The brothers who made Mary Poppins sing

Richard M. Sherman and his brother Robert created some of the most beloved songs in cinema history. They were the song-writing duo that convinced jazz star Louis Prima to transform into King Louie, the devious King of the Apes in The Jungle Book. And if you ever wondered what Walt Disney’s own personal favourite song was, well, it’s on the Sherman Brothers’ Oscar-winning soundtrack to Mary Poppins. Outlook’s Maryam Maruf met Richard in 2016. He belted out some of his classic tunes on his piano, and told her the stories behind their creations – including persuading a prickly PL Travers to assent to the screen transformation of her beloved Mary; and his own sibling rivalry with his brother Robert. Image: Richard M. Sherman, Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, and Robert B. Sherman on the set of Mary Poppins Credit: Courtesy of Richard M. Sherman