Richard M. Sherman

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Richard M. Sherman

Sherman at the 2002 Annie Awards receiving the Winsor McCay award.
Background information
Birth name Richard Morton Sherman
Born (1928-06-12) June 12, 1928
Origin New York City, New York, USA
Genres Musical film, musical theatre, animation
Occupations Composer, lyricist, screenwriter, publisher
Years active 1950s–present
Website www.shermanmusic.com

Richard Morton Sherman (born June 12, 1928) is an American songwriter who specialized in musical film with his late brother Robert Bernard Sherman.

Some of the Sherman Brothers' best-known writing includes the songs from Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book, Winnie the Pooh, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Slipper and the Rose, and the Disney theme park song "It's a Small World (After All)".

Early life

Richard Morton Sherman was born in New York City to Russian Jewish immigrants, Rosa and Al Sherman. 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 graduation from Beverly Hills High School, Richard Sherman and André Previn played a musical duet. Previn played piano and Sherman played flute. Coincidentally, in 1965 both composers won Oscars in music categories for different films.

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, Richard and Robert Sherman began writing songs together on a challenge from their father, songwriter Al Sherman.

In 1953 Sherman was drafted into United States Army, joining the band and glee club. He served as a musical conductor for both groups and remained in the U.S. during his time in the service. During this time, his brother Robert worked with other songwriters. In 1955, Sherman was honorably discharged from the armed forces. In 1957 Sherman married Elizabeth Gluck, with whom he had two children: Gregory and Victoria. Lynda (Sherman) Rothstein is his daughter from a previous marriage.

Career

(Left to right) Robert B. Sherman, Richard M. Sherman and Walt Disney sing "There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow"

In 1958 the Sherman Brothers had their first Top Ten hit with "Tall Paul", sung by Mouseketeer Annette Funicello. The success of this song got the attention of Walt Disney, who eventually hired the Sherman brothers as staff songwriters for Walt Disney Studios.

While at Disney, the Sherman Brothers wrote what may be their most successful song: "It's a Small World (After All)," for the 1964 New York World's Fair. Since then, "It's a Small World (After All)" has become the most-translated and performed song on Earth.[citation needed]

In 1965, the Sherman Brothers won two Academy Awards for the film Mary Poppins (1964), which includes the songs "Feed The Birds," "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious," and the Oscar winner, "Chim Chim Cher-ee." After Mary Poppins, the Sherman Brothers won nine Academy Award nominations, two Grammy Awards, four Grammy Award nominations and 23 gold and platinum albums.

The Shermans worked directly for Walt Disney until Disney's death in 1966. Since leaving the company, the brother songwriting team has worked freelance 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 wrote the screenplay.

The Slipper and the Rose was chosen as the Royal Command Performance of 1976 and was attended by Her Royal Highness, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. 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.

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 play, Over Here! (1974) was the highest-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. Other top-ten hits include "Pineapple Princess" and "Let's Get Together."

In 2000, the Sherman Brothers wrote the song score for Disney's film The Tigger Movie, marking the brothers' first work for a Disney major motion picture in over twenty eight years. In 2002, a a stage version of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, featuring six new songs from the Sherman Brothers, premiered at the London Palladium. It is currently the longest-running in that theater's history. In 2005, the musical premiered on Broadway at the Hilton Theatre.

In 2003, four Sherman Brothers' musicals ranked in the "Top 10 Favorite Children's Films of All Time" in a nationwide poll, according to 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.

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, featuring the Sherman Brothers' songs. The show went on to successful runs in New York and Los Angeles.

Recent years

The Sherman Brothers receive the National Medal of Arts, the highest honor bestowed upon artists from the United States Government. (left to right Robert B. Sherman, Richard M. Sherman and U.S. President George W. Bush at The White House on November 17, 2008
  • The Sherman Brothers' classic motion picture, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was adapted into a London West End Musical in 2002 and premiered at the London Palladium on April 16, 2002 featuring many new songs and a reworked score by both Sherman Brothers. It was nominated for a 2003 Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Best New Musical. The Sherman Brothers each received the "Musical Theatre Award" from the Variety Club of Great Britain that year as well for Chitty. Chitty finished a record breaking, three and a half year run at the Palladium becoming the longest running show in the theatre's century long history. 2004 saw the premiere of Mary Poppins on the stage. In 2005, Poppins was nominated for nine Olivier Awards. In 2005 Chitty went to Broadway and was nominated for 9 Tonys and also began its nationwide (UK) tour.
  • On November 16, 2006 the Cameron Mackintosh/Disney production of Mary Poppins made its Broadway premiere at the New Amsterdam Theater featuring the Sherman Brothers’ classic songs.
  • In February, 2008 Chitty Chitty Bang Bang began a second UK tour. In 2008 and 2009, Poppins is scheduled to premiere in numerous cities throughout the world including: Stockholm, Copenhagen, Budapest, Shanghai, Toronto, Sydney, Johannesburg, Amsterdam, Buenos Aires, São Paulo and Helsinki. Full UK and US tours of Poppins are also scheduled to commence in 2008 and 2009 respectively.
  • In May 2009, a documentary called The Boys: The Sherman Brothers' Story was released. In October 2009, Disney released a 59 track, two CD compendium of their work for the studio spanning forty-two years. The CD is entitled The Sherman Brothers Songbook.
  • In 2010 Sherman released "Forgotten Dreams," a CD of his piano music. Sherman also wrote "Make Way For Tomorrow Today," which can be heard in the score for the movie Iron Man 2.[1]
  • On May 17, 2010 the Sherman Brothers received the "Career Achievement Award" at The Theatre Museum's 2010 Awards Gala in New York City.[2]
  • On May 21, 2011, the Sherman Brothers were each awarded honorary doctorate degrees in Fine Arts from their alma mater, Bard College.

