John Christopher Pruitt ’74

John Christopher Pruitt ’74 passed away at home in Rhinebeck, New York, on June 28, 2019, after a six-year struggle with brain cancer. John came to Hanover from Towson, Maryland. At Dartmouth John was an active member of the Dartmouth Film Society. He participated in the Mainz, Germany, foreign study program sophomore year. He graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with high distinction in German and was a recipient of the Marcus Heiman Award in the Creative Arts. After graduation John lived for many years in New York City, where he continued his involvement in the avant-garde film industry and earned an M.A in cinema studies at New York University. He joined the faculty of Bard College in 1981. John was a central and guiding figure in the film program there for 37 years as professor of film history and a dedicated proponent of liberal arts education. John’s writing on film and filmmakers appeared in numerous journals and books. In 1992 John married Sheila Moloney (Bard College ’84) and they brought up daughters Ida and Willa in Rhinebeck. In addition to John’s passion for film, he enjoyed music, poetry, art, and literature and was an avid baseball fan. His Boy Scout experiences from youth instilled in him a love of nature that he indulged on hikes, canoeing, and on camping trips with family and friends. John is survived by Sheila, Ida, and Willa.