Richard M. Sherman | |
---|---|
Born | Richard Morton Sherman June 12, 1928 New York City, U.S. |
Alma mater | Bard College |
Occupation(s) | Composer, lyricist, screenwriter, publisher, music director |
Years active | 1950–present |
Spouse | Elizabeth Gluck (m. 1957) |
Children | 3 |
Parent(s) | Al Sherman Rosa (Dancis) Sherman |
Relatives | Robert B. Sherman (brother) Robert J. Sherman (nephew) |
Musical career | |
Genres | Musical film, musical theatre, animation music |
Richard Morton Sherman (born June 12, 1928) is an American songwriter who specialized in musical films with his brother Robert B. Sherman. According to the official Walt Disney Company website and independent fact checkers, "the Sherman Brothers were responsible for more motion picture musical song scores than any other songwriting team in film history." [1]
Some of the Sherman Brothers' best known songs were incorporated into live action and animation musical films including Mary Poppins , The Happiest Millionaire , The Sword in the Stone , The Jungle Book , The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh , Chitty Chitty Bang Bang , Snoopy Come Home , Bedknobs and Broomsticks , The Slipper and the Rose , and Charlotte's Web .
Their most well known work, however, remains "It's a Small World (After All)", written for the theme park attraction of the same name. According to Time , it may be the most (publicly) performed song in history. [2] [3]
Richard Morton Sherman was born in New York City to Russian Jewish immigrants, Rosa (Dancis) and Al Sherman. [4] Together with his older brother Robert, the Sherman Brothers eventually followed in their songwriting father's footsteps to form a long-lasting songwriting partnership.
Following seven years of frequent cross-country moves, the Sherman family finally settled down in Beverly Hills, California in 1937. During Richard's years at Beverly Hills High School, he became fascinated with music and studied several instruments, including the flute, piccolo, and piano. At his 1946 high school graduation, Sherman and classmate André Previn played a musical duet with Previn on piano and Sherman on flute.[ citation needed ] The Sherman Brothers later won a 1964 Oscar for Music Score – Substantially Original for Mary Poppins [5] and a second for Best Original Song for "Chim Chim Cher-ee". [6]
In 1953 Sherman was drafted into United States Army, being assigned to the Army Band and glee club. Serving as musical conductor for both groups from 1953 until his honorable discharge in 1955, he was stationed solely in the United States during his time in the service. During this time, his brother Robert worked with other songwriters.
As a student at Bard College, Sherman majored in music, writing numerous sonatas and "art songs". His ambition to write the "great american symphony" eventually led him to write songs.
Within two years of graduating, Sherman and his brother Robert began writing songs together on a challenge from their father, Al Sherman, a successful popular songwriter in the "Tin Pan Alley" days ("No! No! A Thousand Times No!!", "You Gotta Be a Football Hero"). [7]
In 1958, Sherman's brother Robert founded the music publishing company, Music World Corporation, which later worked with Disney's BMI publishing arm, Wonderland Music Company. [8] That same year, the Sherman Brothers had their first Top Ten hit with "Tall Paul", which was sung by Annette Funicello. The success of this song attracted the attention of Walt Disney who eventually hired the Sherman Brothers as Staff Songwriters for Walt Disney Studios. [9] While at Disney, the Sherman Brothers wrote what is perhaps their most recognized song: "It's a Small World (After All)" for the 1964 New York World's Fair.
In 1965, the Sherman brothers won 2 Academy Awards for Mary Poppins – Best Original Score, which included "Feed The Birds", "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious"; and Best Original Song, "Chim Chim Cher-ee". [10] Since Mary Poppins' premiere, Robert B. Sherman subsequently earned 9 Academy Award nominations, 2 Grammy Awards, 4 Grammy Award nominations and 23 gold and platinum albums. [11]
Robert and Richard Sherman worked directly for Walt Disney until Disney's death in 1966. After leaving the company, the brothers worked freelance as songwriters on scores of motion pictures, television shows, theme park exhibits and stage musicals.
