Richard Sherman
(1928-2024)

Richard M. Sherman, one half of the Oscar-winning song-writing team known as the Sherman Brothers, has died at the age of 95. He and his brother Robert (1925-2012) were two of the most prolific composer-lyricists in the history of cinema, writing more than 200 songs for around 27 films, as well as 24 television shows.

They were honoured in their lifetime with nine Academy Award nominations, two of which - for the score for Mary Poppins - won Oscars. They also won three Grammy awards and 23 of their albums have achieved Gold or Platinum status, representing sales in excess of 500,000 or 1 million respectively…
and they are still selling!

Born in Compton, California in 1928 Richard Sherman attended Beverly Hills High School and at his graduation ceremony in 1946 he played a flute solo with André Previn accompanying on piano. During his military service in the early 1950s he conducted an Army Band.

Richard and Robert's father was a Tin Pan Alley song-writer by profession and the sons followed in his footsteps, starting their professional careers in the field of pop music and scoring a chart hit for Annette Funicello in 1957 with Tall Paul. This was followed with You’re Sixteen (You’re Beautiful and You’re Mine) for Johnny Burnette, later covered by Ringo Starr. But in 1960 they were commissioned by Walt Disney to write some numbers for The Absent-Minded Professor starring Fred McMurray. They soon became resident composers for the Disney Company with movies including The Parent Trap (1961), Summer Magic (1963), The Sword In The Stone (1963), Mary Poppins (1964), That Darn Cat! (1965), Winnie the Pooh & The Honey Tree (1966), The Jungle Book and The Happiest Millionaire (both in 1967), The Aristocats (1970) and Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971) to their credit.

The most successful of these by far were Mary Poppins starring Julie Andrews (Disney) and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang with Sally Ann Howes (1930-2021), made by EON Productions, who also own the James Bond franchise. The Shermans played a key role in persuading Mary Poppins author P.L. Travers to release the film rights to Walt Disney (as amusingly portrayed in the 2013 film Saving Mr Banks starring Emma Thompson as Travers). Casting Julie Andrews, who had just been rejected by Warner Brothers for the movie version of My Fair Lady, was a stroke of genius, and songs such as Chim Chim Cheree, It’s A Jolly Holiday and Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious became stand-out hits. These films have subsequently been turned into extremely popular theatrical shows (I saw Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the London Palladium a few years ago and Mary Poppins will embark on a nationwide tour starting at the Bristol Hippodrome in November.)

The Sherman brothers made history in 1973 by becoming the only Americans ever to win first prize at the Moscow Film Festival. This Russian equivalent to the Oscar was bestowed on them for their film musical The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer, for which they penned both script and songs.

In 1976 The Slipper And The Rose, starring Gemma Craven as Cinderella and Richard Chamberlain as The Prince and directed by Bryan Forbes, was chosen for the Royal Command Performance, attended by the Queen Mother. The arranger and musical director on the film was Angela Morley, whose centenary we are celebrating this year. Running at two and a half hours the film overstays its welcome but the score is, in my opinion, one of their most underrated.

In 2005 Richard and Robert were awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and three years later they were awarded the National Medal Of The Arts for 'unforgettable songs and optimistic lyrics that have brought magic to the screen and stage'.

Paying tribute to this giant of movie musical industry Bob Iger, Chief Executive Officer of the Walt Disney Company has said: "Richard Sherman was the embodiment of what it means to be a Disney legend, creating with his brother Robert the beloved classics that have become a cherished part of the soundtrack of our lives…the music of the Sherman Brothers has captured the hearts of generations of audiences. We are forever grateful for the mark Richard left on the world."

Richard is survived by his wife of 66 years, Elizabeth; their daughter Victoria Wolf, son-in-law Doug Wolf and grandchildren Mandy and Anthony. He is also survived by his daughter from a previous marriage, Lynda Rothstein, as well as her two children and three grandchildren.

© Anthony Wills 27.05.24