Lisa D’Apolito’s ‘Shari & Lamb Chop’ Explores Power, Persistence, and Play Through One Remarkable Career
Before there was Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, there was Shari Lewis—and a sock with a voice, an attitude, and a surprising amount of heart. Lisa D’Apolito’s documentary Shari & Lamb Chop is more than a nostalgic look at a beloved children’s show; it’s a portrait of a fiercely intelligent, endlessly driven woman who refused to let herself—or her creation—be underestimated.
To many, Lamb Chop was just a cuddly puppet who sang “This Is the Song That Doesn’t End”. But as the film reveals, she was also Shari Lewis’ alter ego, co-star, and secret weapon in a television industry that didn’t always take women seriously. Lewis wasn’t simply a performer—she was a writer, producer, and businesswoman at a time when those roles were rarely combined, and even more rarely entrusted to a woman.
D’Apolito structures the documentary like a conversation between past and present, weaving archival footage with interviews from Lewis’ daughter Mallory, along with contemporaries, collaborators, and admirers who understood just how radical Shari’s career really was. Through these perspectives, the film paints a fuller picture of a woman who navigated the dual demands of public performance and private innovation, and who refused to be pigeonholed by either. What emerges is a story not just about fame, but about persistence: Lewis constantly reinvented herself and her work, navigating network politics, cultural shifts, and long stretches of being dismissed as “just” a children’s entertainer.
What also comes through is Shari’s remarkable ability to connect—with her audience, her collaborators, and even with viewers decades later. Her humor was sharp, her timing impeccable, and her empathy genuine, making it clear that her brilliance wasn’t only in creating Lamb Chop, but in understanding the hearts and minds of everyone she worked with. The documentary shows that her charm was not accidental; it was cultivated, honed, and deployed with intention, revealing a woman who was as savvy as she was playful, and as daring as she was warm.
What makes Shari & Lamb Chop especially moving is how clearly it frames creativity as both joy and labor. Shari didn’t stumble into success—she built it, piece by piece, often fighting for control over her own voice, her craft, and ultimately her legacy. The documentary underscores that her charm and warmth were inseparable from her discipline and intelligence, showing that the magic of Lamb Chop was as much a product of strategy and skill as it was of whimsy and laughter. By the end, viewers aren’t just celebrating a beloved puppet—they’re witnessing the life of a woman whose influence resonates far beyond children’s television.
Shari & Lamb Chop is now available to own and available to stream on Kino Film Collection.
