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Richard M. Sherman, ‘Mary Poppins’ and ‘It’s a Small World’ Songwriter, Dies at 95
Richard M. Sherman, two-time Oscar winner who collaborated with brother Robert B. Sherman on the songs for “Mary Poppins,” “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” and the enduring Disneyland tune “It’s a Small World (After All),” died Saturday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Beverly Hills due to age-related illness. He was 95.
The Sherman brothers worked in a job that no longer exists: inhouse songwriters for a studio. In their case, the studio was Disney, and the brothers were hired for that steady gig after their 1958 song “Tall Paul” was a hit for Mouseketeer Annette Funicello.
In the early 1960s, they penned tunes for Hayley Mills in Disney films “The Parent Trap,” “In Search of the Castaways” and “Summer Magic,” as well as songs for “The Absent-Minded Professor” and “Moon Pilot”; Walt Disney, always aware of synergy, made sure his family comedies had a tune with radio-play potential. The Shermans wrote for the animated “Sword in the Stone” (1963), which was a big hit, but their career really skyrocketed the following year. Their “Small World” song debuted at the New York World’s Fair, in a boat ride past audio-animatronic puppet-children singing and spinning to the song continuously. After the World’s Fair, the attraction transferred to Disney theme parks. The song is the ultimate ear-worm: Once heard, it’s never forgotten, meaning the millions of people who have experienced the ride can sing the song at the drop of a hat.
Also in 1964, the Shermans wrote the songs for “Mary Poppins,” which was their biggest success. The brothers won Oscars on both of their nominations, for music score and for song “Chim Chim Cher-ee.” The score also includes “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,” “A Spoonful of Sugar” and a song that was a personal favorite of Disney, “Feed the Birds.”
The Shermans worked directly for studio topper Disney until his death in 1966. After that, they continued to provide material for the studio, including the musicals “The One and Only Genuine Original Family Band” (1967) and “Bedknobs and Broomsticks” (1971) and occasional animated films, notably the 1967 “The Jungle Book” (including “I Wanna Be Like You,” performed by Louis Prima).
They began to alternate work for the studio with other gigs. Their first non-Disney assignment came with Albert R. Broccoli’s 1968 film “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” which garnered the brothers their third Academy Award nomination.
Even when they weren’t working for the Mouse House, their songs carried a Disney sensibility — bouncy and positive, without any of the cynicism so prevalent in creative works (including music) in the late 1960s and 1970s. All of the Shermans’ songs had a catchy hook, and straightforward, unfussy lyrics with an upbeat attitude. At their best, the duo came up with “Feed the Birds,” heartbreaking in its tenderness, or “Wanna Be Like You,” an infectious Dixieland-style number.
On the other hand, their “Small World” and “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” (written for Disneyland’s Carousel of Progress) are like commercial jingles: less than a minute long and with a sing-song simplicity that is either fun or grating, depending on your mood.
They wrote the score for a WWII-era musical, “Victory Canteen,” that ran for seven months at the Ivar Theatre in Hollywood. That evolved into the 1974 Broadway show “Over Here!” with a book by Will Holt and starring two of the Andrews Sisters, Patty and Maxene. It was nominated for five Tony Awards but is best remembered for a cast of little-known performers including John Travolta, Marilu Henner, Treat Williams and Ann Reinking.
In 1973, the Sherman brothers became the first Americans to win top prize at the Moscow Film Festival, for “Tom Sawyer,” for which they also wrote the screenplay. They also penned the song score and script for “The Slipper and the Rose” (1976), a musical retelling of Cinderella.
The 2000 film “The Tigger Movie” featured a song score by the brothers, their first work on a Disney film in nearly 30 years.
The Shermans certainly had their share of misfires, but their best work has been long-lasting. In 2002, a legit “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” including six new songs by them, premiered at the London Palladium, while the Broadway production launched in 2005.