Their first non-Disney assignment came with Albert R. Broccoli's motion picture production Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in 1968 which garnered the brothers their third Academy Award Nomination. In 1973, the Sherman Brothers made history by becoming the only Americans ever to win First Prize at the Moscow Film Festival for Tom Sawyer for which they also authored the screenplay. [11]
The Slipper and the Rose was picked to be the Royal Command Performance of the year and was attended by Queen Elizabeth. A modern musical adaptation of the classic Cinderella story, Slipper also features both song-score and screenplay by the Sherman Brothers. That same year the Sherman Brothers received their star on the Hollywood "Walk of Fame" directly across from Grauman's Chinese Theater. [12]
Their numerous other Disney and non-Disney top box office film credits include The Jungle Book (1967), The Aristocats (1970), The Parent Trap (1961), The Parent Trap (1998), Charlotte's Web (1973), The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977), Snoopy, Come Home (1972), Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971) and Little Nemo: Adventures In Slumberland (1992).
Outside the motion picture realm, their Tony-nominated Over Here! (1974) [13] was the biggest-grossing original Broadway Musical of that year. The Sherman Brothers have also written numerous top-selling songs, including "You're Sixteen", which holds the distinction of reaching Billboard's Top Ten twice; first with Johnny Burnette in 1960 and then with Ringo Starr fourteen years later. [14] Other top-ten hits include, "Pineapple Princess", "Let's Get Together" and more.
In 2000, the Sherman brothers wrote the song score for Disney's blockbuster film: The Tigger Movie (2000). This film marked the brothers' first major motion picture for the Disney company in over 28 years. [15]
In 2002, the stage musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang premiered in London. It was the most successful stage show ever produced at the London Palladium, boasting the longest run in that century-old theatre's history. In early 2005 a second Chitty company premiered on Broadway (New York City) at the Foxwoods Theatre (then the Hilton Theatre). The Sherman Brothers wrote an additional six songs specifically for the new stage productions. [16]
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. The Jungle Book (1967)_ranked at #7, Mary Poppins (1964) ranked at #8, The Aristocats (1970) ranked at #9 and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) topped the list at #1. [17]
A new Disney and Cameron Mackintosh production of Mary Poppins: The Stage Musical made its world premiere at the Prince Edward Theatre in December 2004 and features the Sherman Brothers classic songs. [18]
In June 2005, Richard M. Sherman was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame with his brother. Chitty opened on Broadway in 2005 and commenced its first full UK tour in December 2005 with subsequent tours and/or tour dates in each year since. Mary Poppins opened on Broadway in 2006. [19]
In 2008 Mary Poppins embarked on a UK tour as well as a world tour beginning in Göteborg, Sweden. Chitty embarked on a tour of 29 cities in the U.S. which ended in 2009.
Recently, Sherman once again collaborated with Disney in three of its live-action films, having rewritten the song "I Wan'na Be Like You" for Jon Favreau's 2016 remake of The Jungle Book. As the film featured the song's performer, King Louie, as a Gigantopithecus, Sherman rewrote it to fit the character's depiction. [20] He also wrote three new songs for the 2018 film Christopher Robin , [21] titled "Goodbye Farewell", "Busy Doing Nothing", and "Christopher Robin", [22] the last two performed by Sherman. [22] Sherman also acted as a music consultant for Mary Poppins Returns , the sequel to Mary Poppins. [23] Sherman will also write new songs for the upcoming musical stage adaptation of The Jungle Book. [24]
By May 2023, a feature film development deal on the Sherman Brothers' animation musical Inkas the Ramferinkas was announced. [25]
In the late 1940s, while Richard was attending Bard college, he was briefly married to Corrine Newman. They had one child, Lynda. In 1957 Richard married Ursula Elizabeth Gluck; the couple had two children, Gregory Vincent and Victoria Lynn. Sherman has six grandchildren.
