Richard Morton Sherman (June 12, 1928 – May 25, 2024) was an American songwriter who specialized in

musical films Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, but in some cases, they serve merely as break ...

with his brother

Robert B. Sherman Robert Bernard Sherman (December 19, 1925 – March 6, 2012) was an American songwriter, best known for his work in musical films with his brother, Richard M. Sherman. The Sherman brothers produced more motion picture song scores than any oth ...

. According to the official

Walt Disney Company The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...

website and independent fact checkers, "The

Sherman Brothers The Sherman Brothers were an American songwriting duo that specialized in musical films, made up of brothers Robert Sherman (December 19, 1925 – March 6, 2012) and Richard Sherman (June 12, 1928 – May 25, 2024). Together they received ...

were responsible for more motion picture musical song scores than any other songwriting team in film history." Some of the Sherman Brothers' best known songs were incorporated into live action and animation musical films including ''

Mary Poppins Mary Poppins may refer to: * Mary Poppins (character), a nanny with magical powers * Mary Poppins (franchise), based on the fictional nanny ** Mary Poppins (book series), ''Mary Poppins'' (book series), the original 1934–1988 children's fanta ...

'', ''

The Happiest Millionaire ''The Happiest Millionaire'' is a 1967 American musical film starring Fred MacMurray, based upon the true story of Philadelphia millionaire Anthony Joseph Drexel Biddle Sr., Anthony Drexel Biddle. The film, featuring music by the Sherman Brothe ...

'', '' The Sword in the Stone'', ''

The Jungle Book ''The Jungle Book'' is an 1894 collection of stories by the English author Rudyard Kipling. Most of the characters are animals such as Shere Khan the tiger and Baloo the bear, though a principal character is the boy or "man-cub" Mowgli, who ...

'', ''

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh ''The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh'' is a 1977 American animated musical anthology fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Productions and distributed by Buena Vista Distribution. It was first released on a double bill with '' The Littlest ...

'', ''

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang ''Chitty Chitty Bang Bang'' is a 1968 children's film, children's Musical film, musical fantasy film directed by Ken Hughes and produced by Albert R. Broccoli. It stars Dick Van Dyke, Sally Ann Howes, Lionel Jeffries, Gert Fröbe, Anna Quayle, ...

'', ''

Snoopy Come Home ''Snoopy Come Home'' is a 1972 American animated musical comedy-drama film directed by Bill Melendez and written by Charles M. Schulz, based on the ''Peanuts'' comic strip. Marking the on-screen debut of Woodstock, who had first appeared in the ...

'', ''

Bedknobs and Broomsticks ''Bedknobs and Broomsticks'' is a 1971 American live-action/animated hybrid musical fantasy film directed by Robert Stevenson from a screenplay by Bill Walsh and Don DaGradi and with songs written by the Sherman Brothers. It was produced by ...

'', ''

The Slipper and the Rose ''The Slipper and the Rose: The Story of Cinderella'' is a 1976 British musical retelling the classic fairy tale of Cinderella. The film was chosen as the Royal Command Performance motion picture selection for 1976. Directed by Bryan Forbes, th ...

'', and ''

Charlotte's Web ''Charlotte's Web'' is a book of children's literature by American author E. B. White and illustrated by Garth Williams. It was published on October 15, 1952, by Harper & Brothers. It tells the story of a livestock pig named Wilbur and his frie ...

''. Their best known work is "

It's a Small World It's a Small World (stylized in all lowercase and in quotations or with exclamation mark) is an Old Mill boat ride located in the Fantasyland area at various Disney theme parks around the world. Versions of the ride are installed at Disney ...

", written for the theme park attraction of the same name. According to ''

Time Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...

'', it may be the most publicly performed song in history.

Early life

Richard Morton Sherman was born on June 12, 1928, in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

Russian Jew The history of the Jews in Russia and areas historically connected with it goes back at least 1,500 years. Jews in Russia have historically constituted a large religious and ethnic diaspora; the Russian Empire at one time hosted the largest po ...

ish immigrants, Rosa (Dancis) and

Al Sherman Avrum Sherman (September 7, 1897 – September 16, 1973), pen name Al Sherman, was an American songwriter and composer active during the Tin Pan Alley era in American music history. Some of his most recognizable song titles include " You Gotta B ...

. Sherman and his older brother Robert eventually followed in their songwriting father's footsteps to form a long-lasting songwriting partnership. Following seven years of frequent cross-country moves, the Sherman family finally settled down in

Beverly Hills, California Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. A notable and historic suburb of Los Angeles, it is located just southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Beverly Hills ...

in 1937. During Richard's years at

Beverly Hills High School Beverly Hills High School (shortly as BHHS or Beverly) is a public high school in Beverly Hills, California. The other public high school in Beverly Hills is Moreno High School, a small alternative school located on Beverly Hills High School's c ...

