Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Kalee 32 projector.

This is topic Kalee 32 projector. in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://ft-forum.com/ft/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=005057

Posted by John Spooner (Member # 1565) on 07-04-2003, 02:07 PM:

My UK colleagues may especially find this picture of the Kalee 32 heads of some interest.
They are currently installed and running well in a drive-in located in a large regional town north of Adelaide.
I called in during a short holiday trip where I was made welcome by the operators and took this picture. The picture was remarkably steady, a credit to the old British engineering of the day.
When was this model Kalee produced and how many would still be around? There is one other venue in Adelaide with the same heads to the best of my current knowlege.
John Spooner.

Posted by Ken McFall (Member # 845) on 07-04-2003, 04:50 PM:

The last pair of these I saw running was at a small coastal town, can't remember the name but it was where The French Leiutenants Woman was filmed! They even had the original Kalee Xenon lamphouse on them. I'm sure someone will come up with the name of the place for me...

========================================================
later edit :- Just came to me Lyme Regis, I think?
and they were Kalee 37's... old age is a terrible thing!
========================================================

There were also a pair stored under some stairs an Anglia Television, all this is some 15 or so years ago.

John hope they are not still using the Varamorph lenses... from what I could see there was an old Kershaw lens in there....

The whole Kalee range were great machines, real projectors that were built to last. I've worked on 12's, 18's, 19's 20' & 21's. Projectomatic model 'O' and the drum version.

Happier days by far, thanks for sharing the picture [thumbsup]

Posted by Stan Gunn (Member # 554) on 07-05-2003, 05:16 AM:

I have a pair of 19s with their full history, from 1948 they are Nos 19013 and 19014. They have been out of service since around 79, They are still in working order with their President lamps.
They dont make em like that any more. [thumbsup]

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 07-05-2003, 05:36 AM:

quote:
The last pair of these I saw running was at a small coastal town, can't remember the name but it was where The French Leiutenants Woman was filmed!

Lyme Regis in Dorset.

For some reason there are a lot of GKs in the (surprising number of) independent surviving fleapits in the Dorset and Devon coastal towns. We also had them at the University of Exeter film society. Very solid machines - built like tanks and with excellent picture stability. But the film path was full of nooks and crannies and a real pain to keep clean, and what are simple routine maintenance jobs on most other mechs are a complex nightmare on those things. Timing those drum shutters does not bring back pleasant memories!

Posted by Bernard Tonks (Member # 809) on 07-05-2003, 07:51 AM:

During my freelance days I worked two evenings relief at the House Of Commons, which had a complete Kalee 37s with xenons installation. The Compton Cinema in London's Soho had the same equipment.

I was told that the Regent, Lyme Regis had the very last two Kalee 37s installed. www.scottcinemas.co.uk

John's picture is of course with the doors removed.

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 07-05-2003, 10:17 AM:

We had 2 Zies Favorite 16B's installed in Toronto way back when that had the three electrode Kalee Xenon Lamphouses on the back of them (looked like the smaller universal 1k carbon lamp)
It was interesting to watch and listen to the result of when the arc established itself to the ignition electrode rather than the current ones [Big Grin]

Posted by John Spooner (Member # 1565) on 07-05-2003, 02:06 PM:

Dear colleagues.
Thank you for the information re the 37`s.
I believe the varamorphs are still in use, on the night I visited both features were W/S. The light on the screen was very good.
As a matter of interest, they had removed all the field speakers, sound being delivered by a low powered mono transmitter on the Australian FM broadcast band allocation via a folded dipole on the box facia.
Here is another view of the box, of the lhs machine.
Stan, have sent a private e-mail.
Best regards. John Spooner.

[ 07-06-2003, 01:47 PM: Message edited by: John Spooner ]

Posted by Howard Johnson (Member # 62) on 07-05-2003, 02:23 PM:

There is one GK37 at Chichester Film Society that is being retired in 3 weeks. It was originally at Pinewood Studios running double headed. It's over 40 years old ! There were many installed in studios and preview theatres in the 60s. A Vic 5 is going in mainly because of longer running hours and the annual film festival.

Posted by John Spooner (Member # 1565) on 07-05-2003, 02:31 PM:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear colleagues.
Thank you for the information re the 37`s.
I believe the varamorphs are still in use, on the night I visited both features were W/S. The light on the screen was very good.
As a matter of interest, they had removed all the field speakers, sound being delivered by a low powered mono transmitter on the Australian FM broadcast band allocation via a folded dipole on the box facia.
Here is another view of the box, of the lhs machine.
Stan, have sent a private e-mail.
Best regards. John Spooner.

Posted by Ken McFall (Member # 845) on 07-05-2003, 05:00 PM:

Even now they look current.... Keep them going guy's as long as you can.

BTY I followed the img link on one of your posts and was greeted by a very nasty face with the message...

ILLEGAL PICTURE!!!

The piece of shit who tried to post a picture here is
illegally STEALING bandwidth from another web server.

Now I'm not too sure if you're the piece of shit he's refering to.... but it was NOT a nice pic..... subject matter aside! Lighting is everything and I would suggest turning it all OFF! or lighting from behind.... VERY brightly!

Could it have been a very close up of Joe Redifer by any chance? I'm still shuddering [Eek!]

[ 07-05-2003, 06:14 PM: Message edited by: Ken McFall ]

Posted by Pete Naples (Member # 761) on 07-06-2003, 04:51 AM:

Ah Kalee! AFAIK there's not any running in Scotland now, there might be in the far north, but I'm not certain. The only one I look after now is at the Brewery Arts Centre in Kendal, Cumbria. It's a 20 which is quite unusual, I'm more used to seeing 19s and 21s. The Brewery machine has a Super LumeX on the back, and a Walter Voight combined laser/optic unit installed. Sound is via a CP55.

I've got a picture somewhere, I'll post it if I can find it.

Posted by Andy Muirhead (Member # 712) on 07-07-2003, 06:28 PM:

Pete, The Roxy in Kelso use a Kalee, not sure what model. Its only been there a few years, I believe it may have come from a student cinema in Northumbria.

Since the Roxy is only two minutes from my house, I sometimes run the odd show there for pocket money, I must say I don't like that machine at all!