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 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 ...

, the youngest of four siblings. Stemming from a long line of songwriters and composers, spanning more than four generations, at 16 Sherman became one of the youngest songwriters ever invited to join BMI and is an alum of the

BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) is a performance rights organization in the United States. It collects blanket license fees from businesses that use music, entitling those businesses to play or sync any songs from BMI's repertoire of over 20.6 milli ...

. He is perhaps best known for his work on '' Love Birds: The Musical'', which premiered at the 2015

Edinburgh Fringe Festival The Edinburgh Festival Fringe (also referred to as The Fringe, Edinburgh Fringe, or Edinburgh Fringe Festival) is the world's largest arts and media festival, which in 2019 spanned 25 days and featured more than 59,600 performances of 3,841 dif ...

Early life and education

Born and raised in

Beverly Hills, California Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. A notable and historic suburb of Greater Los Angeles, it is in a wealthy area immediately southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. ...

, Sherman attended Beverly Hills Presbyterian Pre school then Hawthorne Elementary School. In grade six, Sherman wrote the Hawthorne School song. In eighth grade he was voted student body president. At

Beverly Hills High School Beverly Hills High School (usually abbreviated as Beverly or as BHHS) is the only major public high school in Beverly Hills, California. The other public high school in Beverly Hills, Moreno High School, is a small alternative school located on B ...

Sherman joined the Madrigal Singers and the marching band. In his senior year, Sherman became the band's drum major and composed the graduation song, "Let Time Stand Still".Alexander, Karen (February 24, 1989) " Local Rock Band Plays for Students" ''Highlights'' (Beverly Hills High School) Vol. 60 No.24 During his high school years Sherman won two "Awards of Distinction" at the Los Angeles Student Film Festival for two of his short film musicals respectively: ''Dog of Darkness'' (1983) and ''The Magic Tuba'' (1984).Wolfson, Lisa (December 19, 1986). "Musical Families Join Forces to Write Kids' Yule Melodrama" ''The Beverly Hills Courier''. Sherman did his undergraduate studies at the University of Southern California School of Cinema-Television with an emphasis in screenwriting. At USC, Sherman was initiated into the Tau Gamma chapter of Tau Epsilon Phi (ΤΕΦ) fraternity. He received a BFA degree in Filmic Writing in 1990. In 2012 Sherman received an MA (with Merit) in Jewish Studies from

King's College London King's College London (informally King's or KCL) is a public research university located in London, England. King's was established by royal charter in 1829 under the patronage of King George IV and the Duke of Wellington. In 1836, King's ...

Career

At 18 Sherman co-wrote songs for the musical, '' A Christmas Held Captive'' (

Beverly Hills Playhouse The Beverly Hills Playhouse is an acting school with theaters and training facilities in Beverly Hills, California, and also in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York City. It is one of the oldest acting schools and theatres in Los Angeles Cou ...

). Since then Sherman has written songs and/or script for various film, stage and TV productions including ''

Amazon Jack ''Jungledyret Hugo'' is a Danish media franchise featuring the cartoon adventures of a little primate named Hugo. It was created by Danish author and filmmaker Flemming Quist Møller from a lullaby he made for his son, and later evolved into a f ...

'' (

Miramax Miramax, LLC, also known as Miramax Films, is an American film and television production and distribution company founded on December 19, 1979, by brothers Harvey and Bob Weinstein, and based in Los Angeles, California. It was initially a lea ...

),Robert J. Sherman IMDB.com Profile
/ref> ''

The Magic 7 ''The Magic 7'' is an animated television film written and directed by Roger Holzberg. It was slated to air on Earth Day (April 22) in 1997, but was postponed. After later plans for a 2005 release, the film was again suspended. Plot The film c ...

'' (Pulse Entertainment) and ''The Penguin Pirate''. In the late 1980s and early 1990s Sherman was lead singer/songwriter and guitarist for two rock bands, ''Numbers'' and ''SHACK''. Current projects include ''Inkas the Ramferinkas'' (an animation musical film) and ''

Bumblescratch ''Bumblescratch'' is an original sung-through musical with book, music and lyrics by Robert J. Sherman. The musical premiered at the Adelphi Theatre in London on 4 September 2016 as a one night, celebrity gala charity event in aid of Variety, ...

