Harold John Avery Russell was an American World War II veteran.
14 Facts About Harold Russell
2.
Harold Russell was the first non-professional actor to win an Academy Award for acting and the first Oscar recipient to sell his award.
3.
Harold Russell was born in North Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada, and moved to Massachusetts, United States, with his family in 1921, after his father's death in 1920.
4.
Harold Russell lost both hands and was given two hooks to serve as hands.
5.
Harold Russell played the role of Homer Parrish, a United States Navy sailor who lost both hands during the war.
6.
Harold Russell became active in AMVETS, serving three terms as National Commander.
7.
Harold Russell was elected to his third term in 1960.
8.
Harold Russell was vice-president of the World Veterans Fund, Inc.
9.
In 1965, Harold Russell received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement.
10.
Harold Russell appeared in two films after his debut, Inside Moves in 1980 and Dogtown in 1997.
11.
Harold Russell authored two autobiographies, Victory in My Hands and The Best Years of My Life.
12.
In 1992, Harold Russell consigned his Oscar for Best Supporting Actor to Herman Darvick Autograph Auctions, and, on August 6,1992, in New York City, the Oscar sold to a private collector for $60,500.
13.
Harold Russell defended his action by saying that he needed money for his wife's medical expenses, though this was later disputed.
14.
On January 29,2002, Harold Russell died at a nursing home in Needham, Massachusetts and subsequently interred in Lakeview Cemetery in the nearby town of Wayland.