This is topic Gaumont-Kalee 21 ( Sexy beast) in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.
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Posted by James Robertson (Member # 888) on 07-05-2001, 05:25 AM:
Apropos the best/worst projector, Id like start a thread on the Kalee 21 surely the best looking projector ever built. Mark Gulbrandsen was right on the money when he desribed its looks as Art Deco. I don't think it would be out of place in an Art Deco museum. Please no comments that that's where it really belongs 
Interesting also that Mark says it gets his best projector vote whilst Stefan Scholz gives it his worst projector vote:confused
Anyway is there anyone out there who has some good pictures of this beautiful looking beast and can post them here or on the Pictures section of Film Tech. I'm sure some of our younger projectionists who know nothing of this 1950's design will be quite startled by its good looks.
Jim Robertson
Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 07-05-2001, 05:24 PM:
The kalee has the best fit and finsish of any projector I have seen. And oh, that Chris Craft base thay made for it was pretty cool.
The Phillips are next for best fit and finish. The Model 21 was way ahead of its time as a post war projector. Single blade, double speed shutter, oil bath, and that solid cast iron main frame that couldnl't be bent or dented if you hit it with a sludge hammer. Sure, they had their problems but then don't all projectors.
Posted by Will Kutler (Member # 770) on 07-05-2001, 05:35 PM:
Anyone have pictures of this sexy-beast?Also, does anyone know if there are any Simplex Grandeurs laying around somewhere-in a museum maybe? I would like some pics and info. I understand that they were modified Supers for 35/70 and changed to 35/50. Ran in an oil-bath?
Posted by Ben Wales (Member # 92) on 07-05-2001, 05:47 PM:
Yep: They were Yorkshire's Best built at the Kershall in Leeds,
will post some original pictures of the GK21, I will try to scan in from the original service manual.
Posted by Rob Jones (Member # 902) on 07-05-2001, 06:14 PM:
Hi,Over at the uni York (not too far from Leeds) we're still running a model 20. I'm not sure exactly how similar this is to the 21 but agreed its still a damn good workhorse - 30 years and still going strong (albeit with a few modifications over the years!)
I can't get in to take any pics at the moment as we're all away till October but I may have some hidden away somewhere - I'll send them in if I can find them.
Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 07-05-2001, 06:22 PM:
Ben said kalee yorkshires best
I thought that was Tetleys
Posted by Stephen Jones (Member # 16) on 07-05-2001, 09:59 PM:
Ah yes the Kalee 21 one of my favourites,have very good memories useing these great machines over the years.There are still some about still in use.A pair are in use in a reopened thatre about 3 hrs from here I hope to pop down for a loook one day.They have the full Kalee package 21projector,sound head and the president lamp house on the Kalee pedistal.I have threading diagram here if that is of any use James.
Only prob with the Kalee is the aperture plate, put the wrong one in You have to stop the show to change it happened to me once or twice and they can leak a bit but nothing serious and is easy fixed.They would have been the most solid projector ive used.Steve
Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 07-05-2001, 10:52 PM:
A friend of mine has a Grandeur projector. Check out the Chicago Cinema Museum pics here in the pictures archives. He did not haev the Grandeur set up on display at the time I took all the pictures though. It is definately NOT an adaptation of a Super Simplex, and the thing weighs in at around 800 lbs for just the head. It has an integral optical sound reproducer and is definately oil bath. His machine originally was in the Malkammes collection.
Mark @ GTS
Posted by Rick Long (Member # 213) on 07-05-2001, 11:22 PM:
I apprenticed on GK20's back in the early 60's. Still the best projectors I ever worked with. As was already mentioned, just don't forget to change the aperture plate.
Posted by Dick Vaughan (Member # 540) on 07-06-2001, 02:17 AM:
GordonWash your mouth out. Yorkshire's finest? Black Sheep Rigwelter ale 
We have a Kalee 21 complete with Varimorph on display outside the projection room in Pictureville. this machine was actually installed in Leeds University and lovingly cared for by the (in)famous Jim Shultz hence the legend "Jimbo 21" applied to the control plate. Will try and post pictures later today.
