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Tuesday, March 6

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!

Songwriter Robert B. Sherman was Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

The tongue-twisting term, sung by Mary Poppins, is like much of Sherman's work - both complex and instantly memorable, for child and adult alike.

Sherman, who died Monday, March 5, 2012 in London at age 86, was half of a sibling partnership that put songs into the mouths of nannies and Cockney chimney sweeps, jungle animals and Parisian felines.

Robert Sherman and his brother Richard composed scores for films including "The Jungle Book," ''The Aristocats," ''Mary Poppins" and "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang."

They wrote more than 150 songs at Disney, including the soundtracks for such films as "The Sword and the Stone," ''The Parent Trap," ''Bedknobs and Broomsticks," ''The Jungle Book," ''The Aristocrats" and "The Tigger Movie."

The Sherman Brothers' won two Academy Awards for "Mary Poppins" - best score and best song, "Chim Chim Cher-ee." They also picked up a Grammy for best movie or TV score.

Most of the songs the Shermans wrote - in addition to being catchy and playful - work on multiple levels for different ages, something they learned from Disney.

Another of their songs - "It's a Small World (After All)" - became one of the most translated and performed songs on the planet - a fact that Disney employees are only too well aware!

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