, he fell in love with music and studied

piano A piano is a keyboard instrument that produces sound when its keys are depressed, activating an Action (music), action mechanism where hammers strike String (music), strings. Modern pianos have a row of 88 black and white keys, tuned to a c ...

flute The flute is a member of a family of musical instruments in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, producing sound with a vibrating column of air. Flutes produce sound when the player's air flows across an opening. In th ...

and

piccolo The piccolo ( ; ) is a smaller version of the western concert flute and a member of the woodwind family of musical instruments. Sometimes referred to as a "baby flute" or piccolo flute, the modern piccolo has the same type of fingerings as the ...

. At his 1946 high school graduation, Sherman and classmate

André Previn André George Previn (; born Andreas Ludwig Priwin; April 6, 1929 – February 28, 2019) was a German-American pianist, composer, and conductor. His career had three major genres: Hollywood films, jazz, and classical music. In each he achieved ...

played a musical duet with Previn on piano and Sherman on flute. Coincidentally, both would go on to win

Academy Awards The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence in ...

for music in

1964 Events January * January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. * January 5 – In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patria ...

, with Previn winning for Scoring of Music – Adaptation or Treatment for ''

My Fair Lady ''My Fair Lady'' is a musical theatre, musical with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. The story, based on George Bernard Shaw's 1913 play ''Pygmalion (play), Pygmalion'' and on the Pygmalion (1938 film), 1938 film ...

'', while the

won for Music Score – Substantially Original for ''

'', as well as a second for Best Original Song for "

Chim Chim Cher-ee "Chim Chim Cher-ee" is a song from ''Mary Poppins (film), Mary Poppins'', the 1964 musical film, and is also featured in the 2004 Mary Poppins (musical), ''Mary Poppins'' musical. The song won the 1964 Academy Award for Best Original Song. In ...

Army service and education

In 1953, Sherman was drafted into

U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of the United Stat ...

, being assigned to the Army Band and glee club. Serving as musical conductor for both groups from 1953 until his honorable discharge in 1955, he was stationed solely in the United States during his time in the service. During this time, his brother Robert worked with other songwriters. As a student at

Bard College Bard College is a private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York. The campus overlooks the Hudson River and Catskill Mountains within the Hudson River Historic District ...

, Sherman majored in music, writing numerous sonatas and "art songs".

Career

Within two years of graduating, Sherman and his brother

Robert The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of ''Hrōþ, Hruod'' () "fame, glory, honour, prais ...

began writing songs together on a challenge from their father,

, a successful popular songwriter in the "

Tin Pan Alley Tin Pan Alley was a collection of History of music publishing, music publishers and songwriters in New York City that dominated the American popular music, popular music of the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Originally ...

" days ("

No! No! A Thousand Times No!! ''No! No! A Thousand Times No!!'' is a 1935 Fleischer Studio animated short film, starring Betty Boop. This is the third of a series of Betty Boop melodrama spoofs, which also included ''She Wronged Him Right'' (1934), '' Betty Boop's Prize Sh ...

", " You Gotta Be a Football Hero"). In 1958, Sherman's brother Robert founded the music publishing company,

Music World Corporation Music World Corporation is an American music production and Music publisher (popular music), music publishing company, representing hundreds of song and music cue titles for a small clientele of composers and lyricists including the company foun ...

, which later worked with Disney's BMI publishing arm,

Wonderland Music Company Disney Music Group (DMG) is the music recording and publishing arm of Walt Disney Studios, a division of Disney Entertainment, which is owned by The Walt Disney Company. It is located at the studio's headquarters in Burbank, California. The divi ...

. That same year, the

had their first Top Ten hit with "

Tall Paul Tall Paul may refer to: * Tall Paul (song), a 1959 song by Annette Funicello * Tall Paul (DJ), English DJ, producer and remixer * Paul Sturgess (basketball), British basketball player {{dab ...

", which was sung by

Annette Funicello Annette Joanne Funicello (October 22, 1942 – April 8, 2013) was an American actress and singer. She began her professional career at age 12, becoming one of the most popular Mouseketeers on the original ''The Mickey Mouse Club, Mickey Mouse Cl ...

. The success of this song attracted the attention of

Walt Disney Walter Elias Disney ( ; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer, voice actor, and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the Golden age of American animation, American animation industry, he introduced several develop ...

who eventually hired the Sherman Brothers as Staff Songwriters for Walt Disney Studios. While at Disney, the Sherman Brothers wrote what is perhaps their most recognized song: "

It's a Small World (After All) It's a Small World (stylized in all lowercase and in quotations or with exclamation mark) is an Old Mill (ride), Old Mill boat ride located in the Fantasyland area at various Disney Experiences, Disney theme parks around the world. Versions of t ...

" for the

1964 New York World's Fair The 1964 New York World's Fair (also known as the 1964–1965 New York World's Fair) was an world's fair, international exposition at Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in Queens, New York City, United States. The fair included exhibitions, activ ...

. Starting with this movie, and continuing through several subsequent Disney movies, the Sherman Brothers collaborated with noted arranger-conductor

Irwin Kostal Irwin Kostal (October 1, 1911 – November 23, 1994) was an American musical arranger of films and an orchestrator of Broadway musicals. Biography Born in Chicago, Illinois, Kostal attended Harrison Technical High School, but opted not to at ...