A legit “Mary Poppins” bowed in 2004 in the West End and two years later on Broadway. It featured the Shermans’ songs from the film, plus added tunes by others. P.L. Travers, author of the original “Mary Poppins,” was said to be so unhappy with the Disney film that she told legit producer Cameron Mackintosh that no Americans would be allowed to work on the stage version.
The tense Disney-Travers relationship was chronicled in the 2013 Disney film “Saving Mr. Banks,” in which Jason Schwartzman played Richard, and B.J. Novak portrayed Robert.
Robert Sherman had died in 2012, but Richard was an enthusiastic campaigner for the film during awards season, appearing at screenings and fronting a sing-along at the Beverly Hills Hotel for awards voters.
In all, the brothers earned nine Oscars (seven of them from 1968 through 1978) plus four Grammy Award nominations (and two wins) and 23 gold and platinum albums. In 2008, they were awarded the National Medal of Arts at the White House by President George W. Bush.
In May 2009, Disney released the documentary “The Boys: The Sherman Brothers’ Story” and later that year, the company released “The Sherman Brothers Songbook,” a two-CD set covering 42 years’ worth of their songs for the studio.
Most recently, Richard Sherman made a cameo in “Once Upon a Studio,” the 2023 live-action/animated crossover short that celebrates 100 years of stories and magic at the Walt Disney Company. Iconic characters like Snow White, Peter Pan and Robin Williams’ Genie appear in a cast of 543 characters from more than 85 feature-length and short films. In “Once Upon a Studio,” Richard Sherman plays “Feed the Birds” on the piano in Walt Disney’s Burbank office.
“Richard Sherman was the embodiment of what it means to be a Disney Legend, creating along with his brother Robert the beloved classics that have become a cherished part of the soundtrack of our lives,” said Bob Iger, CEO of the Walt Disney Company. “From films like ‘Mary Poppins‘ and ‘The Jungle Book’ to attractions like It’s a Small World, the music of the Sherman Brothers has captured the hearts of generations of audiences. We are forever grateful for the mark Richard left on the world, and we extend our deepest condolences to his family.”
Richard Sherman was born in 1928, three years after Robert. Their father was a songwriter, and the family moved around frequently but settled down in Beverly Hills in 1937. After his 1946 graduation from Beverly Hills High School, Richard Sherman went to Bard College, majoring in music.
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.
World
Intense Israeli strikes hit Iran and Lebanon as US warns the bombardment will ‘surge dramatically’
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Intense Israeli airstrikes pounded the capitals of Iran and Lebanon early Friday as the U.S. apparently struck an Iranian drone carrier at sea in its unrelenting campaign against the Islamic Republic’s fleet of warships.
Iran launched new retaliatory attacks in the Middle East at the end of a full week of bombardment, which U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned was “about to surge dramatically.”
Israel’s military said Friday morning it had begun “a broad-scale wave of strikes” on Tehran, Iran’s capital. Witnesses described the Israeli airstrikes as particularly intense, shaking homes in the area. Others reported explosions around the Iranian city of Kermanshah in an area that is home to multiple missile bases.
The Israeli military said strikes have already destroyed most of Iran’s air defenses and missile launchers.
The war has escalated to affect countries across the Middle East and beyond. Early Friday, Iran fired missile and drone attacks into Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, all countries that host U.S. forces. There were no immediate reports of casualties.
In Lebanon, where the war has rekindled fighting between Israel and Iran-allied Hezbollah militants, Israel launched a series of airstrikes late Thursday into Friday in the southern suburbs of Beirut and other areas. Motorists jammed roads trying to flee or seek shelter.
The U.S. and Israel have battered Iran with nationwide strikes, targeting their military capabilities, leadership and nuclear program.
In addition to Israel, Iran’s attacks have targeted their Arab neighbors, disrupted oil supplies and snarled global air travel. The war has killed at least 1,230 people in Iran, more than 120 in Lebanon and around a dozen in Israel, according to officials in those countries. Six U.S. troops have been killed.
