The Sherman Brothers were an American songwriting duo that 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 ...

, made up of brothers Robert Sherman (December 19, 1925 – March 6, 2012) and Richard Sherman (June 12, 1928 – May 25, 2024). Together they received various accolades including two

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 ...

and three

Grammy Awards 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 ...

. They received nominations for a

Laurence Olivier Award 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 ...

, a

BAFTA Award The British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTAs or BAFTA Awards, is an annual film award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to honour the best British and international contributions to f ...

, and five

Golden Globe Awards The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual Awards ceremony, award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally ...

. In 1976, they received 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 ...

, and the

National Medal of the 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 patrons of the arts. A prestigious American honor, it is the highest honor given to artists and arts patrons ...

in 2008. The Sherman Brothers wrote more motion-picture musical song scores than any other songwriting team in film history. Their work includes the live-action films '' The Parent Trap'' (1961), ''

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 ...

'' (1964), ''

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, ...

'' (1968), and ''

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 ...

'' (1971) and the animated films '' The Sword in the Stone'' (1963), ''

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 ...

'' (1967, except “

The Bare Necessities "The Bare Necessities" is a jazz song, written by Terry Gilkyson, from Disney's 1967 animated feature film ''The Jungle Book'', sung by Phil Harris as Baloo and Bruce Reitherman as Mowgli. Bill Murray and Neel Sethi, in the same roles, performed ...

,” which

Terry Gilkyson Terry Gilkyson (June 17, 1916 – October 15, 1999) was an American folk singer and songwriter. Biography Gilkyson was born Hamilton Henry Gilkyson in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, and graduated from St. George's School in Middletown, Rhode Is ...

wrote), ''

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 ...

'' (1973), ''

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), and ''

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 ...

'' (1977). Among their most famous works are the

theme park An amusement park is a park that features various attractions, such as rides and games, and events for entertainment purposes. A theme park is a type of amusement park that bases its structures and attractions around a central theme, often fea ...

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 ...

'' and ''

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 ...

''. According to ''Time'' magazine, the latter song is the most performed song of all time. The Shermans earned nine Academy Award nominations (with two wins), two

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, four Grammy Award nominations, and 23 gold- and platinum-certified albums.

Life and work

1950s

Sons of

Russian-Jewish 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 ...

immigrants, Robert and Richard Sherman began writing songs together in 1951 on a challenge from their father,

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 ...

songwriter

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 ...

. The brothers wrote together and with different songwriting partners throughout the rest of the decade. In 1958, 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 enjoyed a landmark relationship with Disney's BMI-affiliated 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 Sherman Brothers 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 ...

", sung by Mouseketeer Judy Harriet on the Surf Records label and then covered by Mouseketeer

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 ...

. They wrote the international hit "

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 ...

," first recorded in 1960 by

rockabilly Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music. It dates back to the early 1950s in the United States, especially the Southern United States, South. As a genre, it blends the sound of Western music (North America), Western musi ...

singer

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 ...

, and a chart success again in 1973 for

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 ...

. They also wrote the title song for Doris Day's album ''Bright and Shiny'', recorded in 1960 and released a year later.

1960s

The success of these songs gained the attention of Walt Disney, who eventually hired the Sherman Brothers as staff songwriters for Walt Disney Studios. The first song they wrote on personal assignment by Walt Disney was "Strummin' Song" in 1961. It was used in the Annette Funicello made-for-television movie called ''

The Horsemasters ''The Horsemasters'' is a 2-part episode of the ''Disneyland'' TV show from 1961 which screened theatrically in some countries. The film was one of several Disney films that were shot in England. The hunt scenes were filmed at Thursley in Surrey ...

''. The first song that the Sherman Brothers contributed to a Disney movie was "Medfield Fight Song" from the film ''

The Absent-Minded Professor ''The Absent-Minded Professor'' is a 1961 American science fiction comedy film directed by Robert Stevenson and produced by Walt Disney Productions. It is based on the 1943 short story "A Situation of Gravity" (May 22, 1943 ''Liberty'') by ...

'' (1961). While at Disney, the Sherman Brothers wrote more motion-picture musical scores than any other songwriters in the history of film. They also wrote what is perhaps their best-known song, "

", 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 ...