. In 1965, the Sherman brothers won 2

for ''

'' – Best Original Score, which included " Feed The Birds", "

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" () is a song and single from the 1964 Disney musical film ''Mary Poppins''. It was written by the Sherman Brothers, and sung by Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke. It also appears in the 2004 stage show version ...

"; and Best Original Song, "

". Since ''Mary Poppins'' premiere, Robert B. Sherman subsequently earned 9 Academy Award nominations, 2

Grammy The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...

Awards, 4 Grammy Award nominations and 23 gold and platinum albums. Robert and Richard Sherman worked directly for Walt Disney until Disney's death in 1966. After leaving the company, the brothers worked freelance as songwriters on scores of motion pictures, television shows, theme park exhibits and stage musicals. Their first non-Disney assignment came with

Albert R. Broccoli Albert Romolo Broccoli ( ; April 5, 1909 – June 27, 1996), nicknamed "Cubby", was an American film producer who made more than 40 motion pictures throughout his career. Most of the films were made in the United Kingdom and often filmed at P ...

's motion picture production ''

'' in 1968 which garnered the brothers their third Academy Award Nomination. In 1973, the Sherman Brothers made history by becoming the only Americans ever to win First Prize at the

Moscow Film Festival The Moscow International Film Festival (, translit. ''Moskóvskiy myezhdunaródniy kinofyestivál''; abbreviated as MIFF) is a film festival first held in Moscow in 1935 and became regular since 1959. From its inception to 1959, it was hel ...

for ''

Tom Sawyer Thomas "Tom" Sawyer () is the title character of the Mark Twain novel '' The Adventures of Tom Sawyer'' (1876). He appears in three other novels by Twain: '' Adventures of Huckleberry Finn'' (1884), '' Tom Sawyer Abroad'' (1894), and '' Tom Sawy ...

'' for which they also authored the screenplay. ''

'' was picked to be the

Royal Command Performance A Royal Command Performance is any performance by actors or musicians that occurs at the direction or request of a reigning monarch of the United Kingdom. Although English monarchs have long sponsored their own theatrical companies and commis ...

for 1976 and was attended by

Queen Elizabeth Queen Elizabeth, Queen Elisabeth or Elizabeth the Queen may refer to: Queens regnant * Elizabeth I (1533–1603; ), Queen of England and Ireland * Elizabeth II (1926–2022; ), Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms * Queen B ...

. A modern musical adaptation of the classic Cinderella story, Slipper also features both song-score and

screenplay A screenplay, or script, is a written work produced for a film, television show (also known as a '' teleplay''), or video game by screenwriters (cf. ''stage play''). Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of w ...

by the Sherman Brothers. That same year the Sherman Brothers received their star on the Hollywood "

Walk of Fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actual halls or muse ...

" directly across from

Grauman's Chinese Theater Grauman's Chinese Theatre, known as the Chinese colloquially and officially billed as TCL Chinese Theatre for sponsorship reasons, is a movie palace on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, United S ...

. Their numerous other Disney and non-Disney top box office film credits include ''

'' (1967), ''

The Aristocats ''The Aristocats'' is a 1970 American Animated film, animated comedy film produced by Walt Disney Productions and distributed by Buena Vista Distribution. It is directed by Wolfgang Reitherman and written by Ken Anderson (animator), Ken Ander ...

'' (1970), '' The Parent Trap'' (1961), '' The Parent Trap'' (1998), ''

'' (1973), ''

'' (1977), ''

'' (1972), ''

'' (1971) and '' Little Nemo: Adventures In Slumberland'' (1992). Outside the motion picture realm, their Tony-nominated ''

Over Here! ''Over Here!'' is a musical with a score by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman and book by Will Holt. The original Broadway production was directed by Tom Moore and choreographed by Patricia Birch, with scenic design by Douglas W. Schmi ...

'' (1974) was the biggest-grossing original Broadway Musical of that year. The Sherman Brothers have also written numerous top-selling songs, including "

You're Sixteen "You're Sixteen" is a song written by the Sherman Brothers ( Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman). It was first performed by American rockabilly singer Johnny Burnette, whose version peaked at number eight on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 ...

", which holds the distinction of reaching Billboard's Top Ten twice; first with

Johnny Burnette John Joseph Burnette (March 25, 1934 – August 14, 1964) was an American singer and songwriter of rockabilly and pop music. In 1952, Johnny, his brother Dorsey Burnette, and their mutual friend Paul Burlison, formed the band that became ...

in 1960 and then with

Ringo Starr Sir Richard Starkey (born 7 July 1940), known professionally as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, songwriter and actor who achieved international fame as the drummer for the Beatles. Starr occasionally sang lead vocals with the group, us ...

fourteen years later. Other top-ten hits include, "

Pineapple Princess "Pineapple Princess" is an American pop song made popular by Annette Funicello in the summer of 1960. "Pineapple Princess" was written by the Sherman Brothers. It appeared on the LP album ''Hawaiiannette''. Chart performance As a single, it reac ...

