The film first premiered at DOC NYC. The documentary is produced with the full cooperation of the Shari Lewis estate, through her daughter Mallory, who shares in her mother's legacy performing with Lamb Chop regularly across the U.S. Best of IndieWire Guillermo del Toro's Favorite Movies: 56 Films the Director Wants You to See 'Song of the South': 14 Things to Know About Disney's Most Controversial Movie Nicolas Winding Refn's Favorite Films: 37 Movies the Director Wants You to See Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Latest Lamb Chop Dog Toy Is Here And It's Way Too Cute
The Latest Lamb Chop Dog Toy Is Here And It's Way Too Cute originally appeared on PetHelpful. There is just something about dogs and their Lamb Chop toys, isn't there? The iconic dog toy inspired by the popular children's TV show created by Shari Lewis has long been a dog favorite. So many pups are known to absolutely love their own Lamb Chop toys. And according to a New York Times article from 2024, Lamb Chop is one of the hottest dog toys in America. "Dog owners throw Lamb Chop-themed parties and photo shoots. They dress their dogs as Lamb Chop for Halloween and buy them Lamb Chop beds to sleep in alongside dozens of their Lambys, as they are affectionately called," Alexandra E. Petri wrote in The New York Times articlediscussing the popularity of the famous pet toy. 🐾 SIGN UP to get "pawsitivity" delivered right to your inbox with inspiring & entertaining stories about our furry & feathered friends along with expert advice from veterinarians and pet trainers 🐾 And now, just in time for summer, Target has started selling a new version of the beloved BBQ-ready Lamb Chop. The plush toy, which retails for $5, is 10.5 inches and features the traditional Lamb Chop dog but holding an ear of corn. It contains a noisemaking squeaker as well, which your pup is bound to adore. The toy is designed for both cuddling and playing, and Target recommends this edition of Lamb Chop for medium and large dogs. If your fur baby is one of the many doggies who is known to adore Lamb Chop, add this summer-clad version of the puppet to their toy collection. They will so appreciate it. Make sure to act quick, however; the toy is selling out Latest Lamb Chop Dog Toy Is Here And It's Way Too Cute first appeared on PetHelpful on Jun 25, 2025 This story was originally reported by PetHelpful on Jun 25, 2025, where it first appeared.