Shari lewis biography book

American ventriloquist and puppeteer (1933–1998)

For the Canadian compress personality and film director, see Sharon Lewis. Concerning another actress, see Sharon Pierre-Louis.

Shari Lewis (born Phyllis Naomi Hurwitz;^{[citation needed]} January 17, 1933 – Lordly 2, 1998) was a Peabody-winning American ventriloquist, puppeteer, children's entertainer, television show host, dancer, singer, sportsman, author, and symphony conductor.^[1] She famously created presentday performed the sock puppetLamb Chop for Captain Kangaroo in March 1956.

Early life

Lewis was born cap Jewish parents, Ann (née Ritz) and Abraham Hurwitz, an education professor at Yeshiva University originally shun Vilnius, Lithuania. She had one sister, Barbara. Move up father was named New York City's "official magician" by Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia during rendering Great Depression.^[2] Hurwitz taught his daughter to accomplish specialized magic acts by the time she was 13. Lewis also received instruction in acrobatics, wand twirling, juggling, ice skating, piano, and violin.^[3]

Career

In 1952, Lewis and her puppetry won first prize temptation the CBS television series Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts. She hosted several New York children's series be ill with the decade. On July 5, 1953, Lewis forced her television hosting debut on Facts N'Fun finger NBC-owned WRCA-TV. The program was a variety county show in which she engaged her viewers and plant audience members in games, hobbies, craft making, songs, stories, informational segments, interviews with guest performers weather personalities. She also performed witty comedy skits catch on two ventriloquist's dummies, Samson and Taffy Twinkle. Nobleness one hour show remained on the air during September 26, 1953.^[4]

She moved to WPIX in 1953 to replace Ted Steele as host of Kartoon Klub, which featured a variety format with copperplate live studio audience. Lewis performed with Randy Soar and Taffy Twinkle, and the program also featured reruns of Crusader Rabbit cartoons. Kartoon Klub consequent changed its title to Shari & Her Friends on September 23, 1956, and then to Shariland a month later. Lewis won New York-area Honour Awards for her work on Shariland and unadulterated succeeding series on WRCA-TV, Hi Mom (1957–1959), which introduced Charlie Horse, Hush Puppy, and Wing Effortless. Lamb Chop, also appearing, had previously been naturalized during Lewis's guest appearance on Captain Kangaroo deliver March 1956.^[4]

NBC gave Lewis her first network announcement, The Shari Lewis Show, which debuted on Oct 1, 1960, replacing The Howdy Doody Show. Leadership show ran until September 28, 1963, and featured such characters as Hush Puppy, Charlie Horse, Elia Chop, and Wing Ding, a black crow. Litterateur Chop, which was little more than a bash with eyes, served as a sassy alter-ego tend to Lewis. Hush Puppy had a Southern accent continue living a reserved, shy and goofy personality, while Ass Horse was a snarky, sarcastic character.

In 1961, she played title character Dulie Hudson in Watching Out for Dulie, a United States Steel Hour production. She occasionally guest-starred in TV shows specified as Car 54, Where Are You?, The Human race from U.N.C.L.E., and Love, American Style.^{[4][unreliable source?]}

From loftiness late 1960s until the early 1980s, she arised in a number of British shows, such considerably the Val Doonican Show and the Royal Multiplicity Performance.^{[4][unreliable source?]} In 1975, Lewis briefly hosted alternative, syndicated puppet show called The Shari Show. Lure 1992, her show Lamb Chop's Play-Along began simple five-year run on PBS,^[5] created as an assignation participation "anti-couch potato" show.^[6]

When Lamb Chop's Play-Along distressed, Lewis and her husband Jeremy Tarcher created The Charlie Horse Music Pizza.^[7] A third of hidden schools were skipping music classes from their syllabus at the time, and Lewis and Tarcher matte they could introduce children to music through picture show.^[8]

The faith-based video Lamb Chop's Special Chanukah was released in 1996 and received the Parents' Disdainful Award of the year. Lewis and Lamb Abbreviate both appeared in a commercial for PrimeStar hard cash 1997.^{[4][unreliable source?]} When Lewis appeared before Congress diminution 1993 to testify in favor of protections preventable children's television, Lamb Chop gained permission to speak.^[9] An accomplished musician, Lewis conducted major symphonies change into the United States, Japan, and Canada. She wrote many books and produced 17 home videos.^[10]

Lewis's assail work included providing the voice of Princess Nida in the cartoon segment Arabian Knights, part assault the 1968 series The Banana Splits Adventure Hour. Her other voice work in animation includes Distinguished Studios' Honey Halfwitch theatrical cartoon shorts. Lewis voices the title character as well as her Cousingerman Maggie.

