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Richard M. Sherman
Richard M Sherman april 2014 retouched cropped.jpg
Sherman in 2014
Born
Richard Morton Sherman

(1928-06-12)June 12, 1928
New York City, U.S.
Died May 25, 2024(2024-05-25) (aged 95)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Alma mater Bard College
Occupation Composer, lyricist, screenwriter, publisher, music director
Years active 1950–2024
Spouse(s)
Elizabeth Gluck
​
(m. 1957)​
Children 3
Parent(s) Al Sherman
Rosa (Dancis) Sherman
Relatives Robert B. Sherman (brother)
Robert J. Sherman (nephew)
Musical career
Genres Musical film, musical theatre, animation music

Richard Morton Sherman (June 12, 1928 – May 25, 2024) was an American songwriter who specialized in musical films with his brother Robert B. Sherman. According to the official Walt Disney Company website and independent fact checkers, "The Sherman Brothers 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, The Happiest Millionaire, The Sword in the Stone, The Jungle Book, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Snoopy Come Home, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, The Slipper and the Rose, and Charlotte's Web.

Their best known work is "It's a Small World", written for the theme park attraction of the same name. According to Time, it may be the most publicly performed song in history.

Early life

Richard Morton Sherman was born in New York City to Russian Jewish immigrants, Rosa (Dancis) and Al Sherman. Together with his older brother Robert, the Sherman Brothers 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 in 1937. During Richard's years at Beverly Hills High School, he became fascinated with music and studied several instruments, including the flute, piccolo, and piano. At his 1946 high school graduation, Sherman and classmate André Previn played a musical duet with Previn on piano and Sherman on flute. Coincidentally, both would go on to win Academy Awards for music in 1964, with Previn winning for Scoring of Music – Adaptation or Treatment for My Fair Lady, while the Sherman Brothers won for Music Score – Substantially Original for Mary Poppins, as well as a second for Best Original Song for "Chim Chim Cher-ee".

Army service and education

In 1953, Sherman was drafted into U.S. Army, 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, Sherman majored in music, writing numerous sonatas and "art songs". His ambition to write the "great american symphony" eventually led him to write songs.

Career

Within two years of graduating, Sherman and his brother Robert began writing songs together on a challenge from their father, Al Sherman, a successful popular songwriter in the "Tin Pan Alley" days ("No! No! A Thousand Times No!!", "You Gotta Be a Football Hero").

In 1958, Sherman's brother Robert founded the music publishing company, Music World Corporation, which later worked with Disney's BMI publishing arm, Wonderland Music Company. That same year, the Sherman Brothers had their first Top Ten hit with "Tall Paul", which was sung by Annette Funicello. The success of this song attracted the attention of Walt Disney 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)" for the 1964 New York World's Fair.

In 1965, the Sherman brothers won 2 Academy Awards for Mary Poppins – Best Original Score, which included "Feed The Birds", "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious"; and Best Original Song, "Chim Chim Cher-ee". Since Mary Poppins' premiere, Robert B. Sherman subsequently earned 9 Academy Award nominations, 2 Grammy 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's motion picture production Chitty Chitty Bang Bang 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 for Tom Sawyer for which they also authored the screenplay.

The Slipper and the Rose was picked to be the Royal Command Performance for 1976 and was attended by Queen Elizabeth. A modern musical adaptation of the classic Cinderella story, Slipper also features both song-score and screenplay by the Sherman Brothers. That same year the Sherman Brothers received their star on the Hollywood "Walk of Fame" directly across from Grauman's Chinese Theater.

Their numerous other Disney and non-Disney top box office film credits include The Jungle Book (1967), The Aristocats (1970), The Parent Trap (1961), The Parent Trap (1998), Charlotte's Web (1973), The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977), Snoopy, Come Home (1972), Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971) and Little Nemo: Adventures In Slumberland (1992).

Outside the motion picture realm, their Tony-nominated Over Here! (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", which holds the distinction of reaching Billboard's Top Ten twice; first with Johnny Burnette in 1960 and then with Ringo Starr fourteen years later. Other top-ten hits include, "Pineapple Princess", "Let's Get Together" and more.

In 2000, the Sherman brothers wrote the song score for Disney's blockbuster film: The Tigger Movie (2000). This film marked the brothers' first major motion picture for the Disney company in over 28 years.

RBS-RMS 2002
Robert (left) and Richard in 2002

In 2002, the stage musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang premiered in London. It was the most successful stage show ever produced at the London Palladium, 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 (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 and Cameron Mackintosh production of Mary Poppins: The Stage Musical made its world premiere at the Prince Edward Theatre in December 2004 and features the Sherman Brothers classic songs.

