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The Man With No Hands Who Became The Only Actor To Win 2 Oscars For The Same Movie
Harold Russell’s story is one of courage, determination and talent
Every year, actors and other staff that contributed to the creation of movies are honored with Academy Awards, recognizing outstanding achievement in film. Also known as the Oscars, these statues are incredibly competitive to win and can help truly make someone’s career. Winning just one during the course of a career is a complete longshot, which is why Harold Russell’s accomplishment is all the more amazing. The World War II veteran with no hands, who had no previous acting experience except appearing in a War Department film as himself, won two Academy Awards for his work in The Best Years of Our Lives — making him the only actor to ever win more than once for the same role.
Harold John Avery Russell was born in 1914 in Nova Scotia. However, he and his family moved to Massachusetts when he was a young boy after his father passed away in 1920. When Pearl Harbor happened in late 1941, he was working at a small market. Already in his late 20s, he considered himself on a path to failure, so like many other young American men, he quickly enlisted in the military.
Serving in the Army, he achieved new successes until tragedy struck. On June 6, 1944…
