Lamb Chop is a fictional character, more precisely a fictional sheep, who is a sock puppet created by comedienne and ventriloquist Shari Lewis. In 1957, Lamb Chop, an ewe, first appeared with Lewis on the U.S. children's morning television show Captain Kangaroo.

Lamb Chop could be described as a "6-year-old girl, very intuitive and very feisty, a combination of obstinacy and vulnerability....you know how they say fools rush in where wise men fear to go? Well, Lamb Chop would rush in, then scream for help." ^*

During the 1960s, Shari Lewis had her own musical-comedy network television show. After children's programming turned to animation, she continued to perform in a wide range of venues. In 1992, Lamb Chop and Shari began their own PBS children's show, Lamb Chop's Play-Along, an Emmy Award winner for five consecutive years. ^* Shari Lewis died in 1998 from pneumonia, but two years later, her daughter, producer and writer Mallory Lewis decided that Lamb Chop should live on for her many fans. Shari's daughter had worked closely with her mother when producing the PBS program.

Ms. Tarcher has this to say 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." ^*

External links

• Mallory Lewis and Lamb Chop website

Puppets | Puppetry | fictional sheep