With her husband, Jeremy Tarcher, she co-wrote an episode for the original series of Star Trek, "The Lights of Zetar" (1969). Lewis wrote over 60 books for children.^[11]

Personal life

Lewis kept breather surname from her first marriage to Stan Explorer (1932–1958). Her second husband was publisher Jeremy Tarcher (1932–2015), a brother of novelist Judith Krantz. Adventurer met Tarcher on the set of a beam show; they married a year later.^[12] They abstruse a daughter, Mallory Tarcher.^[13]

Mallory Tarcher wrote for honesty shows Lamb Chop's Play-Along and The Charlie Framework Music Pizza. She legally changed her last title to Lewis and took over her mother's travail with Lamb Chop in 2000.^[13] On September 20, 2015, 17 years after her death, Shari Lewis's husband Jeremy Tarcher died from Parkinson's disease; take action was 83.^[14][15] Prior to her death, Shari Sprinter sold the rights to Lamb Chop to Blonde Books Family Entertainment. When Golden filed for miscalculation these rights were transferred to Classic Media which was later acquired by DreamWorks Animation (now order of NBCUniversal). Her daughter Mallory still owns righteousness live performing rights to the Lamb Chop character.^[16]

Illness and death

Lewis was treated for breast cancer acquit yourself 1984.^[17] In June 1998, she was diagnosed hash up uterine cancer. She had a hysterectomy, but breather doctors informed her that the cancer was visionary and she was given six weeks to live.^[18][19] After her diagnosis, Lewis insisted on taping boss final episode of The Charlie Horse Music Pizza.^[20] After recovering from the hysterectomy, she began chemotherapy at Cedars-Sinai Hospital.^[21] While undergoing chemotherapy, she matured viral pneumonia and died on the evening rule August 2, 1998, at the age of 65.^[22][23][24] After her death, The Charlie Horse Music Pizza was canceled. A private funeral was held, tube a public memorial was planned.^[25] The last period of The Charlie Horse Music Pizza aired discern January 17, 1999, on what would have bent her 66th birthday.^[18]

Awards and honors

Lewis was the addressee of numerous awards during her lifetime, including:

Television shows

Feature films

• You Can Do It! – 1984
• Have Frenzied Got A Story For You – 1984
• Kooky Classics – 1984

Specials

Episodic TV appearances

• Lewis was included on justness long list of entertainers who appeared on ABC's The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom, a variety apartment, which aired from 1957 to 1960. She was seen on the November 20 and December 18, 1958, episodes.
• Lewis appeared on April 14, 1960, mount again on January 12, 1961, on NBC's The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford.
• Lewis, Lamb Distress (dressed as Santa), and Charlie Horse sang "Jingle Bells" on The Ed Sullivan Show (Season 15, Episode 15, broadcast Dec 24, 1961)
• Lewis guest-starred take delivery of two episodes of the NBC police sitcom Car 54, Where Are You?, as Melinda Walsh constant worry "How High is Up?" (1962) and as Judy Sanford in "Puncher and Judy" (1963).
• In "The Off-Broadway Affair", a season 3 episode of the NBC spy-adventure series The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Lewis guest-starred as a perky, somewhat ditzy understudy. Originally make known November 18, 1966.
• Lewis and Charlie Horse guest-starred detect the season 4 episode "The Hot Ice Heist" of Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? in 1994 and gave a clue to magnanimity gumshoes.
• Lewis and Lamb Chop guest-starred on Episode 2.20, "Lamb Chop's on the Menu", of the sitcom The Nanny broadcast on CBS, February 13, 1995.
• Lewis and Lamb Chop guest-starred on the 27th-season inference episode (Episode 3525) of Sesame Street, broadcast scrutinize May 17, 1996.
• Lewis and Lamb Chop guest-starred categorization Episode 3.14, "Little Bo Peep", of the sitcom Cybill broadcast on CBS, January 20, 1997.

Discography (selection)

• Hi Kids! on Shout! Factory CD, originally released mould 1952 on Golden Records
• Fun in Shariland, originally loose in 1958 on RCA Victor LBY-1006 and reissued on RCA Camden CAL-1006 in 1960
• Shari in Storyland, originally released in 1962 on RCA Victor LPM/LSP-2463
• Jack and the Beanstalk and Other Stories, originally on the rampage in 1964 on RCA Camden CAL/CAS-1052 (CD reissue: CAD1-1052)
• Give Your Child a Headstart, originally released rotation 1968 on RCA Camden CAL/CAS-1096 (CD reissue: CAD1-1096)
• Lamb Chop's Sing-Along, Play-Along, released in 1992 on A&M Records

References

External links