Gary Marshall and his then-partner wrote comedy for Shari Lewis shortly before Marshall hit it big. In one of his autobiographies he described the experience. Shari Lewis would have them over, serve them tea and scones in afternoon meetings in her house. Shari acted very pleasant but her alter-ego sock puppet Lamb Chop was profane, nasty, really verbially abusive in the story conferences...just delighted in ripping them and their work to shreds.
After about four months, Marshall's partner announced he was quitting, saying "I don't wanna write for laundry anymore".
I don't have any doubt that Jeff's Jackie accurately described Shari Lewis..
6 comments:
And yet, I bet you can find every damn episode of "The Love Boat".
Jackie would tell you from personal experience that Shari Lewis may seem sweet on television but she was a b!tch.
Gary Marshall and his then-partner wrote comedy for Shari Lewis shortly before Marshall hit it big. In one of his autobiographies he described the experience. Shari Lewis would have them over, serve them tea and scones in afternoon meetings in her house. Shari acted very pleasant but her alter-ego sock puppet Lamb Chop was profane, nasty, really verbially abusive in the story conferences...just delighted in ripping them and their work to shreds.
After about four months, Marshall's partner announced he was quitting, saying "I don't wanna write for laundry anymore".
I don't have any doubt that Jeff's Jackie accurately described Shari Lewis..
Hey--you don't claw your way to the top of the cut-throat sock-puppet heap without stepping on a few toes!
Great story, Rick.
Jackie said she made her cry. Of course, she was a kid and shy, but Lewis was not like her sweet TV persona.
Henry Slesar wrote for EDGE OF NIGHT from 1968 to 1980, and was head writer for those later years. I hate to have many those episodes lost.
Post a Comment