An Inventory of Their Collection of Mary Poppins at
the Harry Ransom Center
Creator:
Sherman, Richard M., 1928-2024 and
Sherman, Robert B.
Title:
Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman Mary Poppins Collection
Dates:
1960-1965
Extent:
2 document boxes (0.834 linear feet)
Abstract:
The Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman Mary Poppins Collection consists of documents and published
materials relating to the musical score of the 1964 film, Mary Poppins, with materials
spanning from July 7, 1960 through 1965. The collection contains film treatments,
early
script drafts, song and sheet music drafts, a letter from author P. L. Travers, media/press
materials, lobby cards, and published song books and sheet music.
Call Number:
Film Collection FI-00037
Language:
English, French, German
Access:
Open for research. Researchers must create an online Research Account and agree to
the
Materials Use Policy before using archival materials.
Use Policies:
Ransom Center collections may contain material with sensitive or confidential information
that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers
are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable
living
individuals represented in the collections without the consent of those individuals
may have
legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy
may
arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be
deemed
highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which the Ransom Center and The University
of
Texas at Austin assume no responsibility.
Restrictions on Use:
Authorization for publication is given on behalf of the University of Texas as the
owner of
the collection and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright
holder
which must be obtained by the researcher. For more information please see the Ransom
Center's Open Access and Use Policies.
Administrative Information
Preferred Citation:
Harry Ransom Center, The University of Texas at Austin. Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman
Mary Poppins Collection, 1960-1965 (Film Collection FI-00037).
Lyricist, composer, and screenwriting brothers Robert ("Bob") Bernard Sherman (b.
December
19, 1925) and Richard ("Dick") Morton Sherman (b. June 12, 1928) were born in New
York, NY
to Russian-Jewish immigrants, Rosa (Dancis) and Al Sherman. Their father, Al Sherman,
was a
songwriter and composer in the American Tin Pan Alley era. The brothers were raised
primarily in Beverly Hills, CA where both studied piano and other various instruments.
Robert enlisted in the U.S. Army (1943-1945) and earned a Purple Heart as well as
aiding in
the Dachau camp liberation. Richard was drafted and assigned to the Army band (1953-1955).
After returning in 1945, Robert attended Bard College, majoring in English Literature
and
Painting, and his brother Richard followed in his footsteps, also attending Bard but
majoring in music.
The pair began their songwriting partnership after their father dared them that they
couldn’t write a successful song, resulting in the 1958 top 10 hit, "Tall Paul", sung by Disney Mouseketeer Annette Funicello. That
same year, Robert founded the Music World Corporation, later affiliating with Disney’s
branch of BMI (Broadcast Music Inc.), Wonderland Music Company. The attention from
" Tall Paul" got the brothers hired by Walt Disney as staff
songwriters.
Over the course of their time with Disney, the brothers wrote hits such as "It’s a Small World" (1964) and worked on countless films
including but not limited to The Parent Trap (1961), The Sword in the Stone (1963), My Fair
Lady (1964), The Jungle Book (1967), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968), Bedknobs
and Broomsticks (1971), The Lion King (1994), and
the subject of this collection, Mary Poppins (1964). The
brothers won two Academy Awards and two Grammys for the score of Mary
Poppins, as well as numerous other awards and nominations throughout their
careers.
In their late careers, Robert and Richard continued to write and produce with many
of their
films being adapted into stage shows and musicals. In 2008, they were awarded the
National
Medal for the Arts by George W. Bush. The brothers continued writing music and plays
until
Robert’s death in London on March 6, 2012. Richard later passed in Los Angeles, on
May 25,
2024.
Sources:
CBS News. "The Sherman Brothers: Disney's Great Songwriting Duo." CBS Sunday Morning, 10 Mar. 2013.
"Sherman, Al." Discography of American Historical
Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 15 May 2025.
Sherman, Robert B., and Richard M. Sherman. Walt's Time: From Before
to Beyond. Camphor Tree Publishers, 1998, pp. 109, 112–115.
Scope and Contents
Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman Mary Poppins Collection
consists of documents and published materials relating to the musical score of the
1964 film
Mary Poppins, with materials spanning from July 7, 1960
through 1965. The collection contains film treatments, early script drafts, song and
sheet
music drafts, a letter from author P. L. Travers, publicity materials, lobby cards,
and
published song books and sheet music. This collection is arranged in two series: I.
Mary
Poppins Music, 1960-1963, and II. Mary Poppins Printed Material, 1963-1965.
The physical arrangement of this collection is chronological and thematic, with Series
I:
Mary Poppins Music containing materials created before the film’s release and Series
II:
Mary Poppins Printed Material containing primarily published materials. Many of the
items in
this collection are signed by either Robert or Richard Sherman, often both. Much of
Series I
consists of printed or carbon copy script and song manuscripts with handwritten notes
by
Robert or Richard Sherman. The printed materials in Series II include French and German
song
translations, marching band and choral sheet music books, lobby cards, and publicity
material with editors’ drafts and final proofs for the Sherman Brothers.
The letter from P. L. Travers to Walt Disney consists of discussion of casting, songwriter
options, and creative suggestions such as a request for the songs to reflect Edwardian
music
hall style. This collection also contains the original sheet music and lyric manuscripts
for
the entire final soundtrack, as well as original lyric drafts and notes for songs
that were
cut from the final soundtrack.
During processing, some materials were un-bound, as some of the paper in the collection
is
very brittle and fragile.
