Richard M. Sherman, the acclaimed songwriter who, alongside his late brother Robert, crafted the iconic melodies for Disney's most cherished cinematic gems, including "Mary Poppins", "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang", and "The Jungle Book", has died at the age of 95.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Sherman, who co-wrote the popular "It's a Small World (After All)" and the Ringo Starr hit "You're Sixteen", passed away on Saturday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles due to age-related illness, as confirmed by Disney.
Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and recipients of the National Medal of Honor, the Sherman brothers composed an estimated 1,000 songs and scores for 50 films, earning them an unparalleled legacy as the most prolific writers of movie musical numbers in history.
Their crowning achievement came in 1964 when they won an Academy Award for their contributions to "Mary Poppins", taking home Oscars for Best Original Score and Best Song for "Chim Chim Cheree". The duo, handpicked by Walt Disney himself and working closely with the Hollywood legend for nearly a decade, garnered additional nominations for their work on films like "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang", "Bedknobs and Broomsticks", and "The Slipper and the Rose: The Story of Cinderella".
Born in Manhattan in 1928 to Russian Jewish immigrants, Richard Sherman and his brother nurtured their musical talents from an early age, with their mother, a Broadway actress, and their father, a composer whose songs were recorded by luminaries such as Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong.
Even in his later years, Sherman's creative spark burned bright. Most recently, he collaborated with composer Fabrizio Mancinelli on a song for Andreas Deja's 2023 animated short, "Mushka".
Sherman is survived by his wife, three children, five grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
