Richard M. Sherman, Disney Legend and Songwriter Behind Mary Poppins and It’s a Small World, Dies at 95

Richard M. Sherman, a Disney Legend and half of the Academy Award-winning songwriting team known as the Sherman Brothers, has died at the age of 95. He is perhaps best known for his work on Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book, and The Aristocats and such songs as ‘There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow,’ ‘The Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room,’ and ‘It’s a Small World.’

The Walt Disney Company shared that Sherman passed away on Saturday, May 25, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Beverly Hills, due to age-related illness. While he may no longer be with us, he leaves behind an incredible legacy and body of work that will continue on for many, many years.

Over his 65 year career, Sherman won two Oscars for Mary Poppins and was nominated for nine total Academy Awards, He won three Grammy Awards, received 24 gold and platinum albums, and he was a “key member of Walt Disney’s inner circle of creative talents.”

For Mary Poppins, Richard and his brother Robert won two Oscars for Best Score – Substantially Original and Best Original Song for ‘Chim Chim Cher-ee.’ They were also behind the iconic song ‘Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’ and ‘Feed the Birds,’ the latter of which was “one of Walt’s favorite songs – ever.”

“Richard Sherman was the embodiment of what it means to be a Disney Legend, creating along with his brother Robert the beloved classics that have become a cherished part of the soundtrack of our lives,” said Bob Iger, CEO of The Walt Disney Company. “From films like Mary Poppins and The Jungle Book to attractions like ‘it’s a small world,’ the music of the Sherman Brothers has captured the hearts of generations of audiences. We are forever grateful for the mark Richard left on the world, and we extend our deepest condolences to his family.”

Pete Docter, Chief Creative Officer, Pixar Animation Studios, said, “You don’t get songs like ‘A Spoonful of Sugar’ without a genuine love of life, which Richard passed on to everyone lucky enough to be around him. Even in his 90s he had more energy and enthusiasm than anyone, and I always left renewed by Richard’s infectious joy for life.”

Image Credit: The Walt Disney CompanyRichard Sherman was born on June 12, 1928, in New York City and was the son of Al Sherman, the Tin Pan Alley songwriter who also made a very respectable name for himself. Sherman would eventually move to Beverly Hills for high school and would attend Bard College before being drafted into the United States Army and serve as the conductor of the Army band and glee club from 1953 to 1955.

In 1951, the Sherman Brothers recorded their first song thanks to Gene Autry – ‘Gold Can Buy You Anything But Love’ – but the most important one may have just been ‘Tall Paul.’ This song was recorded by Mouseketeer and future Disney Legend Annette Funicello and, after it rose to #7 on the charts and sold more than 700,000 singles, helped get the attention of Walt himself.

Walt Disney would hire the Sherman Brothers as staff songwriter for The Walt Disney Studios and their first assignment was writing a song for the TV movie The Horsemasters. They would continue on to contribute to such works as The Absent-Minded Professor, The Parent Trap, Summer Magic, The Sword in the Stone, Mary Poppins, That Darn Cat!, Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree, The Jungle Book, The Happiest Millionaire, The Aristocats, and Bedknobs and Broomsticks. All in all, they would write over 200 songs for 27 films and 24 TV projects.

For Disney Parks, the Sherman Brothers were responsible for some of the most recognizable and beloved songs of all time, including the previously mentions ‘There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow,’ ‘The Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room,’ and ‘It’s a Small World.’ They would also write songs for EPCOT, Tokyo Disneyland, and more.

Outside of Disney, The Sherman Brothers also worked on other projects like Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Snoopy Come Home, Charlotte’s Web, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, and The Skipper and the Rose.

In 2005, the Sherman Brothers were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and, in 2008, they would be awarded the National Medal of the Arts, “for unforgettable songs and optimistic lyrics that have brought magic to the screen and stage. The Sherman brothers’ music has helped bring joy to millions.”

Robert passed away in 2012, but Richard would continue on working. He wrote new lyrics for the live-action The Jungle Book, composed three new songs for Christopher Robin, and wrote a new song for Disney Legend Andreas Deja’s 2023 animated short, Mushka.

In 2023, Richard was given a very special opportunity as he would return to Walt Disney’s office and record a new version of Mary Poppins’ ‘Feed the Birds’ for Once Upon a Studio, the short that celebrated The Walt Disney Company’s 100th anniversary. Richard and Robert would often play that same song for Walt in his office on Friday afternoons.

Richard is survived by his wife of 66 years; Elizabeth, their son Gregory, daughter Victoria, son-in-law Doug Wolf, and grandchildren William, Matthew, Mandy, and Anthony. He is also survived by his daughter Lynda Rothstein from a previous marriage and her two children and three grandchildren.

Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on TikTok.