US says it struck an Iranian drone carrier
The U.S. military said early Friday that it struck an Iranian drone carrier, setting it ablaze.
The U.S. military’s Central Command released black-and-white footage of the burning carrier. The Iranian military did not immediately acknowledge the attack.
The drone carrier, the IRIS Shahid Bagheri, is a converted container ship with a 180-meter-long (yard) runway for drones. The vessel can travel up to 22,000 nautical miles without needing to refuel in ports, reports said at the time of its 2025 inauguration.
Adm. Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command, described the carrier as “roughly the size of a World War II aircraft carrier.”
“And as we speak, it’s on fire,” Cooper told reporters.
Earlier in the week, an American submarine sank an Iranian frigate off the coast of Sri Lanka as it was returning from an exercise hosted by the Indian navy that the U.S. also joined. The sinking killed at least 87 sailors.
Under cover of darkness Friday morning, B-2 stealth bombers dropped dozens of 2,000 pound “penetrator” bombs on deeply buried ballistic missile launchers inside Iran, Cooper said.
“We’ve also struck Iran’s equivalent of Space Command, which degrades their ability to threaten Americans,” Cooper said.
Speaking alongside Cooper, Hegseth gave few details when he promised an upcoming surge.
“It’s more fighter squadrons, it’s more capabilities, it’s more defensive capabilities,” Hegseth said. “And it’s more bomber pulses more frequently.”
Iran targets country’s hosting US forces
Qatar’s Defense Ministry reported early Friday it intercepted a drone attack targeting Al Udeid Air Base, which hosts the forward headquarters of the U.S. Central Command.
Saudi Arabia intercepted and destroyed three ballistic missiles fired early Friday toward Prince Sultan Air Base south of Riyadh, which hosts U.S. forces, said a spokesperson for Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense.
Air raid sirens sounded in Bahrain, where the Interior Ministry said Iranian strikes targeted two hotels and a residential building. It said there were no casualties. In Kuwait, where the six U.S. soldiers were killed Sunday, the Kuwaiti army said its air defenses were activated when missile and drone attacks breached Kuwait’s airspace.
Cooper said Iranian attacks had now hit a dozen countries, who would be welcome to play a more active role in the conflict.
“Those 12 countries are none too happy and I look forward to working with all the partners who are willing to join us,” he said.
Trump again urges Iranians to “take back” their country
In brief remarks at the White House, U.S. President Donald Trump again urged the Iranian people to “help take back your country.” This time he promised the U.S. would grant them “immunity” amid the war and ongoing dangers under the current Iranian regime.
“So you’ll be perfectly safe with total immunity,” Trump said, without giving any details about what that meant. “Or you’ll face absolutely guaranteed death.”
Cooper and Hegseth cautioned Iranians not to take to the streets while the conflict is still raging, however.
“It’s common sense, don’t go out and protest while bombs are dropping” Hegseth said.
“The best thing for them to do now is just to lay low,” Cooper added.
In an interview with the news website Axios, Trump said he should be involved in choosing Iran’s new supreme leader to replace Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the opening strikes of the war. Trump spoke dismissively of Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, being a front-runner to replace his father, calling him “a lightweight.”
“We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran,” Trump said.
Iranian officials meet to discuss new leadership
Iranian state television reported Friday that a leadership council had started discussing how to convene the country’s Assembly of Experts, which will select the new supreme leader.
The leadership council includes President Masoud Pezeshkian, judiciary chief Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejehi and cleric Ayatollah Ali Reza Arafi.
The statement provided no timeline on the selection of the supreme leader, nor information on whether the Assembly of Experts would meet in person or remotely for the vote.
Buildings associated with the Assembly of Experts, a 88-member clerical panel, have been attacked during the Israeli-U.S. airstrike campaign.
Israel hits Lebanon with multiple airstrikes around Beirut
Israel carried out at least 11 airstrikes late Thursday and early Friday, targeting the southern suburbs of Beirut. Fires broke out near a gas station.