Following Robert Sherman's relocation from Beverly Hills to London, England, the brothers continued to collaborate musically. They credited the ability to do so long-distance to technology via fax, e-mail, and the low-cost international telephone service. Both brothers frequently traveled between Los Angeles, New York, and London working together on various musical plays [26] until Robert's death in 2012.
Richard and Elizabeth have been married for over 60 years and remain active. They continue to live in Beverly Hills, California.
Award | Year | Film | Category | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
Academy Awards | 1964 | Mary Poppins | Best Original Song for "Chim Chim Cher-ee"(shared with Robert B. Sherman) | Won |
Best Music Score-Substantially Original (shared with Robert B. Sherman) | Won | |||
1968 | Chitty Chitty Bang Bang | Best Original Song for "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang"(shared with Robert B. Sherman) | Nominated | |
1971 | Bedknobs and Broomsticks | Best Original Song for "The Age of Not Believing"(shared with Robert B. Sherman) | Nominated | |
Best Scoring Adaptation and Original Song Score (song score by Richard M. Sherman & Robert B. Sherman, adaptation score by Irwin Kostal) | Nominated | |||
1973 | Tom Sawyer | Best Scoring Adaptation and Original Song Score (song score by Richard M. Sherman & Robert B. Sherman, adaptation score by John WIlliams) | Nominated | |
1977 | The Slipper and the Rose | Best Original Song for "The Slipper and the Rose Waltz (He/She Danced with Me)"(shared with Robert B. Sherman) | Nominated | |
Best Original Song Score & Its Adaptation Or Best Adaptation Score (song score by Richard M. Sherman & Robert B. Sherman, adaptation score by Angela Morley) | Nominated | |||
1978 | The Magic of Lassie | Best Original Song for "When You're Loved"(shared with Robert B. Sherman) | Nominated | |
Annie Awards | 2000 | The Tigger Movie | Music in an Animated Feature Production" for "Round My Family Tree"(shared with Robert B. Sherman) | Nominated |
2003 | Winsor McCay Award | "for lifetime achievement and contribution to animation" | Honored | |
BAFTA Awards | 1977 | The Slipper and the Rose | Anthony Asquith Award for Original Film Music | Nominated |
BMI Film & TV Awards | 1977 | Pioneer Award | Honored | |
1991 | Lifetime Achievement Award | Honored | ||
Christopher Awards | 1964 | Mary Poppins | Best Original Song Score | Nominated |
1973 | Tom Sawyer | Nominated | ||
Golden Globe Awards | 1964 | Mary Poppins | Best Original Score | Nominated |
1968 | Chitty Chitty Bang Bang | Nominated | ||
Best Original Song for "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang"(shared with Robert B. Sherman) | Nominated | |||
1973 | Tom Sawyer | Best Original Score | Nominated | |
1977 | The Slipper and the Rose | Nominated | ||
Grammy Awards | 1964 | Mary Poppins | Best Original Score for a Motion Picture or Television Show | Won |
Best Recording for Children | Won | |||
1966 | Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree | Nominated | ||
1967 | The Jungle Book | Nominated | ||
1968 | Chitty Chitty Bang Bang | Nominated | ||
1970 | The Aristocats | Nominated | ||
1973 | Snoopy Come Home | Best Original Score for a Children's Show | Nominated | |
1975 | Over Here! | Best Original Score for a Musical Show | Nominated | |
Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too! | Best Recording for Children | Won | ||
Hollywood Music in Media Awards | 2023 | Mushka | Original Song-Short Film | Won |
Laurel Awards | 1964 | Mary Poppins | Best Song for "Chim Chim Cher-ee"(shared with Robert B. Sherman) | 1st Place |
Music Men Award | 2nd Place | |||
1973 | Tom Sawyer | Best Original Score | 3rd Place | |
Laurence Olivier Awards | 2002 | Chitty Chitty Bang Bang | Best New Musical | Nominated |
Moscow Film Festival | 1973 | Tom Sawyer | Best Music | Won |
Variety Club Awards | 2003 | Chitty Chitty Bang Bang | Best Musical | Won |
Mary Poppins is a 1964 American musical fantasy comedy film directed by Robert Stevenson and produced by Walt Disney, with songs written and composed by the Sherman Brothers. The screenplay is by Bill Walsh and Don DaGradi, based on P. L. Travers's book series Mary Poppins. The film, which combines live-action and animation, stars Julie Andrews in her feature film debut as Mary Poppins, who visits a dysfunctional family in London and employs her unique brand of lifestyle to improve the family's dynamic. Dick Van Dyke, David Tomlinson, and Glynis Johns are featured in supporting roles. The film was shot entirely at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California, using painted London background scenes.