'' which was workshopped at The Network Theatre in London in 2013. In 2014 Sherman wrote, narrated and produced ''

A Spoonful of Sherman ''A Spoonful of Sherman'' is a musical revue which premiered on January 6, 2014 at the St. James Theatre in London and which is currently poised for its first UK/Ireland tour. Originally produced, written and emceed by Robert J. Sherman, ''A Spo ...

'', a cabaret celebrating 90 years of Sherman songwriting. The show received four stars from ''

The 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 current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper '' The Sunday Times'' ( ...

'' (London). The Original London Cast Recording was released in July 2015 by

SimG Records SimG Records is an independent record label, dedicated to the promotion of new musical theatre and new writers to the British audience. It was founded by London-based director/producer Simon Greiff in 2009. Its affiliate company, SimG Production ...

. In 2015 Sherman's song, " Disneyana!" was named the "official theme song" of the

Disneyana Fan Club The Disneyana Fan Club or DFC was founded in 1984 as a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and dissemination of Walt Disney's legacy. Its published aim is to provide Disneyana enthusiasts worldwide with news, information, and ev ...

. It was debuted during 60th Anniversary Celebrations of the

Disneyland Disneyland is a theme park in Anaheim, California. Opened in 1955, 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. Disney initially envisio ...

theme park during the annual Disneyana Convention held in Anaheim at which time Sherman also received the 2015 Disneyana President's Award for his service to the organization. Sherman's musical, '' Love Birds'' (for which he wrote both

book A book is a medium for recording information in the form of writing or images, typically composed of many pages (made of papyrus, parchment, vellum, or paper) bound together and protected by a cover. The technical term for this physical ...

and songs) premiered at the

in August 2015 and was widely praised by the press, receiving numerous five star and four star reviews. The Original Edinburgh Cast Recording of ''Love Birds'' was produced by Sherman and released in August 2015 by

and was also widely praised. In 2016 Sherman contributed material to ''Ms: A Song Cycle'' which was subtitled as having been "inspired by women living with

multiple sclerosis Multiple (cerebral) sclerosis (MS), also known as encephalomyelitis disseminata or disseminated sclerosis, is the most common demyelinating disease, in which the insulating covers of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord are damaged. This ...

". The project was conceived by lyricist Rory Sherman (unrelated). The song they collaborated on, entitled: "Mondays", became the final piece on the album and was performed by Rosemary Ashe. A one night, gala charity concert of ''

'' commemorating the 350th anniversary of the

Great Fire of London The Great Fire of London was a major conflagration that swept through central London from Sunday 2 September to Thursday 6 September 1666, gutting the medieval City of London inside the old Roman city wall, while also extending past th ...

premiered at the

Adelphi Theatre The Adelphi Theatre is a West End theatre, located on the Strand in the City of Westminster, central London. The present building is the fourth on the site. The theatre has specialised in comedy and musical theatre, and today it is a receivin ...

in London on September 4, 2016. At the conclusion of the performance, Sherman was named a Variety Club Celebrity Ambassador alongside director/choreographer

Stewart Nicholls Stewart Nicholls is a British stage director and choreographer. His credits include productions of: ''A Spoonful of Sherman'' ( 2018 UK/Ireland tour, St James' Theatre and Live At Zédel),''Bumblescratch'' (Adelphi Theatre), ''Bar Mitzvah Boy'' (Ab ...

and ''Bumblescratch'' stars:

Darren Day Darren Day is an English actor, singer and television presenter, well known for his West End theatre starring roles. Early life Day's paternal grandfather was a support act to George Formby in the days of music hall. Day undertook drama classe ...

