‘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 profession arsenic a children’s entertainer successful “Shari & Lamb Chop.” The caller documentary, from “Love, Gilda” head and Emmy-nominated filmmaker Lisa D’Apolito, takes an up-close and individual look astatine her life and profession starting pinch nan CBS tv bid “Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts” successful nan early 1950s, done “The Shari Lewis Show” and “The Charlie Horse Music Pizza,” pinch her 2nd hubby Jeremy Tarcher.

Kino Lorber releases nan documentary successful theaters connected July 18, pinch digital, educational, and location video releases to follow. Watch nan trailer, an IndieWire exclusive, for “Shari & Lamb Chop” below.

Here’s nan charismatic synopsis: “Before Fred Rogers and Jim Henson, location was Shari Lewis, a children’s tv pioneer whose whimsical characters and ebullient tone person guided generations of children arsenic they came of age. Raised successful nan Bronx by a proud feminist mother and a professor begetter who moonlighted arsenic Peter Pan nan Magic Man, Shari became a multitalented dancer, singer, and magician. But erstwhile an wounded sidelined her creation aspirations, she channeled her productivity into a passion for ventriloquism, creating nan now beloved sock puppet characters Charlie Horse, Hush Puppy and, of course, Lamb Chop.

“From her early years of TV occurrence to nan crush of her show’s cancellation to her 1990s comeback successful her 60s, Lisa D’Apolito’s heartfelt doc charts nan life, loves, and profession hits and misses of nan spunky perfectionist whose talent and perseverance guidelines arsenic a testament to women’s powerfulness and everlastingly changed nan scenery of children’s entertainment. Featuring interviews pinch ventriloquists inspired by Lewis alongside nostalgia-rich clips and location movies, this vibrant image brims pinch nan aforesaid warmth, wit, and magic that defined her, celebrating nan powerfulness of imagination and nan soul kid within.”

The film is produced by White Horse Pictures and MoJo Global Arts and presented by Concord Originals and Olive Hill Media successful relation pinch The 51 Fund, Carlene Laughlin, and Chicago Media Project. The movie first premiered astatine DOC NYC.

The documentary is produced pinch nan afloat practice of the Shari Lewis estate, done her girl Mallory Lewis, who shares successful her mother’s bequest performing pinch Lamb Chop regularly crossed nan U.S.