One of the world's great comedy teams set out on a variety hall tour of Britain in 1953. Diminished by age and with their golden era as the kings of Hollywood comedy now behind them, they face an uncertain future. As the charm and beauty of their performances shine through, they re-connect with their adoring fans. The tour becomes a hit, but Stan and Ollie can't quite shake the specter of Laurel and Hardy's past.

Stan, surprisingly, is the first full-length biography of the legendary comic who was the creative half of the universally loved duo, Laurel and Hardy. Based upon scores of interviews with family and friends (including the intimate diaries of Virginia Ruth Laurel, whom Stan married three times) and enhanced by a magnificent collection of previously unpublished photographs, Stan tells the very human story of Laurel's struggle to survive against difficult...