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In the movie The Italian Job (1969) we see Professor Peach (Benny Hill) hack the Turin traffic monitoring computer.

enter image description here

I'm trying to work out which model this is. My question is: What is the computer that Benny Hill hacks in the Italian job? (1969)

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    Wow - do you really think its a specific model of 1960's era computer, not just a stereotypical computer with magnetic tape drives? Well, lets see.
    – iandotkelly ♦
    Commented Nov 2, 2014 at 4:32

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It's a Honeywell tape drive.

Honeywell 400 Tape Drive

closeup on the reels

I expect the "control panel" on the front, below the reels, was added as a prop to make it look more "computery". It's entirely possible the drive controls above the reels are real, but I've not found any images showing the same button layout, so they might be props too.

Thanks to Dave W. for pointing this out on Facebook!

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This looks to me like the Olivetti ELEA9003. ELEA standing for "Elaboratore Elettronico Aritmetico"

Olivetti ELEA9003

I don't think it is possible to be certain, but this is of the right era. The machine was introduced in 1959, and is of the right origin for the film, being designed and built in Italy.

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    Mmm - those tape drives look quite different. It might be impossible to answer this, it might just be a random collection of 60' era computer gear.
    – iandotkelly ♦
    Commented Mar 3, 2015 at 19:57
  • Really appreciate you having a go at this question.
    – hawkeye
    Commented Mar 4, 2015 at 10:59

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