The Walt Disney Company released a statement confirming that Disney Legend Richard M. Sherman passed away on May 25th, 2024 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Beverly Hills, due to age-related illness. Sherman was 95 years old.
The late Disney Legend Robert B. Sherman was Richard M. Sherman’s brother, and the duo was credited as an Academy Award-winning songwriting team.
Richard M. Sherman was known as a talented composer-lyricist and a key member of Walt Disney’s inner circle. Together, the Sherman brothers were known for their work on the 1964 Disney hit, Mary Poppins, winning two Oscars including Best Score – Substantially Original and Best Original Song for “Chim Chim Cher-ee.” Sherman also helped compose “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,” “Feed the Birds,” and many more.
Richard M. Sherman was born on June 12th, 1928, in New York City. In 1937, Sherman and his family relocated to Beverly Hills, and Richard went on to major in music at Bard College. Sherman was drafted into the United States Army, and served as conductor for the Army band and glee club from 1953 to 1955.
In 1951, Gene Autry recorded a Sherman brothers song titled “Gold Can Buy You Anything But Love.” Later, Mouseketeer Annette Funicello (a fellow Disney Legend) recorded a Sherman brothers song called “Tall Paul,” which managed to get Walt Disney’s attention. Walt then hired the Sherman brothers as staff songwriters for The Walt Disney Studios.
The Sherman brothers worked on hundreds of songs for Disney, including The Sword in the Stone, Mary Poppins, Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree, The Jungle Book, and more. The successful duo even worked on songs for Disney attractions, including familiar favorites like “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow,” “The Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room,” and “it’s a small world.” Disney inducted Richard and his brother as Disney Legends in 1990. Then, in 2005, Richard and Robert were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Richard Sherman is survived by his wife, Elizabeth; son Gregory and grandsons William and Matthew; daughter Victoria Wolf, son-in-law Doug Wolf; and grandchildren Mandy and Anthony. He is also survived by his daughter from a previous marriage, Lynda Rothstein, as well as her two children and three grandchildren. Our thoughts are with his family at this time.
I met him at a D23 event, believe it or not in a bathroom at the Contemporary Resort as i was going out he was coming in and we just made a quick hello exchange. Rest in Peace and May he Have a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow,