An illuminator includes a first laser light source section that outputs a first light flux that belongs to a first wavelength band, a second laser light source section that outputs a second light flux that belongs to a second wavelength band, a third laser light source section that outputs a third light flux that belongs to a third wavelength band and has a polarization direction different from those of the first and second light fluxes, a light combiner that combines the first, second, and third light fluxes to produce combined light, and a predetermined band retardation film on the downstream of the light combiner that changes the phase of a light flux that forms the combined light and belongs to the third wavelength band, and the polarization directions of the light fluxes contained in the combined light are aligned on the downstream of the predetermined band retardation film.