Shari Lewis

American puppeteer and author

Also known as: Phyllis Hurwitz

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Britannica Editors

Last updated

Oct. 1, 2026 •History

Shari Lewis (born January 17, 1933, New York, New York, U.S.—died August 2, 1998, Los Angeles, California, U.S.) was an American puppeteer and author who entertained and educated children on a series of television shows for some 40 years as the creator and voice of a series of sock puppets, most notably a woolly character named Lamb Chop.

Lewis studied acting, dance, and singing as a child and displayed a gift for ventriloquism, a skill her father, an illusionist, encouraged by hiring a former vaudevillian as her coach. She performed in nightclubs and summer stock productions and in 1952 won top prize on the television program Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts. In 1957 she appeared on the children’s program Captain Kangaroo and introduced Lamb Chop, a hand puppet with long eyelashes, a squeaky voice, and an inquisitive manner. The duo’s popularity led to numerous other TV appearances and eventually to The Shari Lewis Show (1960–63), a program that featured knock-knock jokes, singing, and humorous skits.

Lewis later added Charlie Horse and Hush Puppy to her cast of puppets. From 1968 to 1976 she was based in London creating shows for BBC. She returned to American television with shows that included Lamb Chop’s Play-Along (1992–97) and The Charlie Horse Music Pizza (1998–99). Lewis sought to educate children in the role of an older playmate rather than that of a teacher. A vigorous supporter of quality children’s programming, she won 12 Emmy awards for her television work. Among her 60 books were Things That Kids Collect! (1980) and One-Minute Bedtime Stories (1986). A music aficionada, Lewis often played the piano on her shows, and she was a guest conductor for some 50 symphony orchestras.