Jessica Martin Jessica Cecelia Anna Maria Martin (born 25 August 1962) is an English actress, singer, and impressionist whose career has diversified to include comic writing and illustrating. Her television roles have included ''Spitting Image'', '' Copy Cats ...

and

Michael Xavier Michael D. Xavier (born Michael David Smith; 27 November 1978) is an English actor and singer. Early life Michael David Smith (later known as Michael Xavier) attended Knutsford High and ultimately completed his professional acting training a ...

. SimG Records released a CD of musical highlights from the London concert in December 2016. The CD was widely praised. ''

'' returned to London for two weeks in August 2017 with Sherman narrating once again. The show featured West End stars, Helena Blackman and

Daniel Boys Daniel Boys (born 26 March 1979) is an English musical theatre actor, who was a contestant on the BBC talent series '' Any Dream Will Do'' in 2007 before becoming known as a stage actor in various musicals including ''Avenue Q'', ''Spamalot'' an ...

. On December 20, 2017, the launch of the ''A Spoonful of Sherman'' UK/Ireland tour was announced with previews beginning on February 14, 2018, at the EM Forester Theatre in

Tonbridge, Kent Tonbridge ( ) 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 Malling, it had an estimated population ...

. 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. The tour went to over 25 cities and towns across the UK and Ireland and the reviews were very favorable. In 2019, ''A Spoonful of Sherman'' was licensed for productions in

Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...

and

San Jose, California San Jose, officially San José (; ; ), is a major city in the U.S. state of California that is the cultural, financial, and political center of Silicon Valley and largest city in Northern California by both population and area. With a 2020 popu ...

. In January 2022 ''The Robbie Sherman Songbook'' was published by

Hal Leonard HAL may refer to: Aviation * Halali Airport (IATA airport code: HAL) Halali, Oshikoto, Namibia * Hawaiian Airlines (ICAO airline code: HAL) * HAL Airport, Bangalore, India * Hindustan Aeronautics Limited an Indian aerospace manufacturer of fi ...

music publishers. The Songbook included 16 of Sherman's songs from five musicals. In March 2022 a "Backing Tracks and Vocal Guides" audio album was also released to accompany the first album.

About wanting to be a songwriter

In an interview Sherman said, "My earliest memory is that I wanted to be a songwriter. It's a strange thing to call an 'earliest memory', I suppose. But there it is. I was, perhaps two or three years old. From where I stood,

my father ''My Father'' () is a 2007 South Korean film. The film, which is based on a true story, is about an adopted son who is searching for his biological parents in South Korea. During his search he meets his real father, a condemned murderer on death ro ...

and

uncle An uncle is usually defined as a male relative who is a sibling of a parent or married to a sibling of a parent. Uncles who are related by birth are second-degree relatives. The female counterpart of an uncle is an aunt, and the reciprocal rela ...

wrote the type of music that children loved. So that's what I wanted to do too."

Sherman Theatrical Entertainment

In 2021, alongside finance professionals Bret Goldin and Andrew Kaplan, Sherman created Sherman Theatrical Entertainment, Ltd. The new company was created to bring theatrical productions of Sherman's and the Sherman Family's to stage, screen, and streaming. The company is also focused on music publishing and licensing of select songs and projects from his own and his family's library. On May 4, 2023 it was announced that company was in a feature film development deal on the Sherman Brothers' animation musical, ''Inkas the Ramferinkas''.

Literary work

In 2013 Sherman oversaw and completed the publication of

's '' Moose: Chapters From My Life'', serving as the book's editor. In 2010, with his father's permission, Sherman provided an advance copy of the book to the production team of the Walt Disney motion picture '' Saving Mr. Banks'' starring

Tom Hanks Thomas Jeffrey Hanks (born July 9, 1956) is an American actor and filmmaker. Known for both his comedic and dramatic roles, he is one of the most popular and recognizable film stars worldwide, and is regarded as an American cultural icon. Ha ...

and

Emma Thompson Dame Emma Thompson (born 15 April 1959) is a British actress. Regarded as one of the best actresses of her generation, she has received numerous accolades throughout her four-decade-long career, including two Academy Awards, two British A ...