Talking about Varimorph perhaps that could become Mr Redifer's new user name
Posted by David Kilderry (Member # 142) on 07-06-2001, 06:54 AM:
Certainly a projector remembered often is the Kallee 21. The plants I used leaked a bit ( a lot actually), but they were certainly well put together, in fact over-engineered in my opinion.I start to think they were right up with my favourites until I remember that crazy aperture set-up. They could not forsee multiple formats during the original design but if not for this gate design many more would be in operation today.
We sold 9 Kallee projectors last year from our storage facility (7 x 21's, 2 x 19's). After lugging a few down stairs over the years I thought they were the heaviest projectors made along with Cinemeccanica Vic 8 and Vic 10...........then I ran into the AAII (DP70) wow, no projector would even approach the fully assembled weight of one of these Philips monsters.
David Kilderry
Posted by Stephen Brown (Member # 292) on 07-06-2001, 08:28 AM:
The Kalee 21 seems to have been a popular choice in Australia. I learned on 21's with the carbons, and 20 minute reels. I'll scan the photos I have of them (back in 1980) and I'll send them in so you can all have a look. Yep, they leaked a bit of oil, but they were built solid to last. They looked awfully impressive with the varimorphs on the front. I didn't mind the aperture plate setup. It made me double check the plate everytime I did a format change. I guess it made me a better operator, getting me into the check, check, and then check again mentalitySteve Brown
Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 07-06-2001, 08:46 AM:
I've never met a 21 that didn't leak oil. There are still a few of them around. There's a Kalee running cinema 2 at the Valhalla in Sydney, also running Hornsby Cinema and there's one sitting as a spare machine in the main booth at the Randwick Ritz...although not for much longer. If you would like to buy it, it's up for sale.------------------
"If you think THIS is fantastic...wait until you see the full effect with the HIMP!"
- Chief Inspector Clouseau.
Posted by Pete Naples (Member # 761) on 07-06-2001, 08:55 AM:
I've run the odd Kalee or two in my time, unfortunately mine were well past their best by the time a young whippersnapper like me came to be their lord and master. That said they were reliable old lumps, albeit very noisy, and with a propensity for chewing shutter drive and rep set transfer gears. I guess like all of us, they were just getting older.I don't actually know of any still in use in Scotland, the former CAC Orient Express, later Robin's in Dunfermline had a 19 and a 21 when I worked there, but that's closed now 
(
About the aperture; I agree it was a pain in teh butt to change apertures, however, I have seen a GK20 on in the North of England that has been modified to take a century type plate. As this machine was serviced by Jim Schulz, my best guess is that this is one of his creations.
btw, I am in the process of modifying some GK racking handles to use as door knobs in my house!
Posted by Rob Jones (Member # 902) on 07-06-2001, 09:07 AM:
If anyone's after one we currently have one sitting unloved in several pieces in the corner of the office Afaik its complete with the original soundhead although I have the feeling its been scavenged for parts over the years. The main problem has been moving the damn thing! Its not got the base, but even so....While I'm thinking about this, has anyone had any experience converting the soundhead to be compatible with cyan sound tracks? Jack Roe said they could convert a Jax Light to fit in there, but It'd be nice to be able to do the job ourselves if we could!
Posted by Bill Purdy (Member # 202) on 07-06-2001, 11:17 AM:
Wow! Did you give me the perfect opportunity! We manufacture a conversion for the Kalee sound head models 378,543, or 876. This unit allows for not only today's wonderful reverse scan with 660 nm red LED light source, but you can add Dolby Digital as well. Because the Kalees were so well made they pull film with the accuracy needed for both very low wow and flutter in analog, and stable film positioning for solid digital. We have one here in our shop (complete with nice new belts) which was loaned to us by Dick Prather of Portland. I don't think that he wants it back, so, if anyone wants to come to Seattle to fetch it....................
For a picture and blurb please go to:
http://www.componentengineering.com/readers.html
------------------
Bill Purdy
Component Engineering
Posted by Bernard Tonks (Member # 809) on 07-06-2001, 03:35 PM:
Fine projectors for their day (1947) built like tanks. During my freelance days I worked GK21 projectors also a complete GK20 outfit with the normal rounded spool boxes. I never liked the brown colour or the aperture plates which inserted at the top of the gate between the gate runners. I was told that there was a gate modification that allowed aperture plates to be inserted side on. A friend of mine was equipped with the complete GK21s and was very happy with them, his only criticism being the long gates that could not always maintain even focus on buckled prints. The huge base of the 21 was also known as the Elephants Foot. The GK21 was also the only projector to show 34mm film, Mike Todd, (of Todd AO fame) Around The World In 80 Days at the Astoria Theatre Charing Cross Road, London in the late 1950s. Why 34mm film ? this was to overcome 35mm cinemas having to show a percentage of British made films every year (British quota laws).
