An apparatus for checking the alignment of a projection lens assembly includes a base for mounting the apparatus on the projection lens assembly, a gimbal system having a bottom section mounted to the base and a top section, the gimbal system having position adjusters for adjusting the position of the bottom section in two orthogonal direction with respect to the base, and having tilt adjusters for angularly adjusting a plane of the top section with a plane of the base, and a laser generator mounted on the top section. The position adjusters and the tilt adjusters are used to position a laser beam to be emitted by the laser generation to be coaxial with a central axis of the projection lens assembly. When the laser generator is then energized, the laser beam forms a visible red dot on the rear projection screen and, using simple measurements, an operator is able to verify the alignment of the projection lens assembly in the rear projection television receiver.