", " Let's Get Together" and more. In 2000, the Sherman brothers wrote the song score for Disney's blockbuster film: ''

The Tigger Movie ''The Tigger Movie'' is a 2000 American animated Musical film, musical comedy-drama film produced by Disney Television Animation, Walt Disney Television Animation with animation production by Walt Disney Animation Japan. The film was written and ...

'' (2000). This film marked the brothers' first major motion picture for the Disney company in over 28 years. In 2002, the stage musical ''

'' premiered in London. It was the most successful stage show ever produced at the

London Palladium The London Palladium () is a Grade II* West End theatre located on Argyll Street, London, in Soho. The theatre was designed by Frank Matcham and opened in 1910. The auditorium holds 2,286 people. Hundreds of stars have played there, many wit ...

, boasting the longest run in that century-old theatre's history. In early 2005 a second Chitty company premiered on Broadway (New York City) at the

Foxwoods Theatre The Lyric Theatre (previously known as the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, the Hilton Theatre, and the Foxwoods Theatre) is a Broadway theater at 214 West 43rd Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, New Yo ...

(then the Hilton Theatre). The Sherman Brothers wrote an additional six songs specifically for the new stage productions. In 2003, four Sherman brothers' musicals ranked in the "Top 10 Favorite Children's Films of All Time" in a (British) nationwide poll reported by the BBC. ''The Jungle Book'' (1967) ranked at #7, ''Mary Poppins'' (1964) ranked at #8, ''The Aristocats'' (1970) ranked at #9 and ''Chitty Chitty Bang Bang'' (1968) topped the list at #1. A new

Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...

and

Cameron Mackintosh Sir Cameron Anthony Mackintosh (born 17 October 1946) is a British theatrical producer and theatre owner notable for his association with many commercially successful musicals. At the height of his success in 1990, he was described as being "t ...

production of '' Mary Poppins: The Stage Musical'' made its world premiere at the

Prince Edward Theatre The Prince Edward Theatre is a West End theatre situated on Old Compton Street, just north of Leicester Square, in the City of Westminster, London. History The theatre was designed in 1930 by Edward A. Stone, with an interior designed by Mar ...

in December 2004 and features the Sherman Brothers classic songs. In June 2005, Richard M. Sherman was inducted into the

Songwriters Hall of Fame The Songwriters Hall of Fame (SHOF) is an American institution founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer, music publisher/songwriter Abe Olman, and publisher/executive Howie Richmond to honor those whose work represent and maintain the heri ...

with his brother. ''Chitty'' opened on Broadway in 2005 and commenced its first full UK tour in December 2005 with subsequent tours and/or tour dates in each year since. ''Mary Poppins'' opened on Broadway in 2006. Recently, Sherman once again collaborated with Disney in three of its live-action films, having rewritten the song "

I Wan'na Be Like You "I Wan'na Be Like You (The Monkey Song)" is a song from Walt Disney's 1967 film ''The Jungle Book''. The song was written by songwriters Robert and Richard Sherman, and was performed by singer and musician Louis Prima as King Louie, with Phil H ...

" for

Jon Favreau Jonathan Kolia Favreau ( ; born October 19, 1966) is an American actor and filmmaker. As an actor, Favreau has appeared in films such as ''Rudy (film), Rudy'' (1993), ''PCU (film), PCU'' (1994), ''Swingers (1996 film), Swingers'' (1996), ''Very ...

's 2016 remake of ''The Jungle Book''. As the film featured the song's performer,

King Louie King Louie is a fictional character introduced in Walt Disney's animated musical film ''The Jungle Book''. He is an orangutan who leads other jungle primates and wants to become more human-like by gaining knowledge of fire from Mowgli. King Lo ...

, as a ''Gigantopithecus'', Sherman rewrote it to fit the character's depiction. He also wrote three new songs for the 2018 film ''

Christopher Robin Christopher Robin is a character created by A. A. Milne, based on his son Christopher Robin Milne. The character appears in the author's popular books of poetry and ''Winnie-the-Pooh'' stories, and has subsequently appeared in various Disney ...

'', titled "Goodbye Farewell", "Busy Doing Nothing", and "Christopher Robin", the last two performed by Sherman. Sherman also acted as a music consultant for ''

Mary Poppins Returns ''Mary Poppins Returns'' is a 2018 American musical fantasy comedy film directed by Rob Marshall, with a screenplay written by David Magee and a story by Magee, Marshall, and John DeLuca. Loosely based on the book series ''Mary Poppins'' by P ...

'', the sequel to ''Mary Poppins''. Sherman also wrote new songs for the upcoming musical stage adaptation of ''The Jungle Book''. By May 2023, a feature film development deal on the Sherman Brothers' animation musical ''Inkas the Ramferinkas'' was announced.

Personal life

In the late 1940s, while Richard was attending Bard college, he was briefly married to Corrine Newman. They had one child, Lynda. In 1957, Richard married Ursula Elizabeth Gluck; the couple had two children, Gregory Vincent and Victoria Lynn. Sherman had six grandchildren. Following Robert Sherman's relocation from

Beverly Hills Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. A notable and historic suburb of Los Angeles, it is located just southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Beverly Hil ...

