After completing service in the US Army during WWII (during which he earned a Purple Heart), Richard B Sherman began working as a freelance songwriter in tandem with his younger brother Richard. Together the Sherman brothers crafted popular hits like "Things I Might Have Been" and "Tall Paul" (1958), recorded by Annette Funicello. By 1960, the brothers had become associated with Walt Disney and his burgeoning empire. For just over a decade, they provided songs for a number of classic live-action and animated films, beginning with "The Absent-Minded Professor" and "The Parent Trap" (both 1961). After writing songs for the charming Arthurian cartoon "The Sword in the Stone" (1963), the Sherman brothers had their biggest success writing the melodic and infectious score for "Mary Poppins" (1964). A then-groundbreaking blend of live-action and animation, "Mary Poppins" contained several wonderful musical set pieces, including "A Spoonful of Sugar", the lively "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious", the haunting "Feed the Birds" and the Oscar-winning "Chim Chim Cheree". Much of the score was a pastiche of English musical hall numbers and were skillfully delivered by Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke.Following this achievement, the Shermans remained at Disney for the remainder of the decade, contributing efforts to "That Darn Cat!" (1965), "The Jungle Book" (1967) and "The Aristocats" (1970). A rare non-Disney song, the title tune for United Artists' "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" (1968), earned them an Academy Award nomination. By the time, "Bedknobs and Broomsticks" (1971) was released, the siblings had severed their ties to Disney, though the film did earn them Oscar nominations for Best Song Score and Best Song ("The Age of Not Believing"). They renewed their affiliation with United Artists, scripting and scoring adaptations of "Tom Sawyer" (1973) and "Huckleberry Finn" (1974). Also in 1974, the Sherman brothers debuted as Broadway composers with the Andrews Sisters musical "Over Here!", set during WWII. They were again nominated for Academy Awards the lovely lilting score and the title song from "The Slipper and the Rose" (1976), a charming version of the Cinderella story. Two years later, Sherman and his brother were again among the nominees for "When You're Loved" from "The Magic of Lassie". More recently, they have collaborated on the songs for the animated "Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland" (1990) and "The Mighty Kong" (lensed 1994-96).
Profession(s):
composer, lyricist, screenwriter
Sometimes Credited As:
Robert Bernard Sherman
Family
brother:Richard M Sherman (Born June 12, 1928; best known for working with brother on writing the songs from "Mary Poppins," "The Jungle Book," "Winnie the Pooh," "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" and the theme park song, "It's a Small World (after all)")
daughter:Andrea Tracy Sherman (Mother, Joyce Sherman)
daughter:Laurie Shane Sherman (Mother, Joyce Sherman)
father:Al Sherman
son:Jeffrey Craig Sherman (Mother, Joyce Sherman)
son:Robert Jason Sherman (Mother, Joyce Sherman)
wife:Joyce Ruth Sasner (Married Sep. 27, 1953; died Oct. 16, 2001)
Academy Award Best Music (Song) "Chim Chim Cher-ee" 1964
Academy Award Best Music (Score-substantially original) "Mary Poppins" 1964
Grammy Award Best Score Written for a Motion Picture or TV Show "Mary Poppins" 1964
2005 Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame (June 9) alongside his brother, Richard Sherman
2002 "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" was adapted into a London West End Musical; featured many new songs and a reworked score
2000 With brother, penned the songs for the animated "The Tigger Movie"
1998 Wrote song score for the animated film "The Mighty Kong"
1990 Wrote songs for the animated "Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland"
1978 Nominated for Best Song Academy Award for "When You're Loved" from "The Magic of Lassie"; also co-scripted
1976 Co-scripted and scored "The Slipper and the Rose," adapted from the Cinderella story; earned Best Song Oscar nomination
1974 Broadway debut as songwriter, "Over Here!"; a musical starring Patty and Maxine Andrews
1973 Screenwriting debut (co-written with brother), "Tom Sawyer"; also wrote songs
1971 Last screen collaboration with Disney, "Bedknobs and Broomsticks"; nominated for music Academy Awards
1968 Wrote songs for rare non-Disney film "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang"; garnered Academy Award nomination for Best Song
1964 Had biggest success with the songs for "Mary Poppins"; won Oscars for Best Song and Best Song Score
1958 Wrote "Tall Paul"; recorded by Annette Funicello
1943 - 1945 Served in the US Army; awarded the Purple Heart
Worked as freelance songwriter with his brother; co-wrote "Things I Might Have Been" recorded by Kitty Wells
Formed Music World Publications