Shari Lewis (January 17, 1933-August 2, 1998) was born as Phyllis Naomi Hurwitz to Yeshiva University Professor Abraham Hurwitz and his wife Ann Ritz. Abraham, an accomplished magician, taught her magic acts, which led to her winning first prize on Arthur Godfrey Talent Scouts. In 1952 she hosted Facts N’Fun on a local New York City station, and later, in succession, Kartoon Klub, Shari and Her Friends, Shariland, and Hi Mom. In 1960, the NBC network signed her for The Shari Lewis Show, which stayed on the air through September 1963. Among her many puppet friends were Lamb Chop, a sock with eyes; Charlie Horse and Hush Puppy.
Thereafter she appeared as a guest star on various American and British shows until 1992 when Lamb Chop’s Play-Along began a five-year-run on PBS. Lamb Chop’s Special Chanukah was released on video in 1996, receiving the Parents’ Choice Award. When Shari testified before Congress in favor of more television programming for children, Lamb Chop was permitted to also speak.
Shari was married to Stan Lewis, whose surname she kept; and her second husband was publisher Jeremy Tarcher, the brother of novelist Judith Krantz. The Tarchers’ daughter Mallory wrote for Lamb Chop’s Play-Along and The Charlie Horse Music Pizza, a TV show that Shari and Jeremy created to introduce children to music. Shari was so talented as a musician that she also became an orchestra conductor. Together the Tarchers also wrote “The Lights of Zetar” episode for the original Star Trek series. Shari wrote over 60 children’s books.
Tomorrow, January 18: Danny Kaye
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SDJW condensation of a Wikipedia article