▁The ▁films , ▁budget ed ▁between ▁$ 3 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁and ▁$ 4 5 0 , 0 0 0 ▁each , ▁earned ▁millions ▁at ▁the ▁box ▁office ▁for ▁Fox ▁and ▁M GM . ▁The ▁Fox ▁films ▁were ▁so ▁prof itable ▁that ▁the ▁studio ▁kept ▁making ▁La ure l ▁and ▁Hard y ▁com ed ies ▁after ▁Fox ▁dis cont in ued ▁its ▁other ▁" B " ▁series ▁films . ▁ ▁The ▁busy ▁team ▁decided ▁to ▁take ▁a ▁rest ▁during ▁ 1 9 4 6 , ▁but ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁included ▁their ▁first ▁European ▁tour ▁in ▁ 1 5 ▁years . ▁A ▁film ▁named ▁" Rob in ▁H ood " ▁was ▁planned ▁to ▁be ▁fil med ▁during ▁the ▁tour ▁but ▁was ▁not ▁realized . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁La ure l ▁and ▁Hard y ▁fam ously ▁attended ▁the ▁re - open ing ▁of ▁the ▁D ungen ess ▁loop ▁of ▁the ▁Rom ney , ▁Hy the ▁and ▁D ym ch urch ▁Railway , ▁where ▁they ▁performed ▁several ▁impro vised ▁rout ines ▁with ▁a ▁steam ▁locomot ive ▁for ▁the ▁benefit ▁of ▁the ▁local ▁crow ds ▁and ▁dign itar ies . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 8 , ▁upon ▁the ▁team ' s ▁return ▁to ▁America , ▁La ure l ▁was ▁s idel ined ▁by ▁ill ness ▁and ▁tempor arily ▁unable ▁to ▁work . ▁He ▁encourag ed ▁Hard y ▁to ▁take ▁movie ▁parts ▁on ▁his ▁own . ▁Hard y ' s ▁friend ▁John ▁Wayne ▁h ired ▁him ▁to ▁co