. The book became a primary piece of source material for the screenwriters' script. In the summer of 2012, now serving as the Trustee of the Robert B. Sherman Estate, Sherman consulted directly with the producer, director and one of the writers concerning the film. The first edition of ''

Moose The moose (in North America) or elk (in Eurasia) (''Alces alces'') is a member of the New World deer subfamily and is the only species in the genus ''Alces''. It is the largest and heaviest extant species in the deer family. Most adult ma ...

'' was released in 2013, a year following the author's death, and timed to coincide with the release of '' Saving Mr. Banks''. The book was published by

AuthorHouse AuthorHouse, formerly known as 1stBooks, is a self-publishing company based in the United States. AuthorHouse uses print-on-demand business model and technology. History Originally called 1stBooks, the company was founded in Bloomington, India ...

an affiliate of

Penguin Random House Penguin Random House LLC is an Anglo-American multinational conglomerate publishing company formed on July 1, 2013, from the merger of Penguin Group and Random House. On April 2, 2020, Bertelsmann announced the completion of its purchase ...

. In 2016 Sherman provided the narration for the unabridged audible

audiobook An audiobook (or a talking book) is a recording of a book or other work being read out loud. A reading of the complete text is described as "unabridged", while readings of shorter versions are abridgements. Spoken audio has been available in sc ...

version. The audiobook was published by Orchard Hill Press.

Publishing, archives and family legacy

Sherman became the vice president of Music World Corporation in 1993. Upon the death of his father in 2012, Sherman became the CEO/president of Music World. In 2013 Sherman founded its affiliate Music World LLC in the United States and MusicWorld UK, Ltd. specifically for his own work. Sherman is a trustee of the Robert B. Sherman Family Estate and Archives, which includes one-half of the

Sherman Brothers The Sherman Brothers were an American songwriting duo that specialized in musical films, made up of Robert B. Sherman (December 19, 1925 – March 6, 2012) and Richard M. Sherman (born June 12, 1928). Together they received various accolades i ...

and

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

estates. Sherman is a frequent lecturer on the subjects of song and story writing. Since 2014 Sherman has led an annual ''Walking With Giants'' trolley and walking tour through

Beverly Hills Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. A notable and historic suburb of Greater Los Angeles, it is in a wealthy area immediately southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. ...

, where the Sherman family has lived (in whole or in part) since 1938. The tour highlights significant places and moments in the lives of the Sherman Brothers and their father, songwriter Al Sherman. Sherman resides in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

, England.

External links

Robert J. Sherman Official Website
* Music World Corporation
''Love Birds: The Musical'' (Official Website)

"It's Your Birthday"
(''Love Birds'' promotional cartoon animated by

Will Finn William Snelgrove Finn (born November 1, 1958) is an American animator, voice actor, storyboard artist, and director. Career His work in animation includes characters from Disney, Warner Bros., DreamWorks, and Don Bluth films such as '' The ...

)
''A Spoonful Of Sherman'' (Official Website)

''A Spoonful Of Sherman'' UK/Ireland Tour (2018 Promotional Video)

''A Spoonful Of Sherman'' Zedel Cabaret (2017 Promotional Video)

''Bumblescratch:'' West End Live 2016

''Bumblescratch: The Musical'' (Official Website)

"Disneyana!" (The Official Theme Song of the Disneyana Fan Club) Video

''Inkas the Ramferinkas''
*
discogs.com profile: Robert J. Sherman

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sherman, Robert J. 1968 births 21st-century American writers Alumni of King's College London American dramatists and playwrights American expatriates in the United Kingdom American literary editors American male dramatists and playwrights American male screenwriters American male singer-songwriters American musical theatre composers American musical theatre lyricists American people of Ukrainian-Jewish descent American rock songwriters American tubists Beverly Hills High School alumni Broadway composers and lyricists California Democrats Jewish American composers Jewish American musicians Jewish American songwriters Living people Screenwriters from California Robert J. Robert J. Singer-songwriters from California Tau Epsilon Phi USC School of Cinematic Arts alumni 21st-century tubists