Laurel and Hardy
The British Tours
by "A.J." Marriot
with a foreword by Lord Delfont
The
description, "Everywhere they went they were mobbed by thousands of screaming,
adoring fans" might make one think that the subjects of this book are four
mop haired singers from Liverpool, but one would be wrong: for the scenes
predate by some thirty years the mob hysteria that came to be known as
"Beatlemania," and were caused by the appearances of a skinny little
English comedian and a rather large American actor who, together, became
the funniest comedy duo of all time.
Remarkably, LAUREL and HARDY The British Tours is the first documentary of their three postwar tours. It covers their shows in detail, including the critical reviews at the time. Every theatre engagement and every act they worked with during the two years in total spent in Britain is recorded, Readers are also given a full account of their travel arrangements, the hotels they stayed in, the people they met, and of Stan's visits to his former homes and the theatres he played as a juvenile.
Television and radio appearances, previously undocumented charity shows, public appearances, and frame by frame accounts of rare film footage are fascinatingly disclosed. Show business celebrities Norman Wisdom, Ray Alan and Peter Goodwright - along with support acts from the Laurel and Hardy shows give anecdotes about these two most respected of comedians and large contributions have been made by the two men responsible for introducing Laurel and Hardy to the British Variety Theatre Lord Delfont and Billy Marsh.
But the book is more than just an extended date sheet; it is an account of the love which the British retained for the two Hollywood comedians after Hollywood had turned its back on them. It is a story of two brilliant performers who had to learn to adapt from film to stage-work, and survive through the changing modes of comedy and the changing moods of theatre audiences.
It is also a story of two men, handicapped by age and illness, overcoming
the exhaustion of
touring
and performing thirteen shows per week. All is brought to light in this engaging
book. The early chapters reveal many little known details of the first twenty-two
years of Laurels life spent in his home country of England, especially his
years touring the British music halls, when he was the unknown comedian
Arthur Stanley Jefferson. Many previously unrecorded dates and theatrical
reviews of his appearances including those with The Fred Karno Company of
Comedians, as understudy to Charlie Chaplin are listed.
The short publicity tour of Britain which Laurel dnd Hardy made in 1932 is also featured. This whirlwind tour of public appearances between London and Glasgow is recounted so well that the reader will feel he is traveling with them. The crowds of thousands who mobbed Laurel and Hardy, and left them reeling from the onslaught, are graphically described. and the resultant feelings of the two recipients, on discovering for the first time that they were world famous, is admirably narrated.
To compile LAUREL and HARDY The British Tours the author spent hundreds of hours poring over old newspapers, and art equal amount of time in interviewing waitresses, taxi drivers, receptionists, hoteliers, theatre managers, stage staff, and Laurels relatives. Journalists who, in turn, interviewed Laurel and Hardy, and members of the public who met them, all helped to complete the picture of this missing period In the careers of the world's greatest comedy duo.
Laurel and Hardy- The British Tours is extensively illustrated with many previously unpublished photographs, and is the book that every true fan has been waiting for.
TO BUY A SIGNED COPY DIRECT FROM THE AUTHOR, GO HERE: BRITISH TOURS BOOK
FOR SALE FROM US:
The British Tours Postcards
BIRMINGHAM |
LIVERPOOL |
LEEDS |
GLASGOW |
NOTTINGHAM |
FINSBURY PARK |
MANCHESTER |
CHARING CROSS |
Tour Collector Pack ONE consists of eight PORTRAIT 'Laurel and Hardy' postcards depicting Theatre Box Office cards from the actual time they appeared live on stage.
Tour Collector Pack ONE 8 cards - £4.99 10 EUROS $10 USA Prices include postage
SET ONE- Add to Paypal Cart or go to our : HOW TO PAY PAGE.
£4.99 |
10 EUROS |
$10 USA |
Also see special offer for both sets together at the bottom of this page!
THE 1947 TOUR PHOTO POSTCARDS
Laurel and the Hardy take time out during their week at Butlin’s, Skegness, to judge the “Holiday Lovelies” competition. |
The Mayor welcomes Laurel and Hardy to Tynemouth, before driving them to Stan's former home in North Shields, on the Wednesday of their week at the Newcastle Empire |
When Laurel & Hardy played the Glasgow Empire, Stan came up with the idea of wearing kilts . |
Upon their arrival at Southampton, England, on the Queen Elizabeth, Laurel seems to be pointing at Hardy and saying: “Look who this is.” |
The only Laurel & Hardy 1947 publicity handout that was actually taken on their British tour |
Stan and Babe get their boyhood wish to be engine drivers, when they re-open the Romney Hythe & Dymchurch Railway Line, Kent. |
Stan & Ollie making a ‘live’ radio broadcast for Morecambe Night Out, on the Thursday of their week at Morecambe Winter Gardens. |
Laurel & Hardy, and Harry Moreny – the cop in “The Driver’s Licence,” sketch, entertain a young fan backstage at the London Palladium. |
1947 TOUR Pack TWO 8 cards - £4.99 10 EUROS $10 USA Prices include postage
Also see special offer for both sets together at the bottom of this page!
SET TWO- Add to Paypal Cart or go to our : HOW TO PAY PAGE.
£4.99 |
10 EUROS |
$10 USA |
Please note; Rest of World please use the DOLLAR SHOPPING CART
Both
Postcard Sets
(TOUR BOX OFFICE CARDS and PHOTO CARDS) for..
£8.99 UK / 17 EURO'S/ $18 USA-REST OF WORLD
Add Both sets to Paypal Cart or go to our : HOW TO PAY PAGE.
£8.99 |
17 EUROS |
$18 USA |
***********************************
All features on this site are (c) The Laurel & Hardy Magazine
BACK TO THE LAUREL & HARDY MAGAZINE INDEX PAGE.
BACK TO THE LAUREL AND HARDY MAGAZINE HOME PAGE
Laurel and Hardy,LAUREL,HARDY,BEATLEMANIA,book,books,Marriot,documentary,Hollywood,Delfont, Stan ,Oliver, London,postcard, postcards,Official, videos, feature films, silent movies,comedy classics, Sons of the Desert, Hal Roach, comedy, Way out West ,Dick und doof, Stanlio and Ollio,LAUREL,HARDY,&,Laural.
