Shari Lewis (January 17, 1933 - August 2, 1998) (born Shari Phyllis Hurwitz) was an American ventriloquist, puppeteer, and children's television show host, most popular during the 1960s and 1990s. 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.