Today, the American Heritage Center highlights Richard and Robert Sherman, in honor of Richard M. Sherman, who passed away earlier this year at age 95. The Center is honored to hold the papers of the brothers documenting a portion of their careers.
The Sherman brothers were an American songwriting pair who specialized in musical films, predominantly for Disney. Sons of Russian-Jewish immigrants, the brothers began writing songs together in the 1950s, following in the footsteps of their father, songwriter Al Sherman.
In the 1960s, the brothers caught the attention of Walt Disney, who hired them as staff song writers for Walt Disney Studios. In Disney’s employ, Richard and Robert wrote more motion-picture musical scores than any other songwriters. Their best-known song was written for the 1964 New York World’s Fair, titled “It’s a Small World (After All),” which has since become the most translated and performed song on earth, and boasts a ride of the same name at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom Park.
In 1965, the Sherman Brothers’ musical magic for Mary Poppins earned them two Academy Awards. Their enchanting score included the tender “Feed the Birds,” the whimsical tongue-twister “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,” and the catchy “Chim Chim Cher-ee,” which swept up its own Oscar for Best Original Song.
Robert and Richard worked directly for Walt on several live-action musical films, until his death in 1966. Over the course of their career with Disney, they composed more than 200 songs for 27 films and 24 television productions.
In 1968, they received their first non-Disney assignment, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang for United Artists which earned them their third Academy Award nomination. Returning to Disney briefly in the 1970s, the brothers worked on a few other films, including Bedknobs and Broomsticks, which they received a Grammy nomination for.
Other notable credits for the brothers include The Jungle Book (1967), The Parent Trap (1961, 1998), Charlotte’s Web (1973), The Aristocats (1970), The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977), and Over Here! (1974).
In 1976, Richard and Robert’s work was showcased in The Slipper and the Rose, which was picked to be the Royal Command Performance of the year and attended by Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. The film earned them two more Academy Award nominations. In the same year, the duo was also awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In the videos below, the brother discussed their working on The Slipper and the Rose.
In 2000, they again returned to Disney to write the score for The Tigger Movie which marked their first film for the company in twenty-eight years and their final film credit as a duo before Robert’s death in 2012. In 2005, they were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and in 2008 they received the National Medal of Arts, presented to them by President George W. Bush.
Richard and Robert’s sons directed and produced a critically acclaimed documentary film about the duo distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. The Boys: The Sherman Brothers’ Story (preview below) was released in May 2009, and followed later that year by The Sherman Brothers Song Book released by Disney – a 59-track, two CD compilation of the work they produced for the studio spanning over forty years.
In March 2010, the brothers received one of the greatest and most coveted honors bestowed by the Disney company: a window on Main Street, USA, at Disneyland in California. This specialized window, which reads “Two Brothers Tunemakers” with their names inscribed underneath, was awarded in recognition of their significant contributions to Disney.
In the early 2000s, Robert Sherman moved to London, while Richard stayed in California. Robert died in London in March 2012 at age 86. Richard Sherman lived for another twelve years in California, passing away recently on May 25, 2024.
The American Heritage Center collection contains the brothers’ work for six motion pictures, including The Jungle Book, Winnie the Pooh, and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Included are music scores, notes, research materials, scripts, vinyl recordings, and songbooks.
Post contributed by AHC Processing Archivist Brittany Heye.