In June 2005, Richard M. Sherman was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame 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" for Jon Favreau's 2016 remake of The Jungle Book. As the film featured the song's performer, King Louie, as a Gigantopithecus, Sherman rewrote it to fit the character's depiction. He also wrote three new songs for the 2018 film Christopher Robin, 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, the sequel to Mary Poppins. Sherman will also write 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 to London, England, 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, and London working together on various musical plays until Robert's death in 2012.

Richard and Elizabeth were married for over 67 years, until his death. They lived in Beverly Hills, California. He died at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, on May 25, 2024, at the age of 95.

Achievements, honors, tributes

RBS RMS GWB medal 2008
The Sherman Brothers receive the National Medal of Arts at The White House on November 17, 2008, (left to right: Robert B. Sherman, Richard M. Sherman and U.S. President George W. Bush)
  • In 2000, the Sherman Brothers wrote the award-winning score to The Tigger Movie which achieved number one status in both theatrical box office and video sales.
  • The Sherman Brothers' classic motion picture, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was adapted into a London West End Musical in 2002 and premiered at the London Palladium 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 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 Mary Poppins on the stage. In 2005, Poppins was nominated for nine Olivier Awards. In 2005 Chitty went to Broadway and was nominated for 9 Tonys and also began its nationwide (UK) tour.
  • On June 9, 2005, Sherman was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame alongside Bill Withers, Steve Cropper, John Fogerty, Isaac Hayes, David Porter and his brother, Robert B. Sherman.
  • On November 16, 2006, the Cameron Mackintosh/Disney production of Mary Poppins made its Broadway premiere at the New Amsterdam Theater featuring the Sherman Brothers' classic songs.
  • During a London press junket promoting the 40th anniversary DVD rerelease of The Jungle Book, Robert and Richard Sherman were witnessed by press working on a new song for Inkas in the same Brown's Hotel room where The Jungle Book was originally penned by the British writer, Rudyard Kipling, over a hundred years earlier.
  • In February 2008 Chitty Chitty Bang Bang began a second UK tour. In 2008 and 2009, Poppins premiered in numerous cities throughout the world including: Stockholm, Copenhagen, Budapest, Toronto, Shanghai, Sydney, Johannesburg, Amsterdam, Buenos Aires, São Paulo and Helsinki. 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 at the White House by President George W. Bush in the East Room. The National Medal of Arts is an award and title created by the Congress of the United States 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 (NEA), and ceremoniously presented the award by the President of the United States.
  • 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 in Anaheim, California 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, Bard College. 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 in Chicago, IL.
  • In 2014 the Sherman Brothers, alongside their father, Al Sherman were the subjects of a London musical concert entitled, A Spoonful of Sherman written, produced and hosted by Richard's nephew, Robert J. Sherman. The concert received generally very positive reviews including four stars from the London Times. A CD produced by Nick Lloyd Webber was released by SimG Records in 2015.
  • In 2015, Sherman was awarded the Diane Disney Miller Lifetime Achievement Award by The Walt Disney Family Museum. 
  • In 2017 A Spoonful of Sherman 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 A Spoonful of Sherman UK/Ireland Tour began with previews on February 14, 2018, at the EM Forester Theatre in Tonbridge, Kent. The tour played in 28 cities in England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland. Cast members for the tour included Sophie-Louise Dann, Mark Read, Glen Facey, Jenna Innes and Ben Stock.
  • In 2021/22 the stage adaptation of Disney's Bedknobs and Broomsticks toured the UK and Ireland produced by Michael Harrison with additional music, new songs and lyrics by Neil Bartram and book by Brian Hill.

List of works

Major film scores

Motion picture screenplays

Stage musicals

London-palladium-ccbb
The London Palladium in 2004
Prince Edward Theatre 2005 - Mary Poppins
Prince Edward Theatre in 2005
New Amsterdam Theatre Mary Poppins 2007 NYC
New Amsterdam Theatre in 2007

Theme park songs

  • There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow for Carousel of Progress
  • The Best Time of Your Life for Carousel of Progress
  • Miracles from Molecules for Adventure Thru Inner Space
  • One Little Spark for Journey into Imagination
  • Magic Journeys for Magic Journeys
  • The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
  • Pooh's Hunny Hunt
  • it's a small world (after all) for the 1964 New York World's Fair attraction, Pepsi Presents WALT DISNEY'S "it's a small world" – a Salute to UNICEF and the World's Children, then adapted to each Disney Park installation of "It's a Small World"
  • The Astuter Computer Revue for the 1982 premiere of the CommuniCore Exhibit at EPCOT.
  • Magic Highways for Rocket Rods
  • Making Memories for Magic Journeys
  • The Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room for Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room
  • We Meet the World with Love and Meet the World for the same exhibit in Tokyo Disneyland
  • Kiss Goodnight exit music from Disneyland Forever for Disneyland's 60th Anniversary Nighttime Fireworks Spectacular show, originally sung by Ashley Brown.

