Unseen footage reveals Dick van Dyke singing ‘Mary Poppins’ with THE Richard Sherman on piano

20 May 2025, 14:57 | Updated: 23 May 2025, 17:16

Two Disney legends unite in this fly-on-the-wall footage, which shows Dick van Dyke singing ‘A Spoonful of Sugar’ with Oscar-winning composer Richard M. Sherman on keys.

60 years since the release of Mary Poppins, Dick van Dyke is still lovingly remembered for his performance as Bert the all-singing, all-dancing chimney sweep in the 1964 Disney film. And here’s proof that even with age, the music never leaves you…

In footage that appears to have been filmed last year, when van Dyke was 98 and Sherman was 94 years old, the two nonagenarians are seen performing music from the film with infectious enthusiasm and musicality – with a waxwork of young van Dyke as Bert in his Barbershop-style pinstripe suit standing in the foreground.

Dick and friends attempt to recall the lyrics to ‘A Spoonful of Sugar’ and ‘Chim Chim Cher-ee’ as Sherman continues to noodle at the piano, his timeless melodies still comfortably under his fingertips. The composer passed away a few months later.

A certified Disney legend, Richard M. Sherman’s magically optimistic music, created with his brother Robert B. Sherman, brought joy to millions. Best known as the Sherman Brothers, the Oscar-winning songwriting duo produced more movie song scores than any other songwriting team in film history.

Read more: Who were the Sherman Brothers, Hollywood’s most prolific musical duo?

Dick van Dyke performs 'A spoonful of Sugar'

Sherman’s years at high school in Beverly Hills were spent cultivating a lifelong love for music. He took lessons in piano, flute and piccolo, and at his graduation in 1946, he played a flute-piano duet with none other than André Previn (Previn was a pianist and conductor, who directed leading orchestras including the LSO and led the way in classical music comedy with his Morecambe and Wise sketch ‘All the Right Notes’).

The year before, his brother Robert had been among the first soldiers to enter Dachau concentration camp on 29 April 1945. In 1953, Richard was drafted into the US Army where he would continue fostering his love of music in the glee club, before returning to his first love two years on.

As chance would have it, Previn and Sherman both went on to win Academy Awards for music in 1964 – Previn for scoring My Fair Lady, and the Sherman Brothers for scoring Mary Poppins, plus the Best Original Song award for ‘Chim Chim Cher-ee’.

The brothers worked for Walt Disney until the entrepreneur’s death in 1966. In 1990, they were inducted as Disney Legends.

Read more: Emily Blunt was intimidated by filling Julie Andrews’ shoes in Mary Poppins

Apparently, the Sherman Brothers were among the few individuals who had the privilege of playing the piano in Walt Disney’s office. They used to go in after Walt had had a bad day and play ‘Feed the Birds’, Walt’s favourite. Walt would sit and stare out the window, and listen.

Robert Sherman died in 2012, and his brother Richard passed just last year, in May 2024 aged 95. Today, their work remains the quintessential sound of Disney movies.

When Richard passed away, Bob Iger, CEO of The Walt Disney Company, released a statement saying: “Richard Sherman was the embodiment of what it means to be a Disney Legend, creating along with his brother Robert the beloved classics that have become a cherished part of the soundtrack of our lives.

“The music of the Sherman Brothers has captured the hearts of generations of audiences. We are forever grateful for the mark Richard left on the world.”