How did Harold Russell win an Oscar without prior acting experience?

Harold Russell was a World War II veteran who lost his hands during military service. After losing his hands, he was cast in the 1946 drama The Best Years of Our Lives, winning an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor as a non-professional actor.

What we know

• Harold Russell lost his hands during his military service in World War II and later became an actor. [1, 2]
• He was cast in the epic drama film The Best Years of Our Lives in 1946. [2]
• He became the first non-professional actor to win an Academy Award for acting. [2]
• He was the first Oscar recipient to sell his award. [2]

Where to go next

• how we knowWhat was the plot of The Best Years of Our Lives?
• the bigger pictureWho are other military veterans who became actors?
• what followedWhy did Harold Russell sell his Academy Award?
• what caused itHow did military service injuries shape postwar Hollywood casting?
• a case in pointHow do Marine Corps veterans transition into modern television and film?
• an unexpected connectionHow does an Oscar-winning WWII veteran connect to horse racing regulation?Actress Bo Derek served as the honorary chairperson for Veterans Affairs' National Rehabilitation Special Events before later being appointed as a commissioner of the California Horse Racing Board.

Sources

• [1]Harold Russell (Wikidata Q457279) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Harold Russell · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Andrew McLaren (actor) · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Bo Derek · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Myth of the spat-on Vietnam veteran · CC BY-SA 4.0