JCC Film Festival – Shari Lewis and Lamb Chop

(United States, 2023, 92 minutes, English) Documentary

Coming of age can be difficult, but is always more bearable when you have someone who connects with you on a cellular level. Shari Lewis – a children’s television pioneer before Fred Rogers, Jim Henson, and others – was one of those people. She was a dancer, singer, and magician, but was best known as the ventriloquist behind sock puppets Charlie Horse, Hush Puppy and, of course, Lamb Chop. This heartfelt and entertaining doc charts the life, loves, and career hits and misses of the spunky perfectionist who forever changed the face of children’s television. Featuring ventriloquists she inspired and nostalgia-laden clips, this upbeat portrait brims, like Lewis, with warmth and charm. Shari and Lamb Chop are the tonic we all need to reconnect with our inner children, and celebrate pure imagination.

$12/person. Questions? Contact Laura Smith at lsmith@jfgd.net.