Laurel and Hardy Books

[Gary Sayers]

Following on from Osi's thread about Stan and Ollie films on 8mm and some of the info on L & H books (thank you Shorty and Maurice), I thought it would be fun to see what books on the boys were in our collections.




Mine consists of the following:


The Comedy World of Stan Laurel (HB) - John McCabe

Mr Laurel & Mr Hardy (HB & PB) - John McCabe

Laurel and Hardy The Magic Behind the Movies (PB) - Randy Skretvedt

The Laurel and Hardy Movie Scripts (PB) - Randy Skretvedt

The Films of Laurel and Hardy (PB) - William K. Everson

The Best of Laurel and Hardy (HB) - Richard J. Anobile

Laurel and Hardy The British Tours Part 1 (PB) - A. J Marriot

Laurel and Hardy The British Tours Part 2 (PB) - A. J Marriot

The Lighter Side of Laurel and Hardy (PB) - A. J Marriot (WH Smith Exclusive)

Laurel and Hardy Comedy Legends (PB) - Michael Heatley (WH Smith Exclusive)

Stan (HB) - Fred Lawrence Guiles

Stan and Ollie The Roots of Comedy (PB) - Simon Louvish

Laurel & Hardy Quote Unquote (HB) - Neil Grant

Larry Harmon's Laurel & Hardy Annual No 1 (HB) 1972

Larry Harmon's Laurel & Hardy Annual (HB) 1976


There's loads and loads of Laurel and Hardy books out there and it's difficult to know the good from the bad. I've not read every single book in my list from cover to cover yet but the one's that I have, are very good.

Here's photos of my books. Anyone else have any of these editions?



I've also attached a few photos from 'The Best of Laurel and Hardy' by Richard J. Anobile, as this is basically 'photonovels' of various scenes from different films and this is not really apparent from the book cover.

[Joe Caruso]

The, but THE book to have, is the one that started a thorough appreciation towards them. That being John McCabe's MR. LAUREL AND MR. HARDY, from Doubleday in 1961....there is one book I need; The L&H Stock Company..

[Maurice Leakey]

I have anther which you can add.
Laurel & Hardy by Annie McGarry. It's a hardback and quite large at 12" x 9". Full of great photos. Highly recommended.
Laurel and Hardy: Amazon.co.uk: McGarry, Annie: 9781854223968: Books

[Terry Sills]

I've got the 'Quote Unquote' book. Didn't realise there were so many others, but then again they were so popular and loved around the world. Always and often imitated but never equaled.

[Osi Osgood]

I only have one, "Laurel and Hardy" text by John McCabe, Compiled by Al Kilgore, Filmography by Richard E. Bann, 1983. Hardbound. Great book!

[Melvin England]

I can recommend "The Laurel & Hardy Encyclopedia" by Glenn Mitchell forwarded by John McCabe.

This is a 336 page paperback from Reynolds & Hearn publications,.

[Joe Caruso]

Everson's FILMS OF...is a fine read from 1967, a prelude for what was coming...Shorty

[Bill Phelps]

I also have The Films of....it is a nice reference book I use a lot. That is a very nice collection of books you have there Gary!

[Gary Sayers]

Thanks Bill. I didn't realise just how many I had until I was putting this list together.

[Osi Osgood]

I admire that you have the Anobile book of Laurel and Hardy! Very rare these days!

[Gary Sayers]

Thanks Osi, it's a fantastic book. It has that weird effect that, if you're familiar with the scenes in it, you can hear the dialog and music in your head as you look at the still frame images.

[Eberhard Nuffer]

Any questions left on the Boys?

I also like Brian J. Robb's "Pocket Essential Laurel & Hardy" for quick reference.
And Scott MacGillivray covers very interesting details about their later career in "From the Forties Forward. "

[Osi Osgood]

Ahhh, I see mine up there, fourth down the left, top row!

[Gary Sayers]

Nice collection Eberhard.

Osi, I will probably get that one at some point too (don't know how I missed it in the first place - it's John McCabe for goodness sake).

[Joe Caruso]

Personally, looking for MAKING OF ATOLL K, and the one highlighting THE AMERICAN TOURS...Cheers, Shorty