His morale-boosting shows during WWI were a much-needed tonic for weary troops.
Now a sketch of Scots entertainer Sir Harry Lauder in full stage flow is set to raise up to £20,000 at auction.
The 1915 sketch, by revered Scottish Colourist Francis Cadell, is to come under the hammer in Edinburgh next month.
The Star and Beauty Chorus shows Sir Harry in mid-song and in trademark highland regalia.
Behind, is a chorus line of kilt-clad women.
Sir Harry’s wartime concerts raised money for wounded servicemen and the entertainer toured in earnest following the death of his only son during battle.
A spokesman for Bonham’s auctioneers said Cadell’s piece almost certainly depicts one of the many recruitment and fund raising concerts which Lauder staged.
Cadell was the only one of the four Colourist painters to serve in the First World War and saw action on the Western Front with the 9th battalion the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and the 9th battalion, the Royal Scots.
At that time, Sir Harry was one of the great stars of the music hall and variety eras.
In 1911, he was the highest earning performer in the world thanks to songs such as I Love a Lassie and Roamin’ in the Gloamin.
His war time concerts took on extra poignancy with performances of the End of the Road, written in memory of his son who was killed in France in 1916.
That piece made him internationally famous and he toured all over the English speaking world.
He was knighted in 1919 for his untiring efforts during the war to raise money for wounded servicemen through the Harry Lauder Million Pound Fund and his concerts for the troops.
Francis Cadell had close associations with the theatre.
His sister Jean was a well known Scottish actress, appearing in the Ealing comedy Whisky Galore and opposite W C Fields as Mrs Micawber in the 1935 Hollywood version of Great Expectations.
Her grandson Simon – Cadell’s great nephew – starred in the hit BBC comedy Hi Di Hi and her granddaughter Selina is also an actor.