London, England London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, the brothers continued to collaborate musically. They credited the ability to do so long-distance to technology via fax, e-mail, and the low-cost international telephone service. Both brothers frequently traveled between Los Angeles,

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

, and London working together on various musical plays until Robert's death in 2012. Although the brothers always continued collaborating on music, they often had major disputes and their families hardly knew one another. While attending public premieres, they and their families would sit on opposite sides of the theater and when their father died they held two separate ''

shiva Shiva (; , ), also known as Mahadeva (; , , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh and Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the God in Hinduism, Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions w ...

s''. Richard and Elizabeth were married for over 67 years, until his death. They lived in Beverly Hills, California. He died of "age-related illness" at the

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is a non-profit, Tertiary referral hospital, tertiary, 915-bed teaching hospital and multi-specialty academic health science centre, academic health science center located in Los Angeles, California. Part of the Cedars ...

in Los Angeles, on May 25, 2024, at the age of 95, just 18 days before his 96th birthday.

Achievements, honors, tributes

* In 2000, the Sherman Brothers wrote the award-winning score to ''

'' which achieved number one status in both theatrical box office and video sales.Susan King
The Pair Who Write Songs for Nannies and Pooh Bears"
, ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...

'', February 11, 2000. * The Sherman Brothers' classic motion picture, ''

'' was adapted into a

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

West End

Musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the Character (arts), charac ...

in 2002 and premiered at the

on April 16, 2002, featuring many new songs and a reworked score by both Sherman Brothers. It was nominated for a 2003

Laurence Olivier Theatre Award The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply The Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognize excellence in professional theatre in London. The awards were originally known as the Society of West End Theatre Aw ...

for Best New Musical. The Sherman Brothers each received the "Musical Theatre Award" from the Variety Club of Great Britain that year as well for ''Chitty''. ''Chitty'' finished a record-breaking, three-and-a-half-year run at the Palladium, becoming the longest-running show in the theatre's century-long history. 2004 saw the premiere of ''

'' on the stage. In 2005, Poppins was nominated for nine

Olivier Awards The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply The Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognize excellence in West End theatre, professional theatre in London. The awards were originally known as the Society of We ...

. In 2005 Chitty went to Broadway and was nominated for 9

Tonys The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cerem ...

and also began its nationwide (UK) tour.Jones, Kenneth
" 'Doubt' Is Best Play, 'Spamalot' Best Musical; Butz, Irwin, Clark, Jones, Nichols Win 2005 Tonys"
playbill.com, June 5, 2005 * On June 9, 2005, Sherman was inducted into the

alongside

Bill Withers William Harrison Withers Jr. (July 4, 1938 – March 30, 2020) was an American singer and songwriter. He is known for having several hits over a career spanning 18 years, including "Ain't No Sunshine" (1971), "Grandma's Hands" (1971), "Use Me ( ...

Steve Cropper Steven Lee Cropper (born October 21, 1941), sometimes known as "The Colonel", is an American guitarist, songwriter and record producer. He was the guitarist of the Stax Records house band, Booker T. & the M.G.'s, which backed artists such as ...

John Fogerty John Cameron Fogerty (born May 28, 1945) is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. Together with Doug Clifford, Stu Cook, and his brother Tom Fogerty, he founded the swamp rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR), for which he was th ...

Isaac Hayes Isaac Lee Hayes Jr. (August 20, 1942 – August 10, 2008) was an American singer, songwriter, composer, and actor. He was one of the creative forces behind the Southern soul music label Stax Records in the 1960s, serving as an in-house songwr ...

, David Porter and his brother,

. * On November 16, 2006, the

production of ''

'' made its Broadway premiere at the

New Amsterdam Theater The New Amsterdam Theatre is a Broadway theater at 214 West 42nd Street, at the southern end of Times Square, in the Theater District of Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. One of the first Broadway venues to open in the Times Square ne ...

featuring the Sherman Brothers' classic songs. * During a

press junket promoting the 40th anniversary

DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for digital video disc or digital versatile disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any ki ...

rerelease of ''

'', Robert and Richard Sherman were witnessed by press working on a new song for ''Inkas'' in the same

Brown's Hotel Brown's Hotel is a 5-star hotel in Mayfair, London, established in 1832 and owned by Rocco Forte Hotels since July 2003. It is London's oldest luxury hotel, never having been renamed, rebuilt or relocated. Famous visitors include US President ...

room where ''

'' was originally penned by the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

writer,

Rudyard Kipling Joseph Rudyard Kipling ( ; 30 December 1865 – 18 January 1936)''The Times'', (London) 18 January 1936, p. 12. was an English journalist, novelist, poet, and short-story writer. He was born in British Raj, British India, which inspired much ...

, over a hundred years earlier. * In February 2008 ''

'' began a second UK tour. In 2008 and 2009, Poppins premiered in numerous cities throughout the world including:

Stockholm Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...

Budapest Budapest is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns of Hungary, most populous city of Hungary. It is the List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, tenth-largest city in the European Union by popul ...