The Israeli army issued a warning Thursday evening, urging residents to “save your lives and evacuate your homes immediately.” Two hospitals evacuated patients and staff. No casualties were immediately reported.
The Lebanese health ministry said the death toll has risen to 123 since the resurgence of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, which struck Israel in the opening days of the war.
A spokesperson for the U.N. peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon, Tilak Pokharel, said Thursday that peacekeepers had seen and heard clashes, including ground combat, in southern Lebanon as more Israeli forces have moved across the border.
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Bynum reported from Savannah, Georgia, Rising from Bangkok and Abou AlJoud from Beirut, Lebanon. AP journalists around the world contributed.
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This version has corrected the date of the ship’s inauguration to 2025, not 2005.
World
Private flights account for 30% of departures from Oman airport as wealthy evacuate Middle East
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Long border crossings, SUV convoys and six-figure jet charters have become the new escape route out of the Middle East as Operation Epic Fury intensifies, with private flights now accounting for nearly a third of all departures from Oman’s main airport.
FlightRadar24, a real-time flight tracking platform, reported that while Oman continues to be a “vital” hub for evacuation and repatriation flights, private flights accounted for 31% of operations Wednesday at Muscat International Airport.
As of Thursday afternoon, the platform reported more than 30% of all movements at the airport were private flights.
Semafor reported earlier this week that airports in Oman and Saudi Arabia were drawing ultra-wealthy travelers looking to leave the countries.
Oman continues to be a “vital” hub for evacuation flights at its Muscat International Airport. (Christopher Pike/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
People familiar with the matter told the outlet that private security companies have been booking fleets of SUVs to take people on the 10-hour drive from Dubai to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where private flights are available.
The clientele evacuating the region are a mix of senior executives at global finance firms and wealthy travelers in the region for business or vacation, according to Semafor.
LIV golfer Jon Rahm, a two-time major winner, was just one of the wealthy who arranged flights amid the turmoil.
MIDDLE EAST CRUISE NIGHTMARE DEEPENS AS IRAN AIRSTRIKES LEAVE PASSENGERS STRANDED
Rahm arranged a charter flight through his partnership with VistaJet, a private aviation company, to fly the seven stranded LIV golfers and a caddie from Oman to Hong Kong after their flights were canceled.
After a more than four-hour drive to Oman, the crew flew to Hong Kong.
A spokesperson for Air Charter Service, a company that acts as a global broker for private jets and freight transport, told FOX Business the company has arranged more than 10 evacuation flights, with more scheduled, mainly out of Oman with passengers looking to flee Dubai.
AMERICAN STUCK IN MIDDLE EAST ESCAPES IN RACE TO REACH CRITICALLY ILL HUSBAND IN CALIFORNIA
FlightRadar24 shared flights flying in and out of Muscat airport. (@Flightradar24 via X)
“We evacuated some of our own staff who were just visiting the region, and we arranged transport via the Hatta crossing into Oman from the UAE to get them to Muscat from where they flew out of the region,” the spokesperson said. “The border crossing time at Hatta took around 3–4 hours, as of Sunday, but I suspect this has increased now, as more people look at this option.”
Light flight jet trips from Muscat, Oman, to Istanbul, Turkey, are reportedly going for more than $93,000, according to Forbes, which said the price was about double the usual rate.
The outlet added the same route on heavy jets can cost up to $140,000.
AMERICANS IN MORE THAN A DOZEN MIDDLE EAST NATIONS URGED TO FLEE
This map shows the targets of Iran’s retaliatory strikes. (Fox News)
The U.S. and Israel launched attacks on Iran Saturday, triggering retaliatory attacks targeting countries in the region that host U.S. interests.
Mora Namdar, Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs, advised U.S. citizens to leave Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
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The limited number of available aircraft has pushed up prices, as citizens and travelers attempt to flee.
Fox News Digital’s Ryan Morik and Ashley Carnahan contributed to this report.
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