..................................................................... Jim Schultz did an interesting article on The Gaumont Kalee 21 in the October 1989 issue of Cinema Technology. Here are some interesting short extracts allowed by the BKSTS.
Gaumont Kalee 21, GK21, and the initial equipment was basically for theatres over 2000 seats. The massive pedestal assembly incorporated the bottom spool box, mains input terminations, arcbeam and soundhead platform, and would require the efforts of five or six men to lift or move it. To distinguish it from later pedestal systems, it earned the unofficial name of Queen Mary assembly and became disliked for both its weight and size.
To further the success of the GK21, the Rank organisation (who had acquired the well known Kershaw Kalee company) had engaged the services of various advisers including stylists and psychologists one of whom had previously worked on the design of the popular Triumph Mayflower car. Known as the Razor Edge style, the resemblance could easily be seen in the full GK21 assembly.
Although even heavier in build than the previous Kalee 12, the machine was reasonably conventional except for the double speeded, single blade flicker shutter which claimed to pass about 4-1/2 % extra light. The shutter shaft ran at 2880 rpm.
Two other versions of the GK21 are worth a mention, one the 70mm prototype, which was never demonstrated, and the VistaVision models that were. The Rank Organisation had accepted Paramount Pictures wide screen system with some enthusiasm and had produced a number of films in the process. Four GK21 projectors were modified for horizontal film traction and eight perforation shift, and two London West End theatres equipped with a pair each (Odeon Leicester Square and Plaza Piccadilly Circus). VistaVision, in its showcase exhibition required this horizontal film transport to the total exclusion of conventional projection and a cinema therefore required two sets of projectors. It is argued that if VistaVision machines had featured a compatibility feature with standard film the process would have stood more chance of success. Some engineers claimed the projectors could have been designed to accept the film in the normal top spool to bottom spool configuration and the image turned to horizontal by optical means and in doing so would have left the machines available for conversion kits to project standard four perforation films.
......................................................................
Two years ago a new company was formed trading as Gaumont Kalee, for rebuilding projectors, spares and servicing. The company details were published by the BKSTS.
------------------
Posted by Alan Plester (Member # 852) on 07-07-2001, 02:39 AM:
B T H. absolute monster of a machine but so quiet.
Posted by Stefan Scholz (Member # 147) on 07-07-2001, 11:03 AM:
To James Robertson, yes, the Kallee is not among my favorable projectors.
A little bit of background. During High school I got a deluxe color brochure from about 1952, showing the Gaumont Kalee "21" projection setup. Wow, what a gorgeous machine! I needed to own THAT!
Some years later, at the age of 18, I was able to get hold of the featured product, from a basement in my hometown Hamburg. It was originally installed in the prestigeous Streit's theatre in Hamburg in 1953, at that time owned by thew J. Arthur Rank organization. It was put in storage in the basement about 1968, after a dsesastrous premiere with Barbara Streisand's "Funny Girl". The projectors were equipped with synchronus motors, running 25 fps at the power frequency of 50 Hz. The sound pitch was higher, and too high for a professional singer. What a desaster with the artist in the show. So the beasts were pulled out of operation, and replaced with Kallee 60's, which is basicly Victoria 8.
There they were, and I curious to get them running, with president arc lamps etc. A friend was nearly killed, when we wanted to move the rectifier box to a his basement, as the rope tore, the box rushing down the staircase. Luckily he jumped away soon enough, and wasn' caught in the corner.
Finally we were able to get one running, the design was really outstanding, and the fantastic Pyrene fire extinguisher on the top spool box was something special. Single bladed high speed shutter and nicely crafted outer shell...
But technically, I had to find out, beeing silent as a machine gun, and picture steadiness far below my set of Bauer's or my Norelco AA.
