Shari Lewis was a ventriloquist/puppeteer and children’s TV show
host during the 1960’s and 1990’s. She’s best known as the original
puppeteer of Lamb Chop (seen above). Shari received numerous
awards including twelve Emmy Awards and a Peabody Award. Her
career began in 1952 when she won first prize for her puppetry on
Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts TV show. Shari died of cancer on
August 2, 1998.
The ABC-TV police series ran until 1978 and starred former child actor Robert Blake as police detective Tony Baretta.
Robert Blake with “Fred” the Cockatoo
Michael D. Roberts (above) played “Rooster”, a streetwise pimp and
Tony’s favorite informant.
This Barry Manilow song was written by Bruce Johnston of The Beach
Boys. It won a Grammy Award for Song of the Year and was nominated
for Record of the Year in 1977. It became one of Manilow’s signature
songs.
Bruce Johnston