Bedknobs and Broomsticks is a 1971 American musical fantasy film directed by Robert Stevenson and songs written by the Sherman Brothers. It was produced by Bill Walsh for Walt Disney Productions. It is based upon the books The Magic Bedknob (1943) and Bonfires and Broomsticks (1947) by English children's author Mary Norton. The film, which combines live action and animation, stars Angela Lansbury, David Tomlinson, Ian Weighill, Cindy O'Callaghan, and Roy Snart.
The Sherman Brothers were an American songwriting duo that specialized in musical films, made up of brothers Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman. Together they received various accolades including two Academy Awards and three Grammy Awards. They received nominations for a Laurence Olivier Award, a BAFTA Award, and five Golden Globe Awards. In 1976, they received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and the National Medal of the Arts in 2008.
Robert Bernard Sherman 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 other songwriting team in film history. Some of their songs were incorporated into live action and animation musical films including Mary Poppins, The Happiest Millionaire, The The Sword in the Stone, The Jungle Book, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Slipper and the Rose, and Charlotte's Web. Their best-known work is "It's a Small World " possibly the most-performed song in history.
Milt Larsen was an American actor, writer, performer, lyricist, magician, businessman, speaker, and the creator of The Magic Castle, a private club for magicians and enthusiasts.
On the Record is a jukebox musical revue featuring many classic songs from a variety of live action and animated films and television series produced by Walt Disney Pictures, Broadway musical plays produced by Walt Disney Theatrical, and even Disneyland attractions. This theatrical celebration of 75 years of Disney music tells the story of four singers recording a greatest hits album in a magical recording studio. After opening in Cleveland in 2004, the production toured for nine months, visiting 24 cities in the United States before closing in Denver in mid-2005.
Avrum Sherman, 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: "You Gotta Be a Football Hero", "Now's the Time to Fall in Love" and "Lindbergh ". Sherman is one link in a long chain of family members who were musical. Most notably, his sons, Robert and Richard were to join the ranks of America's most highly regarded songwriters. Pairing up and mentoring the Sherman Brothers team has often been referred to as Al Sherman's greatest songwriting achievement.
Classic Disney: 60 Years of Musical Magic is a five-volume compilation series, each containing 25 songs compiled from Disneyland and Walt Disney World, various Disney films in animation and live-action, and the Walt Disney anthology television series. Each volume was released individually on CD and cassette between 1995 and 1998. Volume I was released on March 28, 1995, Volume II on September 12, 1995, Volume III on July 2, 1996, Volume IV on July 15, 1997 and Volume V on September 22, 1998. In 2000, a box set was released containing volumes 1 - 3, followed by a box set containing volumes 1 - 4 in 2001, Finally, a box set containing all five volumes packaged in a slipcase was released by Walt Disney Records in Australia, Japan, North America and Europe in 2003.
Anthony John Walton was a British set and costume designer. He won three Tony Awards, an Academy Award, and a Emmy Award. He received three Tony Awards for Pippin (1973), House of Blue Leaves (1986), and Guys and Dolls (1992). For his work in movies, he won an Academy Award for Best Production Design, for All That Jazz (1979), and nominations for Mary Poppins (1964), Murder on the Orient Express (1974), and The Wiz (1978). For his work in television, he won an Primetime Emmy Award, for Death of a Salesman (1985).
