Lamb Chop (puppet) facts for kids
Lamb Chop is a famous sock puppet that looks and acts like a human sheep. She was created by the talented puppeteer and ventriloquist Shari Lewis. Lamb Chop is a female lamb who acts like a six-year-old girl. She is known for being very smart and a bit feisty!
Lamb Chop first appeared on TV in March 1956. This was during Shari Lewis's guest appearance on the show Captain Kangaroo. Later, Lamb Chop also appeared on a morning show called Hi Mom. This show aired from 1957 to 1959 in New York.
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The Story of Lamb Chop
From 1960 to 1963, Shari Lewis had her own TV show called The Shari Lewis Show. It was a fun mix of music and comedy. Even as children's TV started to focus more on cartoons, Shari and Lamb Chop kept performing in many different places.
Lamb Chop's TV Shows
In 1992, Lamb Chop and Shari Lewis started a new show on PBS called Lamb Chop's Play-Along. This show was a big hit! It won an Emmy Award for five years in a row. Each episode was about 25 minutes long. The show first aired on September 10, 1992, and its last episode was on January 1, 1997. You can still find episodes of Lamb Chop's Play-Along on YouTube today.
After Lamb Chop's Play-Along, Lamb Chop also co-starred with Shari in another show. This show was called The Charlie Horse Music Pizza. Sadly, this show ended after Shari Lewis passed away. The last episode aired on January 17, 1999.
Lamb Chop in Congress
In 1993, Shari Lewis spoke to the U.S. Congress. She was there to talk about rules for children's television. During this important meeting, Lamb Chop even gave her own testimony! This shows how important Lamb Chop was to children's entertainment and education.
Lamb Chop Today
Shari Lewis passed away on August 2, 1998. Two years later, her daughter, Mallory Lewis, began performing with Lamb Chop. Mallory had worked closely with her mother on the shows Lamb Chop's Play-Along and The Charlie Horse Music Pizza.
Mallory Lewis continues her mother's legacy. She once said about her mother and Lamb Chop:
My mom was one of the world's greatest entertainers. I don't want to challenge that. I don't think it's wise to go there. But I do want to do everything that I can do for Lamb Chop. I'll help keep her going.
Mallory Lewis and Lamb Chop often perform for the US military. Lamb Chop is even an honorary three-star general in the Marines! This means she is recognized for her support and entertainment for military families.
Shari Lewis also had another puppet named Hush Puppy. He made a comeback at the Iowa State Fair in 2010. However, Mallory does not perform with Charlie Horse. This is because doing his voice is hard on her vocal cords. Before she passed away, Shari Lewis sold some rights to Lamb Chop to DreamWorks. But her daughter Mallory still owns the rights to perform live with Lamb Chop.
Images for kids
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Photo of Shari Lewis and her puppets Lamb Chop and Charlie Horse from The Ford Show in 1960
