Shari Lewis (born Sonia Phyllis Hurwitz; January 17, 1933 – August 2, 1998) was an American ventriloquist, puppeteer, and children's television show host, most popular during the 1960s. She is best known as the original puppeteer of Lamb Chop, first appearing on Hi Mom, a local morning show that aired on WNBC in New York.

Lewis' father was a founding member of Yeshiva University in New York City. Her parents encouraged her to perform, and by age 13 her father taught her to perform specialized magic acts. She also received instruction in acrobatics, juggling, piano and violin. She was taught ventriloquism by John W. Cooper.

She also learned how to play the piano and violin at New York's High School of Music and Art, dance at the American School of Ballet, and acting with Sanford Meisner of the Neighborhood Playhouse. She attended Columbia University for one year, then left college to go into show business.

In 1952, Lewis and her puppetry won first prize on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts television show. In March 1956, she and Lamb Chop were on Captain Kangaroo and by 1960 she had her own television program. She graduated to network television in 1960 as host and puppeteer of The Shari Lewis Show. The programs featured such characters as Hush Puppy, Charlie Horse, Lamb Chop, and Wing Ding. Lamb Chop, who was little more than a sock with eyes, served as a sassy alter-ego for Shari. Subsequent television programs introduced these characters (minus the black crow, whose characterization became more problematic after the 1960s) to a new generation of children. In 1992, her new Emmy-winning show Lamb Chop's Play-Along began a five year run on PBS.

The video Lamb Chop's Special Chanukah was released in 1996 and received the Parent's Choice award of the year.

The Shari Lewis Show was a United States television program for children which appeared on NBC from 1960 to 1963.

The show starred Shari Lewis who was both the show's host and the puppeteer for the characters Lamb Chop, Hush Puppy and Charlie Horse. The show also starred Ronald Radd who played Mr. Goodfellow and Clive Russell, who made his television debut on the series. The show was awarded a Peabody Award in 1961.

Lewis also presented a BBC show with the same title and characters, broadcast in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Ventriloquist, best known for characters such as Lamb Chop, Charie Horse and Hush Puppy

Her husband, Jeremy Tarcher, is the brother of Judith Krantz.

Daughter, with Jeremy Tarcher, Mallory Tarcher.

Parents: Abraham (d. 1981) and Ann Hurwiz (d. 1993)

Siblings: Barbara Okun (younger sister by 9 years)

Brother-in-law/long time friend of Shari's: 'Lan OKun (Barbara's husband).

Son-in-law: Brad Hood (Mallory's husband).

Co-wrote "The Lights of Zetar" episode of "Star Trek" (1966) with her husband, Jeremy Tarcher, and hoped to be cast as the female guest star. The part went to Jan Shutan.

Shari Lewis hosted her first kids TV shows "Facts N'Fun", "Kartoon Klub"/"Shari & Her Friends", "Shariland" and "Hi Mom"/"Family" on WNBT/WRCA Ch. 4 and on WPIX TV Ch. 11 in NYC. "Facts N'Fun" was seen Sunday afternoons on WNBT TV Ch. 4 in NYC from Sunday July 5, 1953 to Sunday September 26, 1953. "Kartoon Klub"/"Shari & Her Friends" Monday to Saturday evenings on WPIX TV Ch. 11 in NYC from Tuesday July 6, 1954 to Saturday December 22, 1956. "Shariland" was seen first on WPIX TV Ch. 11 in NYC on Saturday Evenings from Saturday October 13, 1956 to Saturday December 22, 1956 and later on WRCA TV Ch. 4 in NYC Saturday mornings from Saturday August 16, 1957 to Saturday August 16, 1958. "Hi Mom"/"Family" was seen weekday mornings on WRCA TV Ch. 4 in NYC from Thursday August 15, 1957 to Friday March 20, 1959.

Daughter, Mallory Tarcher, was a writer on "Lamb Chop's Play-Along" (1992) and "Charlie Horse Music Pizza, The" (1998).

When asked by TV Guide to supply an item for a celebrity recipes issue, submitted a recipe for lamb chops.

Was an accomplished symphony conductor.

Biography in: "American National Biography". Supplement 1, pp. 359-360. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002.

Sister-in-law of Steve Krantz.