Harold Russell: the only actor with two Oscars for one role (9 photos)

Some actors spend their entire lives working towards the coveted statuette.





Some lucky ones collect several prestigious awards at once. But it also happens that one actor manages to get two Oscars for the same role. How is that even possible?



Cathy O'Donnell and Harold Russell in "The Best Years of Our Lives" (1946)

There are achievements in the history of cinema that seem incredible. One of them belongs to a man far removed from the world of cinema - a war veteran who found himself in front of the camera for the first time. Today, such a thing is almost impossible to imagine, but in 1947, it happened. And this man's name is Harold Russell. He is the only actor to receive two Oscars for the same role.

The soldier who became a movie star





Marlene Ames and Harold Russell in "The Best Years of Our Lives"

His path to Hollywood began not with acting classes, but on the battlefield. During World War II, Russell lost both his hands. Just like his character Homer Parrish in the film "The Best Years of Our Lives." During his service in 1944, the detonator in his hands went off prematurely, and the explosion tore off both of his hands.



Cathy O'Donnell and Harold Russell in the 1946 film "The Best Years of Our Lives"

After that, he learned to use hook-like prosthetics, which later became the hallmark of his character in "The Best Years of Our Lives." This drama about the return of veterans to civilian life captivated audiences and critics. Russell's performance was so poignant that the Academy faced a dilemma: how to reward a man with no acting experience, but with amazing sincerity on screen?



Harold Russell, center, with a special award and the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, with Samuel Goldwyn (left) and The Best Years director William Wyler

The decision was unexpected. At first, he was given an honorary Oscar - "for an inspiring example of courage." But then the incredible happened: Russell also won in the main category - "Best Supporting Actor." Thus, he went down in history as the only person to receive two statuettes for one role.



Two Hooks, Two Trophies

When his name was first announced, Russell, overwhelmed, thanked director William Wyler and all the veterans whose stories the film told. But when he returned to the stage, his speech was extremely brief:

Thank you very much. Two in one night is simply too much!

These words became a symbol of his modesty and sincerity.

An Unusual Fate After Fame



After the triumph of major roles, he was rarely offered, but Russell did not regret it. He lived quietly, wrote memoirs and even became the first actor to sell his Oscar. He urgently needed money for the treatment of his wife Betty Marshall, who suffered from heart disease. And in 1992, ignoring the rules of the Academy, he sold the statuette for $60,500 at auction to an anonymous buyer.



But fate seemed to be protecting him: when thieves once robbed his house, they left the statuette untouched. After Russell's death in 2002 as a result of a heart attack, the second Oscar remained in the family and is kept by relatives.