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

Shanghai Shanghai, Shanghainese: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: is a direct-administered municipality and the most populous urban area in China. The city is located on the Chinese shoreline on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the ...

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu language, Zulu and Xhosa language, Xhosa: eGoli ) (colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, Jo'burg or "The City of Gold") is the most populous city in South Africa. With 5,538,596 people in the City of Johannesburg alon ...

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , ; ; ) is the capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, largest city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the City Re ...

Buenos Aires Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...

São Paulo São Paulo (; ; Portuguese for 'Paul the Apostle, Saint Paul') is the capital of the São Paulo (state), state of São Paulo, as well as the List of cities in Brazil by population, most populous city in Brazil, the List of largest cities in the ...

and

Helsinki Helsinki () is the Capital city, capital and most populous List of cities and towns in Finland, city in Finland. It is on the shore of the Gulf of Finland and is the seat of southern Finland's Uusimaa region. About people live in the municipali ...

. Full UK and US tours of Poppins are also scheduled to commence in 2008 and 2009 respectively. * On November 17, 2008, Robert and Richard Sherman were awarded the

National Medal of Arts The National Medal of Arts is an award and title created by the United States Congress in 1984, for the purpose of honoring artists and Patronage, patrons of the arts. A prestigious American honor, it is the highest honor given to artists and ar ...

at the

White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest (Washington, D.C.), NW in Washington, D.C., it has served as the residence of every U.S. president ...

by President

George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...

in the

East Room The East Room is an event and reception room in the Executive Residence of the White House complex, the home of the president of the United States. The East Room is the largest room in the Executive Residence; it is used for dances, receptions, p ...

. The National Medal of Arts is an award and title created by the

Congress of the United States The United States Congress is the legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a bicameral legislature, including a lower body, the U.S. House of Representatives, and an upper body, the U.S. Senate. They both ...

in 1984, for the purpose of honoring artists and patrons of the arts. It is the highest honor conferred to an individual artist on behalf of the people. Honorees are selected by the

National Endowment for the Arts The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the feder ...

(NEA), and ceremoniously presented the award by the

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...

. * In May 2009, a documentary called '' The Boys: The Sherman Brothers' Story'' was released. In October 2009, Disney released a 59 track, two CD compendium of their work for the studio spanning forty-two years. The CD is entitled "The Sherman Brothers Songbook". * On March 11, 2010, the Sherman Brothers were presented with a Window on Mainstreet

Disneyland Disneyland is a amusement park, theme park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. It was the first theme park opened by the Walt Disney Company and the only one designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney, ...

Anaheim, California Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, United States, part of the Greater Los Angeles area. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orang ...

in honor of their contribution to Disney theme parks. On May 17, 2010, the "Career Achievement Award" at The Theatre Museum's 2010 Awards Gala. * On May 21, 2011, the Sherman Brothers were each awarded honorary doctorate degrees in Fine Arts from their alma mater,

. This was Robert's second honorary doctorate. His first was granted by Lincoln College on May 12, 1990. * In 2013 Richard was musical consultant for the live-action production of ''The Jungle Book'' at the

Goodman Theatre Goodman Theatre is a professional theater company located in Chicago's Loop. A major part of the Chicago theatre scene, it is the city's oldest currently active nonprofit theater organization. Part of its present theater complex occupies the ...

in Chicago, IL. * In 2014 the

, alongside their father,

were the subjects of a London musical concert entitled, ''

A Spoonful of Sherman ''A Spoonful of Sherman'' is a musical revue written and emceed by Robert J. Sherman which premiered on January 6, 2014 at the St. James Theatre in London. The cast consisted of four rising West End theatre stars including Charlotte Wakefield, ...

'' written, produced and hosted by Richard's nephew,

Robert J. Sherman Robert Jason Sherman (born July 16, 1968), known as Robbie Sherman, is an American songwriter based in London. He was born in Los Angeles to Joyce and Robert B. Sherman, the youngest of four siblings. Stemming from a long line of songwriters an ...

. The concert received generally very positive reviews including four stars from the

London Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its modern name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fo ...

. A CD produced by Nick Lloyd Webber was released by

SimG Records SimG Records is an independent record label dedicated to promoting new musical theatre and new writers to British audiences. Founded by London-based director/producer Simon Greiff in 2009, the label focuses on bringing fresh talent to the forefron ...

in 2015. * In 2015, Sherman was awarded the Diane Disney Miller Lifetime Achievement Award by

The Walt Disney Family Museum The Walt Disney Family Museum (WDFM) is an American museum that features the life and legacy of Walt Disney. The museum is located in The Presidio of San Francisco, part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in San Francisco. The museum ...

. * In 2017 ''

'' was revived, playing at the venue, "Live at Zédel" in London. * On July 31, 2018, the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California renamed Soundstage A the Sherman Brothers Stage. * In 2018 the first ''

'' UK/Ireland Tour began with previews on February 14, 2018, at the EM Forester Theatre in

Tonbridge, Kent Tonbridge ( ) (historic spelling ''Tunbridge'') is a market town in Kent, England, on the River Medway, north of Royal Tunbridge Wells, south west of Maidstone and south east of London. In the administrative borough of Tonbridge and Mall ...

