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Topic: Gaumont-Kalee 21 ( Sexy beast)

James Robertson
Film Handler

Posts: 40
From: Sydney, Australia
Registered: May 2001

posted 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

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 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.

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Will Kutler
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1506
From: Tucson, AZ, USA
Registered: Feb 2001

posted 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?

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Ben Wales
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 602
From: Southampton. England
Registered: Jul 99

posted 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.

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Rob Jones
Film Handler

Posts: 44
From: Swindon, Wiltshire, United Kingdom
Registered: Jun 2001

posted 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.

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Gordon McLeod
Film God

Posts: 9532
From: Toronto Ontario Canada
Registered: Jun 99

posted 07-05-2001 06:22 PM

Ben said kalee yorkshires best
I thought that was Tetleys

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Stephen Jones
Master Film Handler

Posts: 314
From: Geelong Victoria Australia
Registered: Jun 99

posted 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

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 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

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Rick Long
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 759
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 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.

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Dick Vaughan
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1032
From: Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 07-06-2001 02:17 AM

Gordon

Wash 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

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David Kilderry
Master Film Handler

Posts: 355
From: Melbourne Australia
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 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

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Stephen Brown
Film Handler

Posts: 91
From: Newcastle, NSW, Australia
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 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 mentality

Steve Brown

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John Wilson
Film God

Posts: 5438
From: Sydney, Australia.
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 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.

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Pete Naples
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1565
From: Dunfermline, Scotland
Registered: Feb 2001

posted 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!

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Rob Jones
Film Handler

Posts: 44
From: Swindon, Wiltshire, United Kingdom
Registered: Jun 2001

posted 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!

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