"Chim Chim Cher-ee" is a song from Mary Poppins, the 1964 musical film, and is also featured in the 2004 Mary Poppins musical.
Irwin Kostal was an American musical arranger of films and an orchestrator of Broadway musicals.
Walt's Time: From Before to Beyond is a 252-page autobiographical, full-color book by Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman. It was edited by Disney Imagineers Bruce Gordon, David Mumford and Jeff Kurtti and was published in 1998 by Camphor Tree Publishers of Santa Clarita, California. Bruce Gordon did the book design and layout.
"A Spoonful of Sugar" is a song from Walt Disney's 1964 film and 2004 musical version of Mary Poppins, composed by Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman. The song has characteristics of the fast-paced one-step, a popular dance in the 1910s.
"Step in Time" is a song and dance number from Walt Disney's 1964 film Mary Poppins which was composed by the Sherman Brothers. The choreography for this song was provided by Marc Breaux and Dee Dee Wood. It is sung by Bert, the chimney sweep and the other chimney sweeps on the rooftops of London. It is similar to the old British music hall song "Knees Up Mother Brown".
The Best Disney Album in the World...Ever! is a three disc audio CD box set compiling popular Disney songs from films, theme park attractions, and television series, ranging from 1933 to 2006. It was released in the United Kingdom on November 27, 2006, by Walt Disney Records and EMI International.
Caroline Sheen is a Welsh actress who has played leading roles on stage in the West End alongside TV and film appearances. She won a Helen Hayes award for playing the role of Mary Poppins on the National Tour of America.
Mary Poppins: Original Cast Soundtrack is the soundtrack album of the 1964 film Mary Poppins, with music and lyrics written by songwriters Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, and adapted and conducted by Irwin Kostal.
Moose: Chapters From My Life is the 459-page autobiography by the Academy Award-winning songwriter, Robert B. Sherman. "Moose is a collection of fifty-four autobiographical short stories, arranged in such a way as to express a larger narrative." The book was edited by Sherman's younger son, Robert J. Sherman, who also provided the general layout, cover art and graphic design for the book. Other than certain pages in the "My Time" photographic sections of Moose, the majority of the book, including its innovative arrangement of chapters, was created during the author's lifetime and under his personal supervision. Moose was published by AuthorHouse Publishers of Bloomington, Indiana in association with AuthorSolutions, Penguin Random House Company affiliates. First publication of the work occurred posthumously, on November 26, 2013. The majority of short stories which comprise the book, were written between 1993-2004 with one or two stories having been known to exist as early as 1945. Although early "mock-up" versions of the book were circulated among Sherman's close friends and members of his family in 2004, according to the editor's introductory chapter, "About Moose", mass publication had to be delayed "for reasons too cumbersome to delve into here." Both the book and its author were credited in the 2013 Walt Disney film release, Saving Mr. Banks which starred Academy Award-winning actors Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks. Actor B. J. Novak portrayed a young Robert Sherman in the film. Several scenes from the film drew direct inspiration from Moose. This was done with the author's consent.
Robert Jason Sherman, 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 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. He is perhaps best known for his work on Love Birds: The Musical, which premiered at the 2015 Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Bedknobs and Broomsticks is a stage musical based on the 1971 Walt Disney film and the stories by Mary Norton. It features the original songs by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, new songs and additional music and lyrics by Neil Bartram and book by Brian Hill.
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: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)Robert J Sherman, son of Robert B. Sherman and a successful composer in his own right brings the utterly compelling story of one family's century-long, award-winning musical journey to UK audiences in 2018.
The whole show is filled with whimsy, magic and some of the most memorable songs ever written; it does the Sherman family proud. I can't remember when I spent a more joyful or moving evening at the theatre.