Mary Poppins Songwriter Richard Sherman Dies at Age 95

Mickey Mouse, songwriter Richard M. Sherman and Minnie Mouse pose during a dedication of Stage A on The Walt Disney Studios Lot to the Sherman Brothers, songwriters Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, before the World Premiere of Disney's "Christopher Robin," in Burbank, California, US, July 30, 2018. (Reuters)
Mickey Mouse, songwriter Richard M. Sherman and Minnie Mouse pose during a dedication of Stage A on The Walt Disney Studios Lot to the Sherman Brothers, songwriters Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, before the World Premiere of Disney's "Christopher Robin," in Burbank, California, US, July 30, 2018. (Reuters)
TT

Mary Poppins Songwriter Richard Sherman Dies at Age 95

Mickey Mouse, songwriter Richard M. Sherman and Minnie Mouse pose during a dedication of Stage A on The Walt Disney Studios Lot to the Sherman Brothers, songwriters Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, before the World Premiere of Disney's "Christopher Robin," in Burbank, California, US, July 30, 2018. (Reuters)
Mickey Mouse, songwriter Richard M. Sherman and Minnie Mouse pose during a dedication of Stage A on The Walt Disney Studios Lot to the Sherman Brothers, songwriters Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, before the World Premiere of Disney's "Christopher Robin," in Burbank, California, US, July 30, 2018. (Reuters)

Richard Sherman, 95, a man behind famed Disney songs that delighted generations, such as "It's a Small World (After all)" and Mary Poppins' songs "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious," "Chim Chim Cher-ee" and "Spoon full of Sugar" died on Saturday, the Walt Disney Co announced on its website.

He passed at a Beverly Hills California, hospital. The cause was only listed as an "age-related illness," a Disney obituary said.

Sherman was one half of the famed songwriting team "the Sherman Brothers" along with his late brother Robert Sherman, and he was regarded as part of Walt Disney's inner creative circle.

Among non-Disney movies, the Sherman Brothers wrote songs for the hit 1968 children's film "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang."

The brothers were lauded as among the most prolific composer-lyricists of the era. They wrote more than 200 songs and garnered nine Academy Award nominations, won two Oscars and three Grammy Awards, and also earned 24 gold and platinum albums over a decades-long career.

“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,” Walt Disney CEO Bob Iger said in a statement.

Before his career in songwriting, he majored in music at Bard College and served a stint in the US Army, where he was a conductor for an Army band and glee club in the early 1950s.

In 2005, the brothers were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Three years later, they were awarded the National Medal of the Arts, presented at the White House.

He was preceded in death by Robert Sherman in 2012.

Sherman is survived by his wife of 66 years, Elizabeth, his son Gregory and numerous other relatives. Plans for a public service were not announced.



Daniel Radcliffe, Jeremy Strong Win Tony Awards

Daniel Radcliffe accepts the award for best performance by an actor in a featured role in a musical for "Merrily We Roll Along" during the 77th Tony Awards on Sunday, June 16, 2024, in New York. (AP)
Daniel Radcliffe accepts the award for best performance by an actor in a featured role in a musical for "Merrily We Roll Along" during the 77th Tony Awards on Sunday, June 16, 2024, in New York. (AP)
TT

Daniel Radcliffe, Jeremy Strong Win Tony Awards

Daniel Radcliffe accepts the award for best performance by an actor in a featured role in a musical for "Merrily We Roll Along" during the 77th Tony Awards on Sunday, June 16, 2024, in New York. (AP)
Daniel Radcliffe accepts the award for best performance by an actor in a featured role in a musical for "Merrily We Roll Along" during the 77th Tony Awards on Sunday, June 16, 2024, in New York. (AP)

The Tony Awards for excellence in Broadway theater Sunday highlighted history with awards for a musical on the suffragette movement, a gritty remake of a book set in the 1960s and a tale of a 1970s rock band.

The ceremony took place for the first time at New York City's Lincoln Center with Tony-nominated and Oscar-winning actress Ariana DeBose hosting the awards ceremony for the third year in a row, after presiding over last year's writerless event with an elaborately choreographed dance number.

Shaina Taub won best score and best book of a musical for "Suffs," the story of the suffragette movement, featuring an all-woman cast.

"Stereophonic" took the Tony Awards for best play and best direction for Daniel Aukin. David Adjmi's play about a 70s-era rock band making an album, featuring original songs by Will Butler, formerly of Arcade Fire, broke the record for the most nominations for a play in Tonys history.

"Succession" star Jeremy Strong won best lead actor in a play for his role in the Henrik Ibsen play "Enemy of the People," and Daniel Radcliffe, best known for his starring role in the Harry Potter movie franchise, won best featured actor for "Merrily We Roll Along."

Will Brill beat out two other actors in his production, "Stereophonic," for best featured actor in a play. Kara Young, who is the first Black actor, male or female, to be nominated for a Tony three years in a row, won the award for best featured actress in a play for her role in "Purlie Victorious."

Justin Peck won the best choreography Tony for the dance musical "Illinoise," which brought Sufjan Steven’s 2005 concept album “Illinois” to the stage.

Danya Taymor won for direction of a musical an adaptation of S.E. Hinton's coming-of-age novel “The Outsiders,” upsetting favored “Merrily We Roll Along” actor Maria Friedman.

Dancers including DeBose, reviving her Oscar-winning role as Anita in Steven Spielberg’s film version of “West Side Story,” paid tribute to Broadway legend Chita Rivera, who died this in January at the age of 91.

During a pre-show event hosted by actors Julianne Hough and Utkarsh Ambudkar and streamed on the free platform Pluto TV, Tonys were awarded mostly in technical categories.