These films, while far from the team's best work, were still very successful with moviegoers. The films, budgeted between $300,000 and $450,000 each, earned millions at the box office for Fox and MGM. The Fox films were so profitable that the studio kept making Laurel and Hardy comedies after Fox discontinued its other "B" series films. The busy team decided to take a rest during 1946, but 1947 included their first European tour in 15 years. A film named "Robin Hood" was planned to be filmed during the tour but was not realized. In 1947 Laurel and Hardy famously attended the re-opening of the Dungeness loop of the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway, where they performed several improvised routines with a steam locomotive for the benefit of the local crowds and dignitaries. In 1948, upon the team's return to America, Laurel was sidelined by illness and temporarily unable to work. He encouraged Hardy to take movie parts on his own. Hardy's friend John Wayne hired him to co-star in "The Fighting Kentuckian" for Republic Pictures, and Bing Crosby got him a small part in Frank Capra's "Riding High". In 1950–51, Laurel and Hardy made their final feature-length film together, "Atoll K". This film was a French-Italian co-production directed by Leo Joannon, but was plagued by problems with language barriers, production issues, and the serious health issues of both Laurel and Hardy. During the filming, Hardy began to lose weight precipitously and developed an irregular heartbeat. Laurel was experiencing painful prostate complications as well. Critics were disappointed with the storyline, English dubbing, and Laurel's sickly physical appearance in the film. The final draft of the script was handed to Laurel upon arrival, which he found objectionable due to its heavy political content overshadowing the comedy. He quickly rewrote the screenplay, with screen comic Monty Collins contributing visual gags, and hired old American friend Alf Goulding to direct the Laurel and Hardy scenes. The film was not a commercial success on its first release (although it did finally turn a profit when re-released in other countries) and it brought an end to Laurel and Hardy's film careers. In 1954 an American distributor removed 18 minutes of footage and released the film as "Utopia"; this American edit has been widely released on film and video, and is the best-known version of the film. After "Atoll K" wrapped in April 1951, the team returned to America and used the remainder of the year to rest.