Sherman and late brother Robert’s songs remain ‘quintessential lyrical voice of Walt Disney’, says company

Richard Sherman, one half of the prolific, award-winning pair of brothers who helped form millions of childhoods by penning the instantly memorable songs for Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang – as well as the most-played tune on Earth, It’s a Small World (After All) – has died. He was 95.

Sherman, together with his late brother Robert, won two Academy Awards for Walt Disney’s 1964 smash Mary Poppins – best score and best song, Chim Chim Cher-ee. They also picked up a Grammy for best movie or TV score. Robert Sherman died in London at the age of 86 in 2012.