Gutkin Boris Isakovich (12 April 1917, Riga) — projectionist and film-industry professional.
Boris Gutkin completed his secondary education and graduated from gymnasium in 1931. In 1932, he began working as an apprentice projectionist at the “Grand Kino” cinema in Riga. In 1934, he graduated from a vocational school with a specialization in carpentry and immediately started working as a projectionist at Riga's “Palladium” cinema. In 1939, he was in Warsaw on a business assignment. From 1938 to 1941, he continued his work within Riga’s film industry.
On 27 June 1941, he was evacuated and, that same year, joined film-industry efforts in Ivanovo and Stalinabad (now Dushanbe). In late December 1941, he voluntarily enlisted in the military to fight against Nazi Germany and was wounded twice in action. In July 1944, he was demobilized and assigned to the operational group of the Cinematization Directorate under the Council of People’s Commissars of the Latvian SSR, where he was appointed head of the “Latkinosnabsbyt” department in the Ministry of Cinematography of the Latvian SSR. In May 1953, following the film ministry’s reorganization into the Ministry of Culture, he was promoted to Deputy Head of the “Glavsnabsbyt” division. In July 1962, he became a salaried commissioner at the “Makslas” combine.
From June 1964, he returned to the film sector as deputy director of a cine-technology plant, and in May 1965, he was appointed head of the laboratory for amateur film processing. Later, he applied for emigration to Israel. Gutkin is decorated with the medals: For Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945, For Valorous Labor during the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945, For Military Merit, 50 Years of the Soviet Armed Forces, and has received two commendations from the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Latvian SSR.
Family
Isak Abramovich Gutkin (1875–1942) — father
Basya Berkovna Gutkina (1876, Biysk – 1957 or 1955) — mother
Rakhil Isakovna Sheydina (née Gutkina) (1908, Biysk – ?) — sister, married, with a daughter
Margarita Isakovna Kremeris (née Gutkina) (1922, Riga – ?) — sister, library worker; in 1955 she repatriated to Vilnius, moved to Poland, and, in 1956, to Israel; married with two children
Abram Isakovich Gutkin (1918, Riga – ?) — brother, music producer at Riga Film Studio; married with one daughter.