A FANFARE IS AWAITING ‘WALT’S GUYS’

In this video age, when pop song-makers have gained unprecedented exposure, two of the industry’s most successful veterans contentedly remain mere faces in the crowd.

“We’re not visible guys,” Richard Sherman said with a shrug as he and his brother, Robert, sat among posters, photographs and other memorabilia in their cozy office just off the Sunset Strip. “We’re from the older school: Love our songs--not us.”

As staff writers with Walt Disney from 1960-69, the Shermans wrote dozens of tunes the world has loved: the songs from “Mary Poppins (for which they garnered a pair of Academy Awards in 1964), “Winnie the Pooh,” “The Jungle Book,” “The Parent Trap,” etc. They also authored the little ditty that thousands of adults have struggled vainly to flush from their heads after a day at Disneyland--”It’s a Small World.”

Now middle-aged and still making occasional contributions to various Disney projects (the theme song for Tokyo Disneyland, for instance), the Shermans have been comfortable with their anonymity. “I was in Rome years ago,” Dick recalled, “and watched as four Italian schoolgirls skipped right by me singing ‘Chim Chim Cher-ee’ (from “Mary Poppins”). I was thrilled.”

Such modesty is admirable. But after three concerts by the Los Angeles Philharmonic saluting the 30th anniversary of Disneyland at Hollywood Bowl, beginning Sunday night with a benefit for the Los Angeles Children’s Museum (and repeating Aug. 23 and 24), the Shermans, like it or not, will be “invisible” no longer.

“When we were told about the concert,” Bob said, “we thought, ‘Great. We’ll come and watch.’ But the organizers told us we were to perform. Hey, we’re demonstrators, not performers. Then they told us we would be receiving the Mousecar--Disney’s Oscar--which is quite an honor. How could we refuse?”

Just before the fireworks finale, the brothers will stroll on stage, gather ‘round the piano and dig into their song bag, offering a rare opportunity, said Dick, “to hear those songs the way Walt first heard them. I’ll play and sing them, and Bob will talk about them.” His eyes twinkled. “And there’ll be some surprises.” Expect a few Disney characters to wander on stage to pay their respects.

Bob smiled in anticipation of the concert. “I know that two people will be watching us from up there (pointing heavenward): our dad and Walt. Both were so important in our careers.” Their father, Al Sherman, penned such ‘30s hits as “You Gotta be a Football Hero” and “He’s So Unusual” (recently revived by Cindy Lauper).

Openly admitting their undying love for Disney, the brothers repeatedly grew misty-eyed at the memory of “that very personal, magical thing” they had with him.

The relationship began in 1960 after Disney had heard a hit song by the Shermans--then successful pop writers--sung by former Mousketeer Annette Funicello, “Tall Paul.” As Dick recalled, “Walt invited us to his office to talk about a film he was doing with Annette. But then he started talking about another film, ‘The Parent Trap.’ We played ‘Let’s Get Together (Yeah, Yeah, Yeah)’ for him, and all he said was, ‘It’ll work.’ Later, we found out that meant we were in.”

From then on, the Shermans were known as “The Come-Through Boys” at Disney. “We were Walt’s guys,” Dick said. He recounted the brain-storming that Disney and the Shermans did on “Mary Poppins”: “Walt gave us the book to look at. It had no plot line, only a series of non-connected incidents. We finally found seven chapters we thought would work.

“When we showed him our outline, he quietly retrieved his copy of the book--with the same seven chapters circled.”

That was typical, said Dick, of their “storybook relationship” with Disney. Bob continued the thought as if on cue (a conversation with the Shermans tends to consist of overlapping sentences): “The sun was shining. It was beautiful. You know, it was always our dream to be more than just pop songwriters.”

After Disney died in 1966, “it just wasn’t the same,” Dick said. “I really don’t want to say anything negative about anyone (at Disney). It just wasn’t the same with Walt gone.”

Gradually, the brothers began composing and occasionally scripting their own films for other studios: “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” “Tom Sawyer,” “Huckleberry Finn” and “The Slipper and the Rose.” And stage shows, too: “Over Here!” and “Victory Canteen.”

Though the Shermans haven’t written a hit for some time now, occasionally an earlier chartbuster will reappear unexpectedly.

Noting the strange twists of the pop industry, Dick gave a chuckle. “Our first Disney hit, ‘Let’s Get Together,’ came years before the Beatles’ and their ‘Yeah, Yeah, Yeah.’ But in 1974, who do you think did a big remake of our song, ‘You’re Sixteen’? Ringo Starr.

“Yes, it’s a small world.” The Shermans enjoyed a hearty laugh at Dick’s musical pun.