August 22, 2024

479: Mary Poppins & A Sherman Brothers Tribute

1 hour 9 minutes

This D23: Ultimate Fan Event 2024 celebrated The Sherman Brothers in a big way. They have contributed so much to Disney's legacy, so we wanted to take this episode to pay our own special tribute to them. Walt Disney hired Richard and Robert Sherman in 1960 to be the Walt Disney Studios ONLY in-house composers, and they worked on such classics like Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book, The Parent Trap, "The Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room", "it's a small world after all", and hundreds more. Richard and Sarah give a brief history of the Sherman Brothers and share our personal stories meeting Richard Sherman.

Then, sit back and listen to the entire "Road To Cherry Tree Lane: Walt Disney's Mary Poppins" panel, recorded at D23 2024. Disney music historian Randy Thornton hosted this panel in which he shares how Walt's daughters Diane and Sharon, Davy Crockett, Disneyland/Vista Records, and Annette Funicello were all crucial intersections on "The Road to Cherry Tree Lane " and Walt Disney's Mary Poppins. You'll hear some great history, and also audio excerpts from the story meetings between the Sherman Brothers and P.L. Travers - writer of Mary Poppins books. If you watch this episode on YouTube, you'll see a slideshow of images to go along with the panel.

Prepare yourself, because the tributes continue! During the D23 Disney Parks Showcase panel at The Honda Center on 8/10/24, Meghan Trainor stepped onstage to sing "Feed The Birds", and we've included an excerpt here.

Today in Star Wars History - 8/19/1973

Happy Birthday Ahmed Best! For the Star Wars Prequels, Ahmed Best provided the motion capture and voice for Jar Jar Binks who was the first fully-computer-generated supporting character in a feature film.

He also provided the voice for Jar Jar in Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series and has a cameo as Achk Med-Beq in Attack of the Clones.

Ahmed returned to the Star Wars saga in a flashback to Order 66 in The Mandalorian episode, "Chapter 20: The Foundling," He is the Jedi Kelleran Beq who saves Grogu. Best had previously appeared as Kelleran Beq when he hosted the children's game show, Jedi Temple Challenge.