Laurel and Hardy are, undoubtedly, the most famous, and popular, screen comedy double-act of all time. As a team, and as solo actors, they made hundreds of films, most of which are available to view. But their comedy work wasn't solely in films. Laurel spent several years working on the British variety stage, followed by several more touring the United States in Vaudeville. Babe Hardy too had spells on the American stage early on in his career, as a singer in vaudeville and cinemas.

When Laurel and Hardy's screen career was over, Stan returned to the British Variety stage, and took with him his American partner, Oliver 'Babe' Hardy. So what of the accounts of all the years these comic geniuses spent on stage? Films starring the "Stan & Ollie" characters have spawned hundreds of books and thousands of articles, but written work on their stage shows wouldn't fill one magazine, much less a book. Not, that it is, until along came: Laurel and Hardy The U.S. Tours.

The Laurel and Hardy Revue (1940)

Played mostly 1 week-long dates at theatres and cinemas in 13 US cities, including -
CHICAGO, Illinois; MILWAUKEE, ST. LOUIS, Missouri; Wisconsin; HARTFORD, Connecticut;
OMAHA, Nebraska;  BUFFALO, Illinois; MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota.

... which found Laurel, Hardy, John Garfield, Chico Marx and others entertaining the troops at Army and Naval bases around the Caribbean, including: Trinidad, Antigua, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia.

Played mostly 1 week-long dates at theatres and cinemas, taking in: CINCINNATI; CLEVELAND; CHICAGO; and MILWAUKEE - to name but four of the US cities played.

... with such Hollywood stars as: Frances Langford, Pat O' Brien, Rise Stevens, Joan Blondell, Desi Arnaz, Eleanor Powell, Charlotte Greenwood, Frank McHugh, Charles Boyer, Jerry Colonna, Bert Lahr, Cary Grant, Bette Davis, Oliver Hardy, Stan Laurel, Elyse Knox. Bob Hope,Bing Crosby, James Cagney, Groucho Marx, Joan Bennett, Claudette Colbert, Olivia de Havilland, and Merle Oberon.