Gitt, William C.
Biographical / Historical Note
William C. Gitt was born in Hanover, Pennsylvania on April 26, 1932 to parents Helen Carleton Gitt and Harry Newman Gitt II. William attended Dartmouth College where he studied engineering. While there, he spent time building equipment for Dartmouth’s radio station. It was during his time at Dartmouth that his love of film blossomed as he attended screenings of new and classic movies shown by the Dartmouth Film Society. After graduating from Dartmouth in 1953, he joined the U.S. Army. Between 1953 and 1955, Gitt spent his time with the Signal Corps stationed at Fort Monmouth, NJ. Afterward, William started working for the Radio Corporation of America (RCA). While working for the RCA, he installed microwave equipment for the U.S. Defense Department. He also helped build the first silicone-based computer during his time at the RCA. While he worked at the RCA, he began to amass his collection of film memorabilia with 16mm prints of movie stills.
After his time in New Jersey with the Army and the RCA, William moved to Boston. After moving to Massachusetts, he worked projection in the Orson Welles Cinema as well as the Coolidge Corner Theatre. From there, he joined the staff at the Berklee College of Music. William was in charge of overseeing the installation of the college’s entire studio equipment and wiring. Thanks to his vast knowledge of engineering, he taught Berklee’s maintenance course where students learned how to oversee and care for sound equipment and studios. William served as the college’s chief engineer until his retirement in 2009 at the age of 78. On June 8, 2018, William passed away, leaving behind a legacy of important work in sound engineering and a love of film.