Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Toy Projectors

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Topic: Toy Projectors

Warren Smyth
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 158
From: Auckland ,New Zealand
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 12-23-2003 07:17 PM

We are less than ten hours away from Christmas Day in my part of the world. This is the time for joy and also, memories of some of the happier moments in our lives, I hope. Mine, is a Christmas when Father Christmas brought me at the age of seven, something very special. It was a Bell Big Show Projector. My mother, his consultant, understood an obsession I had, which she called, the "film bug".

Naturally, I was thrilled to get this plastic wonder and the family was subjected to repeats of Dan Dare for many months following. In fact, I wore the teeth smooth on the plastic film sprocket.

I occurs to me that many of us started with such toys as the Bell and Stip Master, which I later got as a replacement. These were more than toys, as they represented our first instruction in the science of motion picture projection, as we pulled them apart to gaze inside. The first condenser lens I studied was a piece of round, clear plastic inside the Bell Projector. These toys have a special place in our hearts and so I feel the subject has a rightful place here.

Hundreds of various types of toy projectors and magic lanterns have been produced for over a hundred years. It's amazing that in this digital age, children can be still fascinated by a light behind a transparency with a couple of lenses. Toy projectors are still being made today.

Perhaps this will bring back similar memories for you as we think about Christmas and the joy of giving. And what is Father Christmas bringing me this year, fifty years on? - A BIG SHOW PROJECTOR still boxed, in perfect condition thanks to Ebay.

Merry Christmas.

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Jeff Stricker
Master Film Handler

Posts: 481
From: Calumet, Mi USA
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 12-24-2003 07:54 AM

Warren, my grandfather gave me a tin toy projector when I was a kid in the early 1950's. I think it was second hand at the time and probably dated from the 30's. It ran 16 mm film (of which I had 2 small B&W reels and ran them over and over and over...) The thing was hand cranked and used a 150 W standard clear light bulb. The lamp compartment got real HOT, and the bulbs did not last long.

But, talk about fun! I used to have the neighborhood kids over for movies and my mother would make popcorn and Cool-Aid. Those were the days [thumbsup]

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Jeff Taylor
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 601
From: Chatham, NJ/East Hampton, NY
Registered: Apr 2000

posted 12-24-2003 09:41 AM

I had a friend who had one of those toy projectors and several short reels, but I was lucky enough to have a real Kodascope EE with 750w lamp, blower, and the whole magilla (except sound). I guess my basement screening room with a collection of home movies and various "Officials" and "Castles" back in the 1950's hooked me on film for good. Nice memories.

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Bruce McGee
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1776
From: Asheville, NC USA... Nowhere in Particular.
Registered: Aug 1999

posted 12-28-2003 08:34 AM

I had a Kenner "Give-A-Show" projector. I got tired of it pretty fast. In 1972, I got a real 16mm machine (with sound, no less!) and started getting films from the library. It was only the beginning.

The original projector is sitting in the garage. I think I am about ready to restore it.

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Gary Crawford
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 200
From: Neptune NJ USA
Registered: Nov 2003

posted 12-30-2003 01:10 PM

Oh yeah, the Kenner Give-A-Show! My cousin had one and we played movie theatre for the neighborhood kids. Alas, the machine is long gone.

I've collected a couple old 8mm's and a real old 16mm B&H built into a carrying case. It was for sale at a flea market and I was scratching my head about the $35 the guy wanted. Then he brought out a box and showed me a lens and said that it "made the movies look funny" and I could have it if I bought the projector. It was a B&L scope lense, about 8" long! I couldn't get the moiney out fast enough. Sound took some tinkering but I got it to work.

Still have all those old 8mm Castle films. A bit brittle maybe, but I have them!

I also have military paperwork on how to destroy that very 16mm B&H, issued during wartime as to the proper way to disable projectors so the enemy couldn't watch any of our films they might intercept.

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Steve Anderson
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 168
From: Nashville, TN
Registered: Feb 2000

posted 01-01-2004 09:01 AM

I had the Kenner Give-A-Show projector too.

I think it had the Flintstones as the movie.

I also remember buying Castle Films 8mm shorts.

Then I started ordering from Blackhawk films

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