Abstract: An optical arrangement is disclosed which provides color selective prepolarization of the light incident upon two or more light valves. This is accomplished by the use of a prepolarizing prism which acts on light from a light source to direct light of a first polarization to a first dichroic separator and light of a second polarization to a second dichroic separator. Each separator transmits an output beam having substantially a single color and a single polarization state. The two resulting beams are recombined by a dichroic adder prior to being applied to a second polarizing prism. The second polarizing prism directs light of a first color and polarization to a first light valve and light a second color and polarization to a second light valve. The result is that one light valve sees light of a first color and a first polarization and the other light valve sees light of a second color and second polarization.