Collaboration from afar

From 2002 onwards, Robert Sherman lived in London, England. He moved from Beverly Hills, while Richard Sherman remained in California. The geographical separation did not impede the brothers' collaborative process. The brothers credited this to fax, e-mail, and the low cost international telephone service. Both brothers frequently traveled between Los Angeles, New York, and London for their work. After Robert's move, the brothers continued to collaborate on various musical plays[3] until Robert's death in 2012.

Major film scores

Motion picture screenplays

Stage musicals

The London Palladium in 2004
Prince Edward Theatre in 2005
New Amsterdam Theatre in 2007

Theme park songs

Professional awards

Academy Awards

Annie Awards

  • 2000 Nominated Annie in the category of "Outstanding Individual Achievement for Music in an Animated Feature Production" for the song "Round My Family Tree" from The Tigger Movie
  • 2003 "Winsor McCay Award" for lifetime achievement and contribution to animation

BAFTA Awards

BMI

  • 1977 "Pioneer Award" awarded in Los Angeles, California.
  • 1991 "Lifetime Achievement Award" awarded at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles, California.

Christopher Award

Disney

Golden Globes

  • 1965 Nominated Golden Globe in the category of "Best Original Score" for Mary Poppins
  • 1969 Nominated Golden Globe in the category of "Best Original Score" for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
  • 1969 Nominated Golden Globe in the category of "Best Original Song" for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
  • 1974 Nominated Golden Globe in the category of "Best Original Score" for Tom Sawyer
  • 1977 Nominated Golden Globe in the category of "Best Original Score" for The Slipper and the Rose

Golden Videocassette Award

Grammy Awards

  • 1965 Won Grammy in the category of "Best Original Score for a Motion Picture or Television Show" for Mary Poppins
  • 1972 Nominated Grammy in the category of "Best Original Score for a Children's Show" for Snoopy Come Home
  • 1974 Nominated Grammy in the category of "Best Original Score for a Musical Show" for Over Here!

Laurel Awards

Moscow Film Festival

  • 1973 First Place Award in the category of "Best Music" for Tom Sawyer

National Medal of Arts

Olivier Awards

Songwriters Hall of Fame

  • 2005 induction at the Marriott Hotel on Times Square in New York City.

Theatre Museum Award

  • 2010 Career Achievement Award presented on May 17, 2010 at The Players Club in New York City.

Variety Club Awards

Walk of Fame

  • 1976 A Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame awarded to "Richard & Robert Sherman" on November 17, 1976, located at 6914 Hollywood Blvd.

References

  1. ↑ http://d23.disney.go.com/articles/051010_NF_FEAT_RichardShermanIron.html
  2. ↑ http://www.thetheatremuseum.org/press.html
  3. ↑ Playbill News: Sherman Brothers Working on New Musical Merry-Go-Round
  4. ↑ Garreau, Joel."Stan Lee, Olivia de Havilland Win Medal of Arts Honors",Washington Post, November 17, 2008
  • Sherman, Robert B. Walt's Time: from before to beyond. Santa Clarita: Camphor Tree Publishers, 1998.
  • Greene, Katherine and Richard. Inside The Dream: The Personal Story of Walt Disney. New York: Disney Editions, 2001.
  • Peterson, Monique. Disney's The Little Big Book of Pooh. New York: Disney Editions, 2002.
  • Tietyen, David. The Musical World of Walt Disney. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation, 1990.

External links


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Motion pictures and
Direct-to-videos
Stage musicals
Theme park
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Academy Award for Best Original Score
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Academy Award for Best Original Song (1961–1970)
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