An exact three-dimensional elasticity solution is obtained for cylindrical bending of simply-supported laminated anisotropic cylindrical shell strips subjected to transverse loading. Displacements and stresses are presented for different angle-ply layups and radius-to-thickness ratios, so as to serve as useful benchmark results for the assessment of various two-dimensional shell theories. Finally, in the light of these results, the accuracy of the Love-type classical shell theory is examined. © 1993 by ASME.