. Since then, some have claimed that this has become the most translated and performed song on Earth, although this is largely due to the fact that it is played continuously at Disney's theme park "It's a Small World" attractions of the same name. In 1965, the Sherman Brothers won two

for ''

'', which includes the songs " 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 the Oscar-winning "

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 ...

." 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 ...

. Robert and Richard Sherman worked directly for Walt Disney, completing the scores for the live-action musical films ''

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 ...

'' and ''

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 ...

'' until Disney's death in 1966. 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 ''

'' for

United Artists United Artists (UA) is an American film production and film distribution, distribution company owned by Amazon MGM Studios. In its original operating period, it was founded in February 1919 by Charlie Chaplin, D. W. Griffith, Mary Pickford an ...

in 1968, which garnered the brothers their third Academy Award nomination for

Best Original Song The following is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various films, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Best ...

for its particularly memorable titular song.

1970s

In 1970, the Shermans returned to Disney for a brief stint where they completed work on ''

'' and ''

''. The latter film garnered the brothers their fourth and fifth Oscar nominations. 1972 saw the release of ''

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 ...

'', for which the brothers received a

nomination. In 1973, the Sherman Brothers also 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. In 1976, ''

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 ...

'' 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 ...

of the year. The performance was attended by

Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon (4 August 1900 – 30 March 2002) was List of British royal consorts, Queen of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 to 6 February 1952 as the wife of K ...

. A modern musical adaptation of the classic Cinderella story, ''Slipper'' also featured songs, 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. Two further Academy Award nominations were garnered by the brothers for the film. That same year the Sherman Brothers received a star on the

directly across from

Grauman's Chinese Theatre 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, Unite ...

. The Sherman Brothers' numerous other Disney and non-Disney top box office film credits include ''

'' (1967), ''

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

'' (1973), ''

Huckleberry Finn Huckleberry "Huck" Finn is a fictional character created by Mark Twain who first appeared in the book ''The Adventures of Tom Sawyer'' (1876) and is the protagonist and narrator of its sequel, '' Adventures of Huckleberry Finn'' (1884). He is 12 ...

'' (1974), ''

'' (1977), ''

'' (1972), ''

'' (1971), and '' Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland'' (1989). Outside the motion-picture realm, their Tony Award-nominated hit ''

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 and broke box-office records for its Off-Broadway revival (2019).

2000s

In 2000, the Sherman Brothers wrote the song score for the Disney 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 ...

''. This film marked the brothers' first major motion picture for the Disney company in over 28 years, and was also their final film credit as duo because of Robert's death in 2012. In

2002 The effects of the September 11 attacks of the previous year had a significant impact on the affairs of 2002. The war on terror was a major political focus. Without settled international law, several nations engaged in anti-terror operation ...

, ''Chitty'' hit the London stage, receiving rave reviews. ''

'' is currently 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 theater's history. On April 28, 2005, a second ''Chitty'' company premiered on Broadway (New York City) at the Foxwoods 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. Most notably, ''Chitty Chitty Bang Bang'' (1968) topped the list at #1. In later years, with Robert's move to

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 ...

, the brothers wrote new songs for the stage musical presentation of ''

''. For their contributions to the motion picture industry, the Sherman brothers have a star on the

at 6918 Hollywood Blvd. and were 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 ...

on June 9, 2005. On November 16, 2006, ''

'' premiered at the

New Amsterdam Theatre The New Amsterdam Theatre is a Broadway theatre, Broadway theater at 214 West 42nd Street (Manhattan), 42nd Street, at the southern end of Times Square, in the Theater District, Manhattan, Theater District of Manhattan in New York City, New Yor ...

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

. On November 17, 2008, the Sherman Brothers received 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 ...

, which is the highest honor conferred on artists or patrons of the arts by the United States Government. The award was presented by

United States President The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed For ...

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 an

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 ...

ceremony 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 NW in Washington, D.C., it has served as the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800 whe ...

