Allan Sherman (born Allan Copelon) was a television producer and song parodist. Many of his songs were reworkings of folk songs, popular standards, and classical music – often incorporating Jewish humor.

Sherman began writing song parodies in the 1940s, but spent most of the 1950s producing television shows like I’ve Got A Secret and What’s Going On?. In the early 1960s, while living next door to Harpo Marx, his parodies became a highlight of Marx’s parties with celebrities like Jack Benny and George Burns in attendance.

Burns in particular was so impressed, he recommended Sherman to Warner Brothers Records, who signed him and released the Grammy nominated My Son, The Folk Singer, followed by My Son, The Celebrity. Sherman was also nominated for a Best New Artist Grammy that year.

Sherman’s third album My Son, The Nut made him an international star when its Grammy winning single “Hello Mudduh, Hello Fadduh! (A Letter From Camp)” hit #2 in the US and #14 in the UK. Not only did My Son, The Nut reach #1 in the US, but both of his earlier albums shot into the top 40 that summer. By this time, even President Kennedy was a fan of his work.

Sherman’s fourth album Allan In Wonderland peaked at #25 the following spring. Peter and the Commissar, a spoof of Peter And The Wolf about communism recorded live with the Boston Pops, surfaced that summer along with a ‘New 1964 Recording’ of “Hello Mudduh, Hello Fadduh!” (also titled “Return To Camp Granada”). For Swingin' Livers Only! followed late that year, peaking at #32 and earning Sherman his last Grammy nomination.

In 1965, Sherman scored his final US top 40 hit with “Crazy Downtown”, a parody of Petula Clark’s “Downtown”. It was included on his first Best Of collection also released that year. Four more albums followed over the next few years with only modest success. During this time, he also created two one-hour television specials and wrote two books.

His 1969 musical The Fig Leaves Are Falling was considered a flop and closed after just four performances. Meanwhile his fame and personal life deteriorated, and Sherman died in 1973 of a heart attack.