. The tour played in 28 cities in

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

and the

Republic of Ireland Ireland ( ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 Counties of Ireland, counties of the island of Ireland, with a population of about 5.4 million. ...

. Cast members for the tour included

Sophie-Louise Dann Sophie-Louise Dann (born 1969) is a British actress, best known for her work in musical theatre. Career Dann trained at Arts Educational Schools, London. She appeared in minor roles in the films '' My Summer with Des'' (1998) and ''The Phantom ...

, Mark Read, Glen Facey, Jenna Innes and Ben Stock. * In 2021/22 the stage adaptation of Disney's ''

'' toured the UK and Ireland produced by Michael Harrison with additional music, new songs and lyrics by

Neil Bartram Neil Bartram is a musical theatre composer/lyricist based in New York. Bartram is the composer and lyricist of Disney's ''Bedknobs and Broomsticks'', '' The Theory of Relativity'' and Broadway's ''The Story of My Life'' with book writer Brian ...

and book by Brian Hill. * On August 10, 2024, as part of D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event,

Meghan Trainor Meghan Elizabeth Trainor (born December 22, 1993) is an American singer-songwriter and television personality. She rose to prominence after signing with Epic Records in 2014 and releasing her debut single "All About That Bass", which reached ...

performed "Feed the Birds" in

Honda Center Honda Center (formerly known as the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim) is an indoor arena located in Anaheim, California. The arena is home to the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League. Originally named the Anaheim Arena during construction, it w ...

during the Disney Experiences Showcase presentation in honor of the late Sherman Brothers.

List of works

Major film scores

* '' The Parent Trap'' (1961) * '' Big Red'' (1962) * '' Summer Magic'' (1963) * '' The Sword in the Stone'' (1963) * ''

'' (1964) * ''

'' (1967) * ''

The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...

'' (1968) * ''

'' (1970) * ''

'' (1971) * ''

'' (1972) * ''

'' (1973) * ''

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn ''Adventures of Huckleberry Finn'' is a picaresque novel by American author Mark Twain that was first published in the United Kingdom in December 1884 and in the United States in February 1885. Commonly named among the Great American Novels, th ...

'' (1974) * ''

'' (1976) * ''

'' (1977) * '' The Magic of Lassie'' (1978) * '' Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland'' (1992) * ''

'' (2000) * ''

Iron Man 2 ''Iron Man 2'' is a 2010 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Iron Man. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Paramount Pictures, it is the sequel to ''Iron Man'' (2008) and the third film in the Marvel Cinem ...

'' (2010) (Composed the song "Make Way For Tomorrow Today".) * ''

'' (2016) * ''

'' (2018)

Motion picture screenplays

* ''

'', 1964 (*treatment only) * ''

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer ''The Adventures of Tom Sawyer'' (also simply known as ''Tom Sawyer'') is a novel by Mark Twain published on June 9, 1876, about a boy, Tom Sawyer, growing up along the Mississippi River. It is set in the 1830s-1840s in the town of St. Petersbu ...

'', 1973 * ''

'', 1974 * ''

'', 1976 * '' The Magic of Lassie'', 1978

Stage musicals

Prince Edward Theatre 2005 - Mary Poppins

New Amsterdam Theatre Mary Poppins 2007 NYC

* '' Victory Canteen'', 1971 (Ivar Theatre, Los Angeles) * ''

'', 1974 (Broadway, New York City) * ''

Busker Alley ''Busker Alley'' is a musical with music and lyrics by the Sherman Brothers and a book by AJ Carothers, based on the 1938 British film '' St. Martin's Lane''. Tommy Tune led a 1995 touring production as Charlie Baxter, a street entertainer in ...

'', 1995 (U.S. tour) * ''

'', 2002 (London) * ''

'', 2004 (London) * '' On the Record'', 2004–5 (U.S. tour) * ''

'', 2014 (London) * ''

'', 2021 (U.K. tour)

Theme park songs

* "

There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow "There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow" is the theme song to two Disney attractions, Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress at the Magic Kingdom of Walt Disney World (formerly at Disneyland) and Innoventions at Disneyland. It was also used in one s ...

" for

Carousel of Progress Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress is a rotating theater audio-animatronic stage show attraction in Tomorrowland at the Magic Kingdom theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida, just outside of Orlando. Created by W ...

* " The Best Time of Your Life" for Carousel of Progress * " Miracles from Molecules" for

Adventure Thru Inner Space Adventure Thru Inner Space was an attraction in Disneyland's Tomorrowland, presented by Monsanto Company. It was the first attraction to utilize Disney's Omnimover system. The ride simulated shrinking guests to the size smaller than an atom ( ...

* " One Little Spark" for Journey into Imagination * "

Magic Journeys ''Magic Journeys'' was a 3D film created by WED Enterprises for presentation at Disney theme parks. It was featured at four different parks over the course of its 11-year run. History On October 1, 1982, ''Magic Journeys'' premiered as one of ...

