LAUREL and HARDY - The U.S. Tours

When one finally puts this book down,the words "ripped off","robbed","cheated","duped",easily come to mind.I won't be quite so harsh though.I will use a more utilitarian word ,"double sipping",for that is what the author has accomplished here most efficiently.Before you start thinking that I disliked what I read,you'd be way off.This is one of the best books written on The Boys which totally shatters the myth we've long heard of the two just being studio buddies,with little to no contact after work on and up until the late 40s and early 50s tours.The original book that this came from deserves a full five stars....no ifs,ands or buts.No,the problem I have with this new"revised" edition is the only thing "revised" is the size,as it has been printed bigger.And the only thing new?.....NOTHING!The author has incredulously not done his due diligence in creating a revised edition in not eliminating the same mistakes that were in the first one,things such as :duplicate paragraphs,spelling mistakes,wrong photograph names,emitted photograph names(when it is clear exactly who it is),et al.The author has also eliminated any reference to the incident that happened in /37 when The Boys were on the bill at the Roach Ranch entertaining salesmen from MGM.Unfortunately one of the salesman got too drunk and rambunctious and ended up raping one of the chorus girls there.Nothing to do with The Boys.If you want further details watch the film "Girl 27" produced by David Stenn;wonderful and enlightening.I brought this up to the author after reading the original book and he sloughed it off as if it was too provocative a topic to put in print.I thought it silly then and even more ridiculous now.If an author wants to give their readers as complete a record as possible(as any should) then they should be including all The Boys working dates(at least as much as they know),don't you think? And furthermore this would also bring to mind that if they worked THIS salesman convention for MGM,maybe they worked others in past years.There is potentially quite a few dates left out here.In conclusion,while this newer book is bigger,that's all there is,there isn't anymore! The author has failed to include anything new and he has left in every little mistake from the original volume.It's disgraceful,lazy and it is obvious double dipping on his part.I guess living in Spain must have its costs which he has to make up for some how.I am just peeved that I was one of the suckers that bought into it.If you have the first book,stay the heck away from this.This one is really for those who didn't get the first.

This was such a wonderful read. The accounts and stories bring the reader close up to these amazing people. In many ways, it feels like the author was acting as, on-the-spot reporter for the boys, sharing accurate and factual anecdotes with us all. This second addition is filled with extras and photos I had never seen before. It's really a must have for any Laurel and Hardy fan.

Fantastic Book.A.J Marriot has again filled in all the gaps in my knowledge of Laurel and Hardy's stage careers. Great content and wonderful photographs.

When one finally puts this book down,the words "ripped off","robbed","cheated","duped",easily come to mind.I won't be quite so harsh though.I will use a more utilitarian word ,"double sipping",for that is what the author has accomplished here most efficiently.Before you start thinking that I disliked what I read,you'd be way off.This is one of the best books written on The Boys which totally shatters the myth we've long heard of the two just being studio buddies,with little to no contact after work on and up until the late 40s and early 50s tours.The original book that this came from deserves a full five stars....no ifs,ands or buts.No,the problem I have with this new"revised" edition is the only thing "revised" is the size,as it has been printed bigger.And the only thing new?.....NOTHING!The author has incredulously not done his due diligence in creating a revised edition in not eliminating the same mistakes that were in the first one,things such as :duplicate paragraphs,spelling mistakes,wrong photograph names,emitted photograph names(when it is clear exactly who it is),et al.The author has also eliminated any reference to the incident that happened in /37 when The Boys were on the bill at the Roach Ranch entertaining salesmen from MGM.Unfortunately one of the salesman got too drunk and rambunctious and ended up raping one of the chorus girls there.Nothing to do with The Boys.If you want further details watch the film "Girl 27" produced by David Stenn;wonderful and enlightening.I brought this up to the author after reading the original book and he sloughed it off as if it was too provocative a topic to put in print.I thought it silly then and even more ridiculous now.If an author wants to give their readers as complete a record as possible(as any should) then they should be including all The Boys working dates(at least as much as they know),don't you think? And furthermore this would also bring to mind that if they worked THIS salesman convention for MGM,maybe they worked others in past years.There is potentially quite a few dates left out here.In conclusion,while this newer book is bigger,that's all there is,there isn't anymore! The author has failed to include anything new and he has left in every little mistake from the original volume.It's disgraceful,lazy and it is obvious double dipping on his part.I guess living in Spain must have its costs which he has to be made up for some how.I am just peeved that I was one of the suckers that bought into it.If you have the first book,stay the heck away from this.This one is really for those who didn't get the first.