Disney News and Interviews From The Mouse Castle: February 2014

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Robbie Sherman, Part Two: 'Moose' and 'A Spoonful of Sherman'

Part two of my conversation with Robbie Sherman isn't as controversial as part one, but it does have a lot to offer about Robbie's father Robert Sherman, his memoir Moose, and Robbie's new musical review, A Spoonful of Sherman, which received great notices in London and will be back for a return engagement in April.

But yeah, about that controversial part. This has certainly been an interesting week in The Mouse Castle.

As I said I would last week, I reached out to Robbie's brother Jeffrey Sherman and his cousin Gregg Sherman about Robbie's assertion that Jeff and Gregg's 2009 documentary The Boys: The Sherman Brothers Story misrepresents the true relationship between the brothers Richard and Robert Sherman. I asked both Jeff and Gregg if they would like to appear on The Mouse Castle Lounge to address Robbie's comments.

The short version is they both said no.

For the longer version, give a listen to today's Mouse Castle Lounge. After my interview with Robbie (where he tells some really great stories about his dad and Saving Mr. Banks), I give you my take on the aftermath of last week's show and the curious visit Jeff Sherman made to The Mouse Castle Facebook page.

Of course, I'd love to hear your thoughts on all this too. Please call The Mouse Castle Lounge Listener Line at (702) 475-5625 or leave your comments below. Thanks!

Download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/themousecastle/TheMouseCastleLounge02-25-2014.mp3

Related Story: Robbie Sherman Talks About His Father, the Sherman Brothers and the Kennedy Center Honors

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Monday, February 17, 2014

Robbie Sherman Talks About Robert Sherman and the Sherman Brothers in the MCL

Robert Sherman (l.) and Richard Sherman

Some interviews surprise you.

My interview with Robert Sherman's son Robbie Sherman did.

Robbie recently edited and published his late father's memoir Moose: Chapters From My Life. The book is a wonderful telling of episodes in Robert Sherman's life from his harrowing service during World War II (a battle wound would force him to walk with a cane for the rest of his life) to his award-winning success at Disney writing songs with his brother Richard. The Sherman Brothers songbook makes up a big chunk of the soundtrack of your life if you have any appreciation for Disney: Chim Chim Cheree, Winnie the Pooh, It's a Small World, Step in Time, Fortuosity, Feed the Birds, A Spoonful of Sugar. Outside of Disney, their output was just as impressive, writing song scores for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Snoopy Come Home, Tom Sawyer, The Slipper and the Rose, Charlotte's Web and others. A Sherman Brothers song adheres to the basic concept that Robert and Richard learned from their songwriting father Al Sherman. It's always singable, simple and sincere.

Robbie Sherman (l.) and Robert Sherman, 2003

In my conversation with Robbie, we talk about his dad, the Sherman Brothers, and the odyssey it took to bring Moose to print. We also discuss the 2009 documentary co-directed by his brother Jeff Sherman and his cousin Gregg Sherman, The Boys: The Sherman Brothers Story.

And here's where it gets really interesting.

I've long admired and been touched by The Boys, a bittersweet film that, while celebrating the joys of Sherman Brothers music, also laments the strained and sometimes distant personal relationship between Richard and Robert.

It's a relationship, Robbie says, that didn't exist. Any conflict or feud, he insists, was fabricated by his brother and cousin to make The Boys a more dramatic film. He feels his father wasn't portrayed fairly and takes Jeff, Gregg and Richard Sherman to task for it. This, as you would expect, has caused even more conflict in the family, which Robbie talks about in detail.

Give a listen to today's show and let me know what you think. About Robbie Sherman. About the Sherman Brothers. About Moose and The Boys. Call The Mouse Castle Lounge Listener Line at (702) 475-5625 or please leave a comment below.

Download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/themousecastle/TheMouseCastleLounge02-17-2014.mp3

Related Story: Robbie Sherman Talks About His Father, the Sherman Brothers and the Kennedy Center Honors

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www.themousecastle.com

Monday, February 10, 2014

Interview With Tom and Tony Bancroft (Part Two) in the MCL

Kronk (voiced by Patrick Warburton)
and Yzma (Eartha Kitt), The Emperor's New Groove

Eddie Murphy liked to record in the dark. Gilbert Gottfried got quiet when the microphone was off. Patrick Warburton drove an old beat up truck to the studio.

You learn a lot about people when you make an animated feature.

Tom and Tony Bancroft learned plenty.

The former Disney animators are back in The Mouse Castle Lounge this week for part two of our conversation about their fascinating careers--and they have some stories to tell about working in-studio with the voices of Mushu, Iago and Kronk. Tom and Tony also talk about the many artistic projects they've taken on since leaving Disney. Oh, and they've also managed to write a few well-regarded books on animation. And Tony is directing an animated film with a former Beatle. But other than that, the Bancroft Brothers haven't been busy at all.

Were doubling down with a twin bill today in The Mouse Castle Lounge. Enjoy!

Download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/themousecastle/TheMouseCastleLounge02-10-2014.mp3

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Monday, February 3, 2014

The Bancroft Brothers and the Annie Awards in the MCL

Mushu and Mulan

Tom and Tony Bancroft are identical twin brothers who each spent about a dozen years at Disney working on memorable films like Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and The Lion King. They worked closely together on Mulan, which Tony co-directed and where Tom animated the tiny and feisty dragon Mushu.

The Bancroft Brothers are my guests in The Mouse Castle Lounge today and they talk with me about their mutual interest in drawing growing up, their education at Cal Arts, and the people who inspired and mentored them at Disney. They also give their insight into the state of 2D animation, which Tom says is "not dead, but it's in a coma."

Also in the Lounge, I recap this past weekend's Annie Awards, where Disney had a strong showing with Frozen, Toy Story OF TERROR and Disney Mickey Mouse.

We're celebrating animation in today's edition of The Mouse Castle Lounge. Enjoy!

Download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/themousecastle/TheMouseCastleLounge02-03-2014.mp3

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