Disney Legend Robert Sherman Passes

Disney has lost a legend, as songwriter Robert Sherman died March 5 in London. Born in Manhattan in 1925, the more reclusive of the famous sibling writing team lived out his later years "across the pond," where he had relocated after the death of his beloved wife. His son Jeffrey posted this to Facebook on March 5: "My Dad, Robert B. Sherman, passed away tonight in London. He went peacefully after months of truly valiantly fending off death. He loved life and his dear heart finally slowed to a stop when he could fight no more."

It's virtually impossible to be even remotely aware of Disney films, television productions, or Disney theme parks without experiencing the brilliant work of Robert Sherman. Likewise, one cannot catalogue Robert Sherman's accomplishments without mention of his brother, Richard Sherman. Though the relationship was at times tumultuous, together the Sherman Brothers penned more than 200 songs for at least 27 films and dozens of television productions--not to mention the music that saturates the Disney Parks. With a career spanning five decades, the brothers won a host of musical awards and continue to be recognized for their contributions to film, television, and theatre. Here are just a few of my personal favorite Sherman Brothers tunes:

• "It's a Small World" (Interesting side note: this song was originally written as a slow ballad.)


• "One Little Spark" (Journey into Imagination)


• "Feed the Birds" (Mary Poppins)


• "There's a Great, Big, Beautiful Tomorrow" (Carousel of Progress)


• "I Wanna Be Like You" (The Jungle Book)

For more insight into the music and life of Robert Sherman, I highly recommend the documentary, The Boys: The Sherman Brothers' Story.

Watching More Disney Documentaries

This weekend I watched The Boys: The Sherman Brothers' Story, a documentary about one of the most famous and prolific songwriting teams, Bob and Dick Sherman, who were responsible not only for dozens of Disney hits but for several non-Disney songs as well. If you've been to Walt Disney World or seen a classic Disney movie, you've probably heard a Sherman brothers tune. Here's a sampling of some of their most famous work:

• Film scores for Mary Poppins, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, The Aristocats, Snoopy Come Home, and many others.


• Billboard chart-topping hits such as "Tall Paul", "You're Sixteen", and "Let's Get Together."


• The score of the Broadway smash Overe Here!, which was the largest-grossing orignal Broadway musical of 1974.


• Songs for numerous Disney Parks attractions, including "It's a Small World", "In the Tiki Room", and "There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow" (Carousel of Progress).

The Boys,which debuted in 2009, features interviews with dozens of famous faces from film and music, including Roy E. Disney, Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, Randy Newman, John Williams, and Angela Landsbury. The complicated and often strained relationship of these two musical genius brothers is on full display here, courtesy of their sons Gregory Sherman and Jeffrey Sherman--cousins who rarely had the opportunity to play together as children, despite the fact that they lived only a few miles from each other.

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie...perhaps more than any of the Disney documentaries I have previously watched. Perhaps it's because I'm a music person at heart. Or maybe it's because of all the famous faces who shared their insight. But I think it's mostly because their story is just so compelling--the complexity...their personality differences...the way that, even after years of being more or less estranged, the brothers greeted each other as if nothing had transpired between them. Fascinating!

In case you're wondering, Bob Sherman now lives in London...he moved there several years ago after the death of his wife. But Dick Sherman maintains his close ties to Disney, and was a featured performer at the Destination D event at Disney World this past weekend.

I give The Boys two thumbs way up and encourage you to check it out when you have a chance.