. On May 22, 2009, '' The Boys: The Sherman Brothers' Story'', a critically acclaimed documentary film about the pair, was theatrically released. The film was directed and produced by their sons, Gregory V. Sherman and Jeff Sherman, and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. In October 2009, Disney released a 59-track, two-CD compendium of their work for the studio spanning 42 years. The CD is titled ''The Sherman Brothers Songbook''. On March 11, 2010, the Sherman Brothers were presented with a specialized window on

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 ...

, at

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 Sherman Brothers received the "Career Achievement Award" at The Theatre Museum's 2010 Awards Gala in New York City. From 2002, Robert Sherman lived in London, England. He moved 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 ...

, while Richard Sherman remained in California. Robert Sherman died in London on March 6, 2012. Richard Sherman died in Los Angeles on May 25, 2024.

Influence and recognition

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

'' which achieved number-one status in both theatrical box office and video sales. They also composed a song for the movie called "Your Heart Will Lead You Home", co-written and performed by

Kenny Loggins Kenneth Clark "Kenny" Loggins (born January 7, 1948) is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. His early songs were recorded with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in 1970, which led to seven albums recorded with Jim Messina (musician), Jim Mess ...

. * The Sherman Brothers' motion picture ''

'' was adapted into a

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'', which finished a record breaking three-and-a-half-year run at the Palladium, becoming the longest running show in the theater's century long history. In 2004, the premiere of ''

'' arrived 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 nine

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. * On June 9, 2005, both Shermans were 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 ...

, and David Porter. * On November 16, 2006, the

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 ...

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 ...

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. * In 2007, during 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 ''

'' London press junket, the Sherman Brothers were witnessed by press working on a new song for ''Inkas'' (see below) 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

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'' also commenced in 2008, 2009 and 2010 respectively. * On May 21, 2011, the Sherman Brothers were each awarded honorary doctorate degrees in Fine Arts from their alma mater,

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 ...

. This was Robert's second honorary doctorate. His first was granted by Lincoln College on May 12, 1990. Robert's critically acclaimed autobiography, '' Moose: Chapters From My Life'' was published posthumously 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, In ...

Publishers on November 27, 2013, in anticipation of the release of the

Walt Disney Pictures Walt Disney Pictures is an American film Film production company, production company and subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios (division), the Walt Disney Studios, a division of Disney Entertainment, which is owned by the Walt Disney Company. The st ...

film ''

Saving Mr. Banks ''Saving Mr. Banks'' is a 2013 biographical drama film directed by John Lee Hancock and written by Kelly Marcel and Sue Smith. Centered on the development of the 1964 film ''Mary Poppins'', the film stars Emma Thompson as book author P. L. Tr ...

''. Set in 1961 and based on the stories behind the original development meetings for Disney's film version of ''Mary Poppins'', ''Saving Mr. Banks'' features actors B. J. Novak as Robert Sherman and

Jason Schwartzman Jason Schwartzman (born June 26, 1980) is an American actor, musician, and member of the Coppola family. Schwartzman made his film debut in Wes Anderson's 1998 film '' Rushmore'', and has since appeared in six other Anderson films: '' The Darjee ...

as Richard Sherman. * In 2014, the Sherman Brothers, alongside their father

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

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 Robert's son,

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 Times ''The Times'' is a British Newspaper#Daily, daily Newspaper#National, 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 si ...

''. 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 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 ''A Spoonful of Sherman'' 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.

Filmography

Film

* ''

'', 1961 - "Medfield Fight Song" only * '' The Parent Trap'', 1961 * ''

A Symposium on Popular Songs ''A Symposium on Popular Songs'' is a special cartoon featurette made by Walt Disney Productions in 1962. It features songs that were written by the Sherman Brothers, with music arrangements by Tutti Camarata. The Shermans also co-wrote the scre ...

'', 1962 - animated short * ''

Moon Pilot ''Moon Pilot'' is a 1962 American Technicolor science fiction comedy film from Walt Disney Productions, released through Buena Vista Distribution, directed by James Neilson, and starring Tom Tryon, Brian Keith, Edmond O'Brien, Dany Saval, an ...

'', 1962 * '' Bon Voyage!'', 1962 * '' Big Red'', 1962 * ''

The Legend of Lobo ''The Legend of Lobo'' is a 1962 American animal-adventure film that follows the life and adventures of Lobo, a wolf born and raised in southwestern North America. Based upon "Lobo the King of Currumpaw" by Ernest Thompson Seton from the author' ...

