Customer Reviews

"Getting outside of yourself" by HAROLD RUSSEL, Past National Commander, AMVETS; U.S. Representative, World Veterans Federation; Harold John Russell was a Canadian-American World War II veteran who became one of only two non-professional actors to win an Academy Award for acting (the other being Haing S. Ngor). Russell also holds the unique honor of being the only person to receive two Academy Awards for the same role. While an Army instructor, and training with the U.S. 13th Airborne Division stateside in 1944, a defective fuse detonated an explosive he was handling while making a training film. As a result, he lost both hands and was given two hooks to serve as hands. After his recovery, and while attending Boston University as a full-time student, an Army film called Diary of a Sergeant about rehabilitating war veterans was made featuring Russell. When film director William Wyler saw the film on Russell, he cast him in the film The Best Years of Our Lives with Fredric March and Dana Andrews. Russell played the role of Homer Parrish, a sailor who lost both hands during the War. For his role as Parrish, Russell won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1947. Earlier in the ceremony, he was awarded an honorary Oscar for "bringing hope and courage to his fellow veterans." The special award had been created because the Board of Governors very much wanted to salute Russell, a non-professional actor, but assumed he had little chance for a competitive win. It was the first time the Academy has awarded two Oscars for the same role, with the other two being awarded to Marlon Brando and Robert De Niro for their portrayals of Vito Corleone in The Godfather and The Godfather Part II, respectively. Upon completion of the film, Wyler told Russell to return to school since there "weren't many roles for actors without hands." Russell returned to Boston University and graduated with a business degree in 1949. ..... 1953 How I feel about LIFE Ad, A4892.