" for

* "

" for the

attraction * "

The Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room "The Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room" is the official song for Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room, an attraction at the Disneyland theme park. History The song was written in 1963 by Disney staff songwriters, The Sherman Brothers: Robert B. and Richard ...

" for

Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room is an attraction located in Disneyland at the Disneyland Resort and in Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, and previously in Tokyo Disneyland at Tokyo Disney Resort. First opened on June 23, 1963 at the Disneyl ...

* "We Meet the World with Love" and " Meet the World" for the same exhibit in

Tokyo Disneyland is a theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort in Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, near Tokyo. Its main gate is directly adjacent to both Maihama Station and Tokyo Disneyland Station. It was the first Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Disney park t ...

Professional awards

*1976 A Star on the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...

awarded to "Richard & Robert Sherman" on November 17, 1976, located at 6914 Hollywood Blvd. *1985 "

Mousecar The Mousecar is an in-house award given by The Walt Disney Company for a variety of reasons, including service to the company as well as to the community as a whole. The award was first presented by Disney founder Walt Disney to his brother Ro ...

" awarded at the

Hollywood Bowl The Hollywood Bowl is an amphitheatre and Urban park, public park in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles, California. It was named one of the 10 best live music venues in the United States by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine in 2018 and was listed on ...

Hollywood, California Hollywood, sometimes informally called Tinseltown, is a List of districts and neighborhoods in Los Angeles, neighborhood and district in the Central Los Angeles, central region of Los Angeles County, California, within the city of Los Angeles. ...

in front of 20 thousand people. *1990 "

Disney Legends Disney Legends is a Hall of Fame award that is awarded by The Walt Disney Company to individuals who "

ave is a Latin word, used by the Roman Empire, Romans as a salutation (greeting), salutation and greeting, meaning 'wikt:hail, hail'. It is the singular imperative mood, imperative form of the verb , which meant 'Well-being, to be well'; thus on ...

made a significant impact on the Disney legacy." The honor was established in 1987, and was traditionally awarded annually during a spe ...

" awarded at the Walt Disney Studios in

Burbank, California Burbank is a city in the southeastern end of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Located northwest of downtown Los Angeles, Burbank had a Census-estimated population of 102,755 as of 2023. The city was ...

. *2005 inducted in the

at the Marriott Hotel on Times Square in New York City. *2008

awarded to Richard and Robert Sherman on November 17, 2008, at the

by President

. This is the highest honor the

United States Government The Federal Government of the United States of America (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the Federation#Federal governments, national government of the United States. The U.S. federal government is composed of three distinct ...

bestows on artists. *2010

Main Street, U.S.A. Main Street, USA is the first "themed land" inside the main entrance of the many theme parks operated or licensed by The Walt Disney Company around the world. Main Street, USA is themed to resemble American small towns during the early 20th centu ...

Window presented at

in honor of the Sherman Brothers' contribution to Disney theme parks.

References

Bibliography

* Sherman, Robert B. '' Walt's Time: from before to beyond''. Santa Clarita: Camphor Tree Publishers, 1998. * Greene, Katherine and Richard. ''Inside The Dream: The Personal Story of Walt Disney''. New York: Disney Editions, 2001. * Peterson, Monique. ''Disney's The Little Big Book of Pooh''. New York: Disney Editions, 2002. * Tietyen, David. ''The Musical World of Walt Disney''.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...

Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation Hal Leonard LLC (formerly Hal Leonard Corporation) is an American music publishing and distribution company founded in Winona, Minnesota, by Harold "Hal" Edstrom, his brother, Everett "Leonard" Edstrom, and fellow musician Roger Busdicker. Curre ...

, 1990.

External links

Audio Interview with Richard M. Sherman on the WDW Radio Show by Lou Mongello
* * *
Richard M. Sherman at SoundUnwound

Richard Sherman Interview – NAMM Oral History Library (2016)

Richard M. And Robert B. Sherman papers
are archived at the

American Heritage Center The American Heritage Center is the University of Wyoming's repository of manuscripts, rare books, and the university archives. Its collections focus on Wyoming and the Rocky Mountain West (including politics, settlement, Native Americans, and W ...

University of Wyoming The University of Wyoming (UW) is a Public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Laramie, Wyoming, United States. It was founded in March 1886, four years before the territory was admitted as the 44th state, ...

. {{DEFAULTSORT:Sherman, Richard M. 1928 births 2024 deaths American flautists American male screenwriters American musical theatre composers American male musical theatre composers American musical theatre lyricists American people of Russian-Jewish descent Animation composers Annie Award winners Bard College alumni Best Original Music Score Academy Award winners Best Original Song Academy Award–winning songwriters Beverly Hills High School alumni Broadway composers and lyricists Burials at Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery Disney imagineers Disney Legends Disney Theatrical Productions Grammy Award winners Jewish American military personnel Jewish American songwriters Military personnel from New York City Military personnel from New York (state) Screenwriters from California Screenwriters from New York (state) * Richard M. Songwriters from California Songwriters from New York (state) United States Army personnel of the Korean War United States National Medal of Arts recipients Walt Disney Animation Studios people