Richard M. Sherman, one half of the prolific, award-winning pair of brothers who helped form millions of childhoods by penning the instantly memorable songs for 含羞草研究社淢ary Poppins,含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社淭he Jungle Book含羞草研究社� and 含羞草研究社淐hitty Chitty Bang Bang含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社� as well as the most-played tune on Earth, 含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 a Small World (After All)含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社� has died. He was 95.
Sherman, together with his late brother Robert, won two Academy Awards for Walt Disney含羞草研究社檚 1964 smash 含羞草研究社淢ary Poppins含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社� best score and best song, 含羞草研究社淐him Chim Cher-ee.含羞草研究社� They also picked up a Grammy for best movie or TV score. Robert Sherman died in London at age 86 in 2012.
The Walt Disney Co. announced that Sherman died Saturday in a Los Angeles hospital due to age-related illness. 含羞草研究社淕enerations of moviegoers and theme park guests have been introduced to the world of Disney through the Sherman brothers含羞草研究社� magnificent and timeless songs. Even today, the duo含羞草研究社檚 work remains the quintessential lyrical voice of Walt Disney,含羞草研究社� the company said in a remembrance posted on its website.
Their hundreds of credits as joint lyricist and composer also include the films 含羞草研究社淲innie the Pooh,含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社淭he Slipper and the Rose,含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社淪noopy Come Home,含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社淐harlotte含羞草研究社檚 Web含羞草研究社� and 含羞草研究社淭he Magic of Lassie.含羞草研究社� Their Broadway musicals included 1974含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社淥ver Here!含羞草研究社� and stagings of 含羞草研究社淢ary Poppins含羞草研究社� and 含羞草研究社淐hitty Chitty Bang Bang含羞草研究社� in the mid-2000s.
含羞草研究社淪omething good happens when we sit down together and work,含羞草研究社� Richard Sherman told The Associated Press in a 2005 joint interview. 含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檝e been doing it all our lives. Practically since college we含羞草研究社檝e been working together.含羞草研究社�
Their awards include 23 gold and platinum albums and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. They became the only Americans ever to win first prize at the Moscow Film Festival for 含羞草研究社淭om Sawyer含羞草研究社� in 1973 and were inducted into the Songwriters含羞草研究社� Hall of Fame in 2005.
President George W. Bush awarded them the National Medal of Arts in 2008, commended for music that 含羞草研究社渉as helped bring joy to millions.含羞草研究社�
Most of the songs the Shermans wrote 含羞草研究社� in addition to being catchy and playful 含羞草研究社� work on multiple levels for different ages, something they learned from Disney.
含羞草研究社淗e once told us, early on in our career, 含羞草研究社楧on含羞草研究社檛 insult the kid 含羞草研究社� don含羞草研究社檛 write down to the kid. And don含羞草研究社檛 write just for the adult.含羞草研究社� So we write for grandpa and the 4-year-old 含羞草研究社� and everyone in between 含羞草研究社� and all see it on a different level,含羞草研究社� Richard Sherman said.
The Shermans began a decade-long partnership with Disney during the 1960s after having written hit pop songs like 含羞草研究社淭all Paul含羞草研究社� for ex-Mouseketeer Annette Funicello and 含羞草研究社淵ou含羞草研究社檙e Sixteen,含羞草研究社� later recorded by Ringo Starr.
They wrote over 150 songs at Disney, including the soundtracks for such films as 含羞草研究社淭he Sword and the Stone,含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社淭he Parent Trap,含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社淏edknobs and Broomsticks,含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社淭he Jungle Book,含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社淭he Aristocrats含羞草研究社� and 含羞草研究社淭he Tigger Movie.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 a Small World含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社� which accompanies visitors to Disney theme parks含羞草研究社� boat ride sung by animatronic dolls representing world cultures 含羞草研究社� is believed to be the most performed composition in the world. It was first debuted at the 1964-65 New York World含羞草研究社檚 Fair pavilion ride.
The two brothers credited their father, composer Al Sherman, with challenging them to write songs and for their love of wordsmithing. His legacy of songs includes 含羞草研究社淵ou Gotta Be a Football Hero,含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社�(What Do We Do On a) Dew-Dew-Dewy Day含羞草研究社� and 含羞草研究社淥n the Beach at Bali-Bali.含羞草研究社� His sons went on to popularize the terms 含羞草研究社渇antasmagorical含羞草研究社� and 含羞草研究社渟upercalifragilisticexpialidocious.含羞草研究社�
The Shermans teased songs out of each other, brainstorming titles and then trying to top each other with improvements. 含羞草研究社淏eing brothers, we sort of short-cut each other,含羞草研究社� Richard Sherman said. 含羞草研究社淲e can almost look at each other and know, 含羞草研究社楬ey, you含羞草研究社檙e onto something, kiddo.含羞草研究社櫤卟菅芯可鐫
Away from the piano, the two raised families and pursued their own interests, yet still lived close to each other in Beverly Hills and continued working well into their 70s. When 含羞草研究社淐hitty Chitty Bang Bang含羞草研究社� came to Broadway in 2005, they added new lyrics and four new songs.
Richard Sherman is survived by his wife, Elizabeth, and their two children: Gregory and Victoria. He also is survived by a daughter, Lynda, from a previous marriage.
A private funeral will be held on Friday; Disney said a celebration of life service will be announced later.
Though they were estranged for a number of years, the brothers largely avoided sibling rivalry. When asked about that, Richard Sherman was philosophical, touching and jokey all at the same time 含羞草研究社� much like the trunkful of songs he wrote with his brother.
含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檙e human. We have frailties and weaknesses. But we love each other very much, respect each other,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 happy that he含羞草研究社檚 a successful guy. That makes me a successful guy.含羞草研究社�
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Mark Kennedy, The Associated Press