So my brother and I decided to give it some real usage, building a 9000 ft pedestal on wheels, just using the #1 picturehead and BAF 83 soundhead, handing the complete thing to a collector friend for appartment use. It was equipped with our own horizontal 500 W Xenon lamphouse (quite good for that age..., the housing mechanically made by a friend's father)... but our friend tended to use 400 W halogen within.
This did some reliable service for a couple of years, until it was destroyed in a fire in that appartment, which broke out while we were in the Streit's theatre together watching a Stallone premiere with lots of fire.
There still is the second projector sitting in my barn, and I never found a space or time to put it on display, you're right it's a masterpiece of design and should be displayed...
... but I prefer any Simplex XL, Bauer or AGA Baltic to work with.
And my favourite remains Bauer U2.
I have tried to scan the pictures from the 1952 brochure, computer genious, It did not work. So I hope my webcam shot, mailed to Brad could workout. 
Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 07-07-2001, 07:28 PM:
I have heard several hillarious stories of GK 21's with the "Queen "Mary Bases" comming right through the booth floor and landing in the lobby. Have any of you heard other stories of this nature? With the "Queen mary" base each machine was supposed to weigh in at about 1 ton. One story I was told was due to a gas explosion in the basement of the theatre. It was powerful enough to lift the machines off the floor and when they came down they just kept going down on through to the lobby where the manager found them the next morning. If you know of a story like this please post it.Bill P. A number of years ago I measured almost every projector/soundhead combo out there for wow&flutter and the Kalee was the lowest of all of them. It had to be at the residual of the film itself. No american machine even came close.
Mark @ GTS
Posted by Ben Wales (Member # 92) on 07-09-2001, 05:30 PM:
Just returned from a weekend in Wales and found several cinemas still operating Kalee 21's, one cinema had about 5 spare mechs for spares, they also had the Kalee's running off the Potts 35mm Platter.Interesting that one GK21 had a Peerless Carbon Arc Lamphouse in Kalee colours, which I belive was first installed on a ship.
Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 07-09-2001, 08:45 PM:
I wonder if the Queen Mary had Kalees installed on it originally?? I know that a couple of ships including the SS United States had DP-70's in their theatres.
Mark @ GTS
Posted by Dick Vaughan (Member # 540) on 07-10-2001, 02:55 AM:
In the Museum's collection we have a pair of Kalee GK19's that were originally installed on the Royal Yacht Brittania and later ended up in Buckingham Palace.
Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 07-10-2001, 07:00 AM:
Hopefully I will get the Kalee 19-21 manuauls scanned today and sent off to Brad
Posted by Bernard Tonks (Member # 809) on 07-10-2001, 10:21 AM:
Mark:According to the opening souvenir programme of my cinema (October 1936) the equipment installed was also selected for the four theatres aboard the S.S Queen Mary. Supplied by G.B. Equipments Ltd.
Projectors: Gaumont Eclipse.
Sound: G.B.E. Q type. Soundheads of the latest P.U3 pattern 50 to 12,000 cycles.
Arclamps: Gaumont Kalee Vulcan.
Four theatres in the 1930s, must have been the first multi-screens in the world.
Friends of mine recently returned from a cruise on the Q.E.2" and visited the projection box which was equipped with Philips DP 75 projectors.
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Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 07-10-2001, 01:46 PM:
There is a Kalee 20 at the Odeon Cinema, Aberdeen, Scotland which is being demolished.
The Screens, many projection lenses,and most of the working parts of a GB
Kalee "20" Projector have been left for re-sale, we therefore wondered if
you (or anyone you know), would be interested in the purchase of any of these?See the Equipment Wanted or For Sale Forum.
------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Eastman Kodak Company
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7419
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Cell: 716-781-4036 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
Web site: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion
Posted by Bernard Tonks (Member # 809) on 10-04-2001, 08:16 AM:
At last the pictures I promised James Robertson, kindly supplied by
Mike Taylor, The Projected Picture Trust, Northern Branch. Preserving
The Magic Of Cinema. www.ppttrust.org
The Empire Cinema, Widnes, Lancashire, England 1947 (now demolished).
Gaumont Kalee 21s with 'Lightmaster' carbon arc lamps an intregal part
of this equipment. 
Posted by James Robertson (Member # 888) on 10-09-2001, 05:35 AM:
Thanks Bernard and Mike for your splendid pictures. Reinforces my view that a more elegant looking projector has yet to be built Jim