LAUREL and HARDY the BRITISH TOURS
STEVE COOGAN as Stan Laurel
The pressure to play the man who is your comedy hero, and to do him justice, can be totally overwhelming, so I was lucky to have A.J Marriot’s book to hand. “The British Tours” was a very special resource, and it offered an essential insight into Stans partnership with Oliver Hardy; their dedication to their craft; and the personal significance – especially for Stan – of touring the UK.
A.J Marriot analyses Stan’s sketches beautifully, and reveals the perfectionism that drove his work. The book also contains rare behind-the-scenes photographs and personal testimonies that capture the joyous spirit of these tours for the audiences who had the chance to see their legends spring to life, as well as for Stan and Ollie themselves.”
Steve Coogan
GEOFF POPE – (Screenplay writer “Stan & Ollie”)
When I had the idea of writing a screenplay about my comedy heroes, Laurel & Hardy, I took inspiration from this wonderful compendium of the Boys’ British tours. A.J. Marriot, a lifelong fan, and comedian of some repute himself, has assiduously, meticulously and skilfully gathered together every priceless scrap of information about those British jaunts that Stan & Ollie so enjoyed.
Starting with the triumphal procession of their first British tour in the thirties, when they were at the peak of their fame, through to the last, poignant tours of the fifties, when Laurel and Hardy were struggling with the physical demands of the constant travelling and performing.
‘A.J’ provides us with a glimpse into the lives of the men behind those inimitable movie characters. He goes under the Bowlers to show them as they were, all their struggles and frustrations off stage, and their brilliance once the curtain lifted.
He put together this record of their tours because he felt that what had happened should be recorded for posterity. For this we should all be eternally grateful.
Jeff Pope
LAUREL and HARDY
The British Tours
pt 1 – Screen to Stage
The story starts where our comedy heroes meet up at the Hal Roach Studios and become an inseparable partnership. We then fast forward to the promotional tour of major cities in England and Scotland, which they undertook in the summer of 1932.
Fast forward again to their 1947 British stage tour, for which readers are given a full account of every theatre engagement and every act they worked with; their travel arrangements; the hotels they stayed in; the people they met; previously undocumented public appearances; and descriptions of the crowds of thousands who mobbed them and left them reeling from the onslaught.
A4 Softback – 210 pages – 325 rare and previously unpublished illustrations. Extensively revised, reformatted, and expanded 2019 Edition.
LAUREL and HARDY
The British Tours
pt 2 – The Last Stage
Part 2 covers the 1952 and 1953-54 Tours, and is the engaging story of the love which the English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh people retained for these two comedy legends after the USA had turned its back on them, and how they adapted from film- to stage-work, and survived through the changing modes of comedy, and the changing moods of theatre audiences.
Readers are given a full account of the theatres they played, the acts they worked with, their travel arrangements; the hotels at which they stayed; the people they met; and their many public appearances – all complemented by scores of rare photographs from these tours.
A4 Softback – 208 pages – 265 rare and previously unpublished illustrations. Extensively revised, reformatted, and expanded 2019 Edition.
But the books are far more than just extended date-sheets: they touchingly narrate the story of two legendary film comedians, now handicapped by age and illness, having to overcoming the exhaustion of touring and performing up to thirteen shows per week, just to grind out a living on the theatre circuit, thousands of miles away from home. All is brought to light in these engaging books.
Laurel and Hardy Books Reviews
You have done what I did not think possible, you have enhanced and increased my love for Laurel and Hardy – and for that you have my thanks. (JOHN ROCHE – Pembroke)
What I really liked about your book is that you managed to paint portraits of the two men that showed they could be human. I think you get more of a sense of them as people than from any other of the Laurel and Hardy books. (JIM PEPPER – California)
Your book made me laugh and made me cry. How strange it is to have such strong feelings about two people I never met, but then your book brought them alive. What more could one wish for?
(TANIA M. EDWARDS – London W14)
Words fail me in adequately expressing my heartfelt appreciation to you for writing this important history in the lives of Laurel and Hardy.
(MARK A. MILLER – Columbus, Ohio)
I don’t think I have ever enjoyed a book so much as Laurel and Hardy – The British Tours. (DAVID KING – New Milton)
Your book documents much that was not known by Sons. It’s truly outstanding. (GINO DERCOLA – Columbia, USA)
I read your book in one go, and felt I was actually there. Every Son should have a copy. (ARTHUR WESTWOOD – Atherton)