Meet Mallory Lewis
Mallory Lewis is the daughter of Shari Lewis, the woman who created the world-famous puppet Lamb Chop. Lamb Chop and Shari entertained several generations of young people with their charming banter and lively shows. Now following in her mother’s footstep, Mallory has partnered with Lamb Chop to entertain a whole new generation, as well as bring nostalgia back to those who grew up with Lamb Chop themselves.
Mallory has been deeply involved in children’s entertainment her entire life. A multiple Emmy Award nominee and Emmy Award winner for “Outstanding Writing in a Children’s Series,” Lewis has an extensive background in all aspects of television production, including writing, producing, and performing. She began her career at age 12 working with her mother by ghostwriting for her newspaper column. After writing and producing for the Lamb Chop’s Play-Along show, Lewis assumed the responsibilities of her mother’s three prime-time variety specials, and served as executive story editor and producer of The Charlie Horse Music Pizza.
Following her mother’s death, Mallory began appearing with Lamb Chop at live and televised events, performing in more than 400 shows at such venues as The Magic Castle, Performing Arts Centers and aboard the Queen Elizabeth 2. She has toured with the USO, entertaining the troops and their families around the world.
Mallory performs extensively for military support organizations such as the USO and the Fisher House Foundation, performing arts centers, and at state fairs around the country. In 2002, Lewis helped raise $275,000 for UCLA’s Neuro-Oncology Program.[10] as well as being a founder of Jump For The Cause, a women’s world record skydiving organization that has raised nearly $2 million for Breast Cancer Research. Lewis is also on the board of the Blue Ribbon.
Mallory was the co-host of the 2014 AMG Heritage Awards with host Billy Gilman and David L Cook. During the broadcast she accepted the Sandy Hosey Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the Artists Music Guild.
As an author, Mallory has penned 20 children’s novels, including the popular Adventurers Inc. and Zoey and Me series.
How did you start ghostwriting for your mother’s newspaper column?
I was about 12 years old and I wanted a job. My mom needed help with her newspaper column so she asked me if I wanted to help. By the time I’d written the third column I asked her for a byline..
Do others in your family write books?
My family is a family of writers. My grandfather wrote 20 books, my mom wrote 60 books, my father was a book publisher, my aunt is Judith Krantz (magazine journalist and best-selling author whose books have been made into mini-series), my uncle wrote many of the scripts for the TV series, The Love Boat, and I’ve written 20 books myself. My son writes too. He’d written his first screen play, about Batman and Superman, when he was four. I told him that Marvel comics might have some issues with it, but that was what he was into at the time. Then recently he started writing a novel about a young girl who had a necklace with 12 charms that represented the Greek gods. One day the Poseidon charmed glowed and the girl was covered in a bubble of water. That’s how the second chapter ended. It really left me wanting to know what happened next.
What does it take to be a writer?
To be a writer you have to be a reader. You have to get the rhythm of it into your soul and your brain. You learn how to tell a story. Writing is like unfolding a flower. For example, you start with the sentence, “There was a girl named Marny.” Then you write, “She lived in a small town.” Next you write, “The town had a problem.” Each sentence is a layer that opens until you can see the whole flower.
Why did you decide to stay in the field children’s entertainment?
It’s part of who I am. My family are writers and performers. For a while I rebelled, became the Eastern Regional Sales Manager for RCA/Columbia (Mallory Pictures Home Video but eventually I gave up fighting and got back to what I am — a writer, producer and performer.
So Lamb Chop is a “person” in her own right?
She is. We’re not crazy, we know she’s not human, but she is a member of our family. It’s amazing, and I don’t think about it too much or analyze it, but there are things Lamb Chop can do that I can’t. When we record together Lamb Chop has perfect pitch. I don’t. I can’t hit a high C but somehow she can. She also speaks Spanish better than I do. Living in Southern California and spending time in Costa Rica I know some Spanish, but she’ll be chattering away in Spanish and sometimes I’ll have a bizarre moment when I think, “What is she saying?”
Why did you decide to stay in the field children’s entertainment?
It’s part of who I am. My family are writers and performers. For a while I rebelled, became the Eastern Regional Sales Manager for RCA/Columbia (Mallory Pictures Home Video but eventually I gave up fighting and got back to what I am — a writer, producer and performer.
How did you decided to work with Lamb Chop?
