Yes. Richard M. Sherman, who co-wrote the songs for Mary Poppins with his older brother Robert, died on May 25, 2024, at age 95. The Walt Disney Company said he died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Beverly Hills due to age-related illness.
What to know about Richard Sherman’s death
Sherman was born in New York City on June 12, 1928. Disney reported his death and described the cause as age-related illness; D23 also records that he died in Beverly Hills at 95.
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He was one half of the Sherman Brothers songwriting partnership. Their work on the 1964 film Mary Poppins earned two Academy Awards: one for original score and one for the song “Chim Chim Cher-ee.” The Walt Disney Company’s remembrance and D23’s tribute recount his life and career.
How the Sherman Brothers shaped Mary Poppins
Richard and Robert Sherman wrote songs that helped give the film its distinctive musical voice. Richard described the approach behind their work in an Associated Press interview: “He once told us, early on in our career, ‘Don’t insult the kid — don’t write down to the kid. And don’t write just for the adult.’ So we write for grandpa and the 4-year-old — and everyone in between — and all see it on a different level.”
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The brothers’ collaboration was central to that approach. In a joint interview with Robert, Richard put their partnership simply: “Something good happens when we sit down together and work.” The Associated Press also noted their songwriting credits beyond Disney, including Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Charlotte’s Web, Snoopy Come Home and The Slipper and the Rose. The Associated Press report includes the brothers’ comments on their work.
A catalog far beyond one film
Mary Poppins may be the best-known entry point, but the brothers’ Disney work reached across films, television and theme parks. Disney lists music associated with The Jungle Book, The Parent Trap, Bedknobs and Broomsticks and The Aristocats. D23 says that during their Disney period, they wrote more than 200 songs for 27 films and two dozen television productions.
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The Sherman Brothers also wrote music for the 1964–65 New York World’s Fair, including “It’s a Small World” and “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow.” The Library of Congress describes the songs’ place in Disney’s fair exhibits and their role in the history of the event. The Library of Congress account of the 1964–65 New York World’s Fair provides that historical context.
Career and awards figures
The Walt Disney Company described Sherman’s career as spanning 65 years. Its remembrance credits him with nine Academy Award nominations and two wins for Mary Poppins, three Grammy Awards and 24 gold and platinum albums. These are Disney’s published totals; awards and album counts can differ depending on how organizations define the partnership’s work.
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D23’s figure of more than 200 songs covers the brothers’ Disney period and specifies 27 films and two dozen television productions. It should not be read as a total for their entire songwriting career.
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Sherman’s own description of writing for both children and adults offers a concise explanation of the brothers’ appeal across generations: a song could delight a young listener while offering something different to an adult. Their output moved from movie musicals to television and theme parks, so the work was encountered in more settings than cinema alone.
In a tribute quoted by D23, Disney CEO Bob Iger called Sherman “the embodiment of what it means to be a Disney Legend,” and described the songs he created with Robert as “a cherished part of the soundtrack of our lives.”
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