'', 1962 * ''

In Search of the Castaways ''In Search of the Castaways'' () is a novel by the French writer Jules Verne, published in 1867–68. The original edition, published by Hetzel, contains illustrations by Édouard Riou. In 1876, it was republished by George Routledge & Son ...

'', 1962 * ''

Miracle of the White Stallions ''Miracle of the White Stallions'' is a 1963 American adventure film, adventure war film released by Walt Disney starring Robert Taylor (American actor), Robert Taylor (playing Alois Podhajsky), Lilli Palmer, and Eddie Albert. It is based on ...

'', 1963 * '' Summer Magic'', 1963 * '' The Sword in the Stone'', 1963 * ''

The Misadventures of Merlin Jones ''The Misadventures of Merlin Jones'' is a 1964 American science-fiction comedy film directed by Robert Stevenson and produced by Walt Disney Productions. The film stars Tommy Kirk as a college student who experiments with mindreading and hyp ...

'', 1964 * ''

Those Calloways ''Those Calloways'' is a 1964 American family drama film, adapted from the 1950 children's novel ''Swiftwater'' by Paul Annixter. The film was produced by Walt Disney and directed by Norman Tokar. It was the last credit for veteran film composer ...

'', 1965 * ''

The Monkey's Uncle ''The Monkey's Uncle'' is a 1965 American comedy film starring Tommy Kirk as genius college student Merlin Jones and Annette Funicello (former Mouseketeer from ''The Mickey Mouse Club'') as his girlfriend, Jennifer. The title plays on the idio ...

'', 1965 * ''

That Darn Cat! ''That Darn Cat!'' is a 1965 American thriller (genre), thriller comedy film directed by Robert Stevenson (director), Robert Stevenson and starring Hayley Mills and Dean Jones (actor), Dean Jones in a story about bank robbers, a kidnapping and ...

'', 1965 * ''

Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree ''Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree'' is a 1966 American animation, animated musical film, musical fantasy film, fantasy short film based on the first two chapters of ''Winnie-the-Pooh (book), Winnie-the-Pooh'' by A. A. Milne. The film was produ ...

'', 1966 - animated short * '' Follow Me, Boys!'', 1966 * ''

Monkeys, Go Home! ''Monkeys, Go Home!'' is a 1967 American comedy film produced by Walt Disney Productions and directed by Andrew V. McLaglen. The film stars Maurice Chevalier, Dean Jones, and Yvette Mimieux. Aside from contributing to the soundtrack of Disney's ...

'', 1967 * ''

The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin ''The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin'' is a 1967 American Western (genre), Western comedy film directed by James Neilson (director), James Neilson, produced by Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Productions, and starring Roddy McDowall, Suzanne ...

'', 1967 * ''

The Gnome-Mobile ''The Gnome-Mobile'' is a 1967 American fantasy comedy film directed by Robert Stevenson and produced by Walt Disney Productions. Based on the 1936 book ''The Gnomobile'' by Upton Sinclair, it was one of the last films personally supervised by W ...

'', 1967 * ''

'', 1967 (all songs except "

") * ''

'', 1967 * ''

'', 1968 * ''

Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day ''Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day'' is a 1968 American animated musical fantasy short film based on the third, fifth, ninth, and tenth chapters of ''Winnie-the-Pooh'' and the second, eighth, and ninth chapters from '' The House at Pooh Corn ...

'', 1968 - animated short * ''

'', 1970 * ''

'', 1971 * ''

'', 1972 * ''

'', 1973 * ''

'', 1974 * ''Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too'', 1974 - animated short * ''

'', 1976 * ''

'', 1977 * ''The Magic of Lassie'', 1978 * ''Magic Journeys'', 1982 - theme park attraction * ''Welcome to Pooh Corner'', 1983 - television series * ''Winnie the Pooh and a Day for Eeyore'', 1983 - animated short * '' Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland'', 1992 * ''The Mighty Kong'', 1998 * '' The Parent Trap'', 1998 * ''Seasons of Giving'', 1999 - direct-to-video film * ''

'', 2000 * ''Winnie the Pooh (2011 film), Winnie the Pooh'', 2011 – theme song and "The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers" rendition only * ''

'', 2013 – songs from the original 1964 ''

'' film * ''The Jungle Book (2016 film), The Jungle Book'', 2016 * ''Christopher Robin (film), Christopher Robin'', 2018 * ''Mary Poppins Returns'', 2018 – music references from the original 1964 film * ''Inkas the Ramferinkas'', 2023 – (announced).

