In this long overdue and affectionate salute, celebrated comedy historian Robert Ross pays tribute to some of the finest, funniest and most fascinating names in comedy from both sides of the Atlantic. Monty Python's Terry Jones wrote the foreword.

With the passionate input of such comics as Tim Brooke-Taylor, Hattie Hayridge, Roy Hudd, Michael Palin, Ross Noble, Chris Addison and Bernard Cribbins, Ross honours these legends of humor who, for a variety of reasons, didn't quite reach the heady heights of stardom or, once they had, couldn't cope with the pressures.

Whether it is a favorite from the distant smoke- and ale-stained world of the Music Hall like the great George Robey, or the downbeat poetry of Hovis Presley, who dropped disenchanted bombs on the late 1990s, Forgotten Heroes of Comedy will finally elevate them to the Hall of Fame where they belong. Forgotten, no longer.

Joe Baker UK

Eric Barker UK

Alfie Bass UK

Michael Bates India (to English parents)

David Battley UK

Michael Bentine UK

Harold Berens UK

Wilie Best USA

Alec Bregonzi UK

Michael Ward UK

Douglas Byng UK

Marti Caine UK

Esma Cannon Australia (but moved to UK)

Patrick Cargill UK

Jimmy Clitheroe UK

Danny Ross UK

Billy Dainty UK

Janet Davies UK

Florence Desmond UK

Jerry Desmonde UK

Eddie Leslie UK

Maidie Dickson UK

Charlie Drake UK

Jimmy Edwards UK

Gus Elen UK

Ray Ellington UK

Dick Emery UK

Pierre Etaix France

Barry Evans UK

Mario Fabrizi UK

Doug Fisher UK

Ronald Frankau UK

Leslie Fuller UK

Dustin Gee UK

Peter Glaze UK

Tommy Godfrey UK

Harry Locke UK

Ken Goodwin UK

Bernard Gorcey Russia (died USA)

Bert Gordon USA

Monsewer' Eddie Gray UK

Raymond Griffith USA

Deryck Guyler UK

Brian Hall UK

Lloyd Hamilton USA

Arthur Haynes UK

Richard Hearne UK

Dickie Henderson UK

Gerard Hoffnung Germany (died UK)

Shemp Howard USA

Nat Jackley UK

Rex Jameson UK

Spike Jones USA

John Junkin UK

Dave King UK

Roy Kinnear UK

Dennis Kirkland UK

Patsy Knox USA

Debbie Linden UK

Hugh Lloyd UK

Malcolm McFee UK

Moore Marriott UK

Graham Moffatt UK

Ray Martine UK

Zeppo Marx USA

Glenn Melvyn UK

Eric Merriman UK

Christopher Mitchell UK

Albert Modley UK

Robert Moreton UK

Gladys Morgan UK

Lily Morris UK

Richard Murdoch UK

Tom E. Murray USA

David Nixon UK

Larry Noble UK

Ole Olsen USA

Chic Johnson USA

Ken Platt UK

Sandy Powell UK

Vince Powell UK

Hovis Presley UK

Cardew Robinson UK

Joe E. Ross USA

Patsy Rowlands UK

Derek Roy UK

Derek Royle UK

Leslie Sarony UK

Larry Semon USA

Ronald Shiner UK

Johnnie Silver USA

Dennis Spicer UK

Larry Stephens UK

Jake Thackray UK

Thelma Todd USA

Jack Train UK

Karl Valentin Germany

Liesl Karlstadt Germany

Norman Vaughan UK

Tom Walls UK

Ralph Lynn UK

Elsie and Doris Waters UK

Rita Webb UK

John Wells UK

George and Kenneth Western UK

Gordon Wharmby UK

Bert Wheeler USA

Robert Woolsey USA

Albert Whelan Australia (died UK)

Robb Wilton UK

Mike and Bernie Winters UK

Georgie Wood UK

Dolly Harmer UK

Harry Worth UK

Mario Zampi Italy (died UK)