In Memoriam: John Bertolini
John Bertolini, Ellis Professor Emeritus of English and Liberal Arts, died on August 16, 2026, in Middlebury, Vermont, at the age of 78. During his 44 years teaching at Middlebury College, his enthusiasm and infectious joy in sharing his knowledge of literature, drama, and film with countless students is remembered to this day.
“Professor Bertolini was such a key figure in my time at Middlebury. When I think of studying English literature and how happy I was doing so, I see and hear him first and foremost—especially his hearty laughter—as he shared his genuine passion for what he taught,” said Andrea Schaefer ’91. “In the fall of my sophomore year, I had Professor Bertolini for both English courses that I took, and I marveled at the breadth of his knowledge. He certainly laid the foundation of my knowledge of dramatic lit, putting his stamp on everyone from Shakespeare, Racine, and Molière to Osborne, Shaffer, and Rafferty.”
Born December 1, 1947, Bertolini grew up in Brooklyn, N.Y. His parents’ influences informed his education and teaching life. His father, a Freudian psychiatrist, introduced him to many ideas that became a foundation for his interpretation of literature, and his mother inspired his lifelong love of cinema by taking him to the great movie palaces of Brooklyn and Manhattan. He earned his BA from Manhattan College in 1969 and his PhD from Columbia University in 1975. He joined the Middlebury faculty as an assistant professor of English in September 1975, becoming a full professor in 1989.
During his decades at Middlebury, he chaired the English Department, the Program in Literary Studies, and the Program in Film, and served as a faculty associate for Wonnacott Commons. He was a beloved professor and a well-respected colleague. “John Bertolini was a wonderful teacher, and his passionate appreciation for artistic achievement in literature, theater, music, and the visual arts (cinema, especially) was a source of inspiration for generations of Middlebury students,” said Stephen Donadio, Fulton Professor Emeritus of Humanities. “He was also a wonderful colleague; the survival and success of the Program in Literary Studies, whose leadership we shared over four decades, would have been unthinkable without his enthusiasm, acumen, and unfailing engagement.”
Not only was Bertolini’s knowledge of literature legendary, but his expertise in drama and film led to numerous important publications, including books and articles on George Bernard Shaw, Terence Rattigan, Shakespeare, Luigi Pirandello, Tennessee Williams, and Alfred Hitchcock; it also led to multiple presentations, including lecturing at the Shaw Festival and addressing the Terence Rattigan Society at the Oxford and Cambridge Club.
This expertise also inspired memorable classes at Middlebury. “For many classmates and me, Professor Bertolini’s Cinema of Alfred Hitchcock remains among the most electrifying and defining courses from our time at the College,” said Will DiGravio ’19. “We met five days per week: two lectures, where he somehow recalled every shot, character, and motif across Hitchcock’s oeuvre; two screenings, during which he led us in applause (as contemporary audiences did, he reminded us) each time Hitchcock himself appeared on the screen; and a more intimate discussion section, where he reveled in our hottest takes on the movies.”
Leger Grindon, professor emeritus of film and media culture, not only was a colleague, friend, and neighbor but also shared a love of cinema with Bertolini. “We regularly talked about the movies. John was particularly fond of Hollywood classics from the 1950s, such as The African Queen and Some Like It Hot. He was an excellent guide when I was writing my book, Hollywood Romantic Comedy. His love of dramatic arts extended far beyond the stage and onto the screen. His engagement with cinema was more than wide-ranging enjoyment; it was a passion.”
Bertolini shared his passions generously, and his studies of the mechanics of great films and literature allowed him to integrate the details and insights he assimilated from those works into his classes, lectures, and published writings. He also connected to art on the deepest emotional level, often moved to uproarious laughter or to tears by its power and beauty. His greatest gift was his ability to inspire the same appreciation and enthusiasm in his students.
Many of those students remained lifelong friends. Adrian Benepe ’78 said, “John was a class act at all times. His is a huge loss of one of the best professors I had at Middlebury, who also became a lifetime friend, along with his family. I’ve had so many lovely moments over the years and decades with one of the smartest, funniest, warmest people I ever had the pleasure to know.”
“In every aspect of his career, his gracious and attentive presence was an invaluable gift to our community,” said Donadio, “and his absence will continue to be deeply felt by anyone who had the good fortune to share his company.”
Bertolini is survived by his wife of 53 years, Mary Ellen, and his daughters, Francesca ’00 and Diana.
A celebration of Bertolini’s life, including a film screening, will be held in April 2027.