Television

Episodes from the Disney anthology television series , Walt Disney anthology television series *''Auld Acquaintance'' (''Zorro (1957 TV series), Zorro'' special) *''The Ballad of Hector the Stowaway Dog'' *''The Big Swindle'' *''A Boy Called Nuthin *''Bristle Face '' *''Carnival Time'' *''A Case of Murder'' *''The Daily Press vs. City Hall'' *''Escapade in Florence'' *''Gallegher'' *''Greta, the Misfit Greyhound'' *''Holiday Time at Disneyland'' *''The Horse Without a Head'' *''

'' *''Johnny Shiloh (film), Johnny Shiloh'' *''Mediterranean Cruise'' *''Mooncussers'' *''The Postponed Wedding'' *''A Rag, A Bone, A Box of Junk'' *''Spy in the Sky'' *''The Tenderfoot (The Wonderful World of Disney), The Tenderfoot'' *''The Young Loner'' Film Screenplays * ''

'', 1962 (uncredited) * ''

'', 1964 (treatment only) * ''

'', 1973 (screenplay) * ''

'', 1974 (screenplay) * ''

'', 1976 (screenplay) * ''The Magic of Lassie'', 1978 (screenplay) / (story) * ''Ferdinand the Bull (film), Ferdinand the Bull'', 1986 (*TV screenplay)

Theatre

* ''Victory Canteen'', 1971 (Ivar Theatre, L.A.) * ''

'', 1974 (Broadway, NY) * ''Dawgs'', 1983 (Variety Arts Center, L.A.) * ''Busker Alley'', 1995 (U.S. Tour) * ''

'', 2002 (London) * ''

'', 2004 (London) * ''On the Record (musical revue), On the Record'' 2004-5 (U.S. Tour) (several songs included) * ''Chitty Chitty Bang Bang'', 2005 (Broadway, NY) * ''Chitty Chitty Bang Bang'', 2005 (UK Tour) * ''Busker Alley'', 2006 (Broadway, NY – *one night only) * ''Mary Poppins'', 2006 (Broadway, NY) * ''Chitty Chitty Bang Bang'', 2007 (Singapore) * ''Mary Poppins'', 2008 (UK Tour) * ''Chitty Chitty Bang Bang'', 2008 (Second UK Tour) * ''Mary Poppins'', 2008 (Gothenburg) * ''Mary Poppins'', 2009 (First US Tour) * ''Mary Poppins'', 2009 (Copenhagen) * ''Mary Poppins'', 2009 (Budapest) * ''Mary Poppins'', 2009 (Shanghai) * ''Mary Poppins'', 2009 (Australia) * ''Mary Poppins'', 2009 (South Africa) * ''Mary Poppins'', 2009 (Scheveningen) * ''Mary Poppins'', 2009 (Helsinki) * ''Mary Poppins'', 2012–13 (Second US Tour) * ''

'', 2014 (London) * ''A Spoonful of Sherman'', 2017 (London) * ''A Spoonful of Sherman'', 2018 (UK/Ireland Tour) * ''A Spoonful of Sherman'', 2019 (Singapore) * ''

'', 2019 (Off-Broadway, NY – *one night only) * ''Mary Poppins'', 2019– (London Revival) * ''Bedknobs And Broomsticks, Bedknobs And Broomsticks (musical)'', 2021– (UK tour)

Theme park songs

* Adventure Thru Inner Space ** "Adventure Thru Inner Space#Miracles from Molecules, Miracles from Molecules" * America on Parade ** "The Glorious Fourth" * CommuniCore ** "The Astuter Computer Revue" (for the 1982 premiere of the pavilion at Epcot, EPCOT Center) * Epcot Center Opening & Dedication ** "The World Showcase March" * ''Pepsi Presents Walt Disney's "It's a Small World" – a Salute to UNICEF and the World's Children'' for the