Professional awards

Award Year Film Category Result
Academy Awards 1964 Mary Poppins Best Original Song

for "Chim Chim Cher-ee" (shared with Robert B. Sherman)

 Won
Best Music Score-Substantially Original

(shared with Robert B. Sherman)

 Won
1968 Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Best Original Song

for "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" (shared with Robert B. Sherman)

 Nominated
1971 Bedknobs and Broomsticks Best Original Song

for "The Age of Not Believing" (shared with Robert B. Sherman)

 Nominated
Best Scoring Adaptation and Original Song Score

(song score by Richard M. Sherman & Robert B. Sherman, adaptation score by Irwin Kostal)

 Nominated
1973 Tom Sawyer Best Scoring Adaptation and Original Song Score

(song score by Richard M. Sherman & Robert B. Sherman, adaptation score by John WIlliams)

 Nominated
1977 The Slipper and the Rose Best Original Song

for "The Slipper and the Rose Waltz (He/She Danced with Me)" (shared with Robert B. Sherman)

 Nominated
Best Original Song Score & Its Adaptation Or Best Adaptation Score

(song score by Richard M. Sherman & Robert B. Sherman, adaptation score by Angela Morley)

 Nominated
1978 The Magic of Lassie Best Original Song

for "When You're Loved" (shared with Robert B. Sherman)

 Nominated
Annie Awards 2000 The Tigger Movie Music in an Animated Feature Production"

for "Round My Family Tree" (shared with Robert B. Sherman)

 Nominated
2003 Winsor McCay Award "for lifetime achievement and contribution to animation" Honored
BAFTA Awards 1977 The Slipper and the Rose Anthony Asquith Award for Original Film Music Nominated
BMI Film & TV Awards 1977 Pioneer Award Honored
1991 Lifetime Achievement Award Honored
Christopher Awards 1964 Mary Poppins Best Original Song Score Nominated
1973 Tom Sawyer Nominated
Golden Globe Awards 1964 Mary Poppins Best Original Score Nominated
1968 Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Nominated
Best Original Song

for "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" (shared with Robert B. Sherman)

 Nominated
1973 Tom Sawyer Best Original Score Nominated
1977 The Slipper and the Rose Nominated
Grammy Awards 1964 Mary Poppins Best Original Score for a Motion Picture or Television Show Won
Best Recording for Children Won
1966 Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree Nominated
1967 The Jungle Book Nominated
1968 Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Nominated
1970 The Aristocats Nominated
1973 Snoopy Come Home Best Original Score for a Children's Show Nominated
1975 Over Here! Best Original Score for a Musical Show Nominated
Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too! Best Recording for Children Won
Hollywood Music in Media Awards 2023 Mushka Original Song-Short Film Won
Laurel Awards 1964 Mary Poppins Best Song

for "Chim Chim Cher-ee" (shared with Robert B. Sherman)

 1 1st Place
Music Men Award 2 2nd Place
1973 Tom Sawyer Best Original Score 3 3rd Place
Laurence Olivier Awards 2002 Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Best New Musical Nominated
Moscow Film Festival 1973 Tom Sawyer Best Music Won
Variety Club Awards 2003 Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Best Musical Won
RMSannie
Sherman in 2003 at the Annie Award
  • 1984 Golden Videocassette Award for Best Selling Video Cassette (of all time) for Mary Poppins
  • 1976 A Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame awarded to "Richard & Robert Sherman" on November 17, 1976, located at 6914 Hollywood Blvd.
  • 1985 "Mousecar" awarded at the Hollywood Bowl in Hollywood, California in front of 20 thousand people.
  • 1990 "Disney Legends" awarded at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California.
  • 2005 inducted in the Songwriters Hall of Fame at the Marriott Hotel on Times Square in New York City.
  • 2008 National Medal of Arts awarded to Richard and Robert Sherman on November 17, 2008, at the White House by President George W. Bush. This is the highest honor the United States Government bestows on artists.
  • 2010 Main Street, U.S.A. Window presented at Disneyland in Anaheim, California in honor of the Sherman Brothers' contribution to Disney theme parks
  • 2010 Theatre Museum Career Achievement Award presented on May 17, 2010, at The Players Club in New York City
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