my Macbook Pro & my iMac

Hi, quick question. I have a mbp 17 inch from 2007, I now own a new iMac. I just installed a new HD on the mbp, and its running a fresh install of leopard on it. The iMac has Lion, and all my applications that I need, some are without discs! I want to clone the iMac to the mbp. Tried hooking up via firewire for a migrate, didn't work. Something tells me I need Lion on my mbp too. Can you not transfer over it in its entirety...including OS? I know I should probably post in a full Mac Forum somewhere, but I call this place home. :)

Thanks,
Lisa