Robert Sherman, a songwriter best known for his work for Disney films and attractions, died Monday at age 86. With his brother Richard, Sherman wrote many of Disney’s most memorable tunes, including “It’s a Small World (After All)” and songs for Mary Poppins (for which they won Academy Awards), The Jungle Book, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Charlotte’s Web and many others.
In addition to tongue-twisting show tunes like “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,” the brothers also wrote pop songs, including Johnny Burnette’s 1960 hit “You’re Sixteen” (later a Number One hit by Ringo Starr). In 2008 the Sherman brothers received the National Medal of Arts from President George W. Bush. “A piece of our childhood has ben taken away,” said film music historian Jon Burlingame.
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