** "

" was then adapted for each Disney park's "It's a Small World" attraction installation. * Journey Into Imagination With Figment, Journey Into Imagination (and Journey Into Imagination With Figment) ** "One Little Spark" * Magic Journeys ** "Magic Journeys" ** "Makin' Memories (song), Makin' Memories" * Meet the World in Tokyo Disneyland ** "Meet the World" ** "We Meet the World with Love" * Rocket Rods ** "Magic Highways" * Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress ** "The Best Time of Your Life" ** "There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow" * Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room ** "The Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room" * Disneyland Forever ** "Live the Magic" ** "A Kiss Goodnight" Other * Three songs plus underscore for the NBC-TV animated musical ''Goldilocks'' produced in 1969 by DePatie-Freleng (of ''The Pink Panther Show, Pink Panther'' fame) starring Bing Crosby, his wife Kathryn Crosby, Kathryn Grant and two youngest children Mary Frances and Nathaniel. * "The Spectrum Song" – for Walt Disney's ''Disney anthology television series, The Wonderful World of Color''. Sung by Paul Frees as Ludwig Von Drake. * Three unfinished film scores for a musical adaptation of James Thurber's novel ''The 13 Clocks'', another of ''Roman Holiday'', and one for Jack Kinney titled ''Sir Puss in Boots''. * Richard Sherman wrote the "theme park" song "Make Way For Tomorrow Today" for the movie ''Iron Man 2''.

Awards and nominations

Academy Awards

* 37th Academy Awards, 1964 Won Academy Award in the category of "

" for "

" from ''

'' * 37th Academy Awards, 1964 Won Academy Award in the category of "Academy Award for Original Music Score, Best Substantially Original Score" for ''

'' * 41st Academy Awards, 1968 Nominated Academy Award in the category of "

" for "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (song), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" from ''

'' * 44th Academy Awards, 1971 Nominated Academy Award in the category of "

" for "The Age of Not Believing" from ''Bedknobs & Broomsticks'' * 44th Academy Awards, 1971 Nominated Academy Award in the category of "Academy Award for Best Original Score, Best Scoring Adaptation and Original Song Score" for ''Bedknobs & Broomsticks'' * 46th Academy Awards, 1973 Nominated Academy Award in the category of "Academy Award for Best Original Score, Best Scoring Original Song Score And/Or Adaptation" for ''

'' * 50th Academy Awards, 1977 Nominated Academy Award in the category of "

" for "The Slipper and the Rose Waltz" from ''

'' * 50th Academy Awards, 1977 Nominated Academy Award in the category of "Academy Award for Best Original Score, Best Scoring Original Song Score And/Or Adaptation" for ''

'' * 51st Academy Awards, 1978 Nominated Academy Award in the category of "

" for "When You're Loved" from ''The Magic of Lassie''

Annie Awards

* 2000 Nominated Annie Award, Annie in the category of "Outstanding Individual Achievement for Music in an Animated Feature Production" for the song "Round My Family Tree" from ''

'' * 2003 "Winsor McCay Award" for lifetime achievement and contribution to animation

BAFTA Awards

* 1977 Nominated "Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music" for ''

BMI

* 1977 "Pioneer Award" awarded in Los Angeles, California. * 1991 "Lifetime Achievement Award" awarded at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles, California.

Christopher Award

* 1964 "Christopher Award" for "Best Original Song Score" for ''

'' * 1973 "Christopher Award" for "Best Original Song Score" for ''

Disney

* 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. * 2010 Main Street, U.S.A., Main Street, U.S. Window presented at

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

Golden Globes

* 1965 Nominated Golden Globe in the category of "Best Original Score" for ''

'' * 1969 Nominated Golden Globe in the category of "Best Original Score" for ''

'' * 1969 Nominated Golden Globe in the category of "Best Original Song" for ''

'' * 1974 Nominated Golden Globe in the category of "Best Original Score" for ''

'' * 1977 Nominated Golden Globe in the category of "Best Original Score" for ''

Golden Videocassette Award

* 1984 Best Selling Video Cassette (of all time) for ''