I was going around the country receiving posthumous awards for my mom after she died. People would write and ask if Lamb Chop was dead too. One day I brought Lamb Chop and slipped her into the podium. At the end of my speech I pulled her out. There was a gasp from the audience when they saw her. All Lamb Chop said was, “Thank you so much. Shari would be very proud.” I realized that Lamb chop was still alive and that I wanted to work with her.
What is like working with Lamb Chop?
It’s a real blessing. She’s a star, so it gave me many opportunities that other performers who are starting out don’t have. The first show I did was Rosie O’Donnell. Another early show was to an audience of 20,000 people. Those kinds of audience are unusual for someone starting out.
Do you work the same way as your mother or do you have a different style?
In the beginning I used to rehearse in the clothes that my mom wore to rehearsal, which wasn’t the best since I’m taller than she was, but I didn’t know which of the things she did mattered and which didn’t so I tried to be like her. Little by little I developed my own patterns and rhythms. We have a different stage style. Her show was tighter than mine. She was of a different generation, plus she had different tastes. For example, mom didn’t like to have children on stage with her. I find them hysterical, but they’re the X factor. You never know what they’re going to do. During one performance a 2-1/2 year old girl crawled up on the stage with me. I signaled to my sound guy to stop the music. I kneeled down to talk to her. The conversation went something like this —
ML: “Hi. Do you want to be in show business?”
Girl: “Yes.”
This got the audience laughing.
ML: “You have a nice purse.”
Girl: “My mommy let me wear her purse. I have a lipstick.”
ML: “That’s a very pretty color.”
Then she pulled out something intimate.
Girl: “What’s this?”
ML: “I think that’s a good question for your mommy. She’s the one with the bright red face.”
By now the audience is crying from laughter. It was great fun.
At the same time, I do some things the way my mom did. One of the most important things I do is focus on the quality of the performance. My mom always insisted on having a proper sound check because without good sound a performance is ruined. Having a proper sound check is a rider* in my contract. The audience should have a good time and unless you have certain things done in a professional way the performance is bad and the audience loses.
How did you and Lamb Chop decide to put an act together?
I was pregnant when Mom died, and for about a year after her death, I traveled around the country accepting awards she was given posthumously. At one point, I brought Lamb Chop along and when they handed me the award, Lamb Chop popped up and said “Shari would be so proud.” The audience went crazy. We both loved the reaction and so we decided to keep the act together.
How old is Lamb Chop now?
Lamb Chop is six. She is forever six. But she lies about her age, just like everyone else in Hollywood.
I notice that you speak about Lamb Chop as if she were, well, alive. You realize it's a sock puppet, right?
“It?” Did you just call her an ‘it?” She won’t like that. Yes, of course I know she is a puppet; I’m not actually insane. But she is alive to me and to her fans. I know that I do her. But, and this is hard to explain, I grew up with her as my sister and Lamb Chop is a very real character — very real to me.
I heard that the Smithsonian wanted to provide a permanent home for Lamb Chop. Is that true?
Yes, but she wasn’t ready to go. The Smithsonian is for retired puppets. Lamb Chop still has an active career and no retirement plans. She lives with my son and me in Malibu. I take very good care of her. She sleeps in her favorite sheet bag in my closet.
How do you explain Lamb Chop's lasting appeal?
Lamb Chop is very likable. She is a really honest, truthful character. I think people appreciate her, especially for her honesty. She once got all dressed up as a Marine general and I said to her, “Hey, you could be arrested for impersonating an officer,” and she came right back at me with “Yeah, and you could be arrested for impersonating Shari!” She’s a very quick-witted puppet.
Your act is still a children's act, but I'm told that your audiences are primarily adults. Is that true?
Yes, primarily our audiences are adults — parents and grandparents who often bring the kids along. Lamb Chop is an icon. She represents a happy time in people’s lives and they love her for it.
What kind of work is Lamb Chop getting these days?
Primarily we do three kinds of shows: We perform at fairs, performing arts centers and we do anything the military asks us to do. The military is one of our main charities. Lamb Chop loves performing for the troops and we’ve gone all over the world to do that. In fact, Lamb Chop is a three-star general. She was given a field promotion by Lt. Gen. Tom Conant, deputy commander of the Pacific for the Marines.
I'm sure you get this all the time, but I have to ask -- is this the original Lamb Chop?
Lamb Chop’s image is protected by a very specific covenant. It spells out how she must be handled to preserve her public image and ensures that she gets treated the way she deserves to be treated. All I can say to your question is, do your socks last 60 years?
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