Before Fred Rogers and Jim Henson, there was Shari Lewis, a children’s television pioneer whose whimsical characters and ebullient spirit have guided generations of children as they came of age. Originally a multitalented dancer, singer, and magician, she channeled her creativity into a passion for ventriloquism after an injury sidelined her dance aspirations: creating the now beloved sock puppet characters Charlie Horse, Hush Puppy and, of course, Lamb Chop.

From her early years of TV success to the heartbreak of her show’s cancellation and her 1990s comeback in her 60s, Lisa D’Apolito’s heartfelt doc charts the life, loves, and career highs and lows of the spunky perfectionist whose talent and perseverance stand as a testament to women’s power and forever changed the landscape of children’s entertainment. Featuring interviews with ventriloquists inspired by Lewis, alongside nostalgia-rich clips and home movies, this vibrant portrait brims with the same warmth, wit, and magic that defined her, celebrating the power of imagination and the inner child within.