10 People Who Won An Oscar For Their First Ever Film
4. Harold Russell - The Best Years Of Our Lives
Back in 1944, World War II Army instructor Harold Russell was involved in an unfortunate accident while teaching demolition work. A defective fuse set off the explosives he was holding and Russell lost both his hands. Post-accident, the instructor was then given two hooks as a substitute and he later featured in an army film about recovering veterans called Diary of a Sergeant (1945).
Director William Wyler eventually spotted the vet in this movie and decided to cast the soldier as Homer Parrish in The Best Years of Our Lives (1946).
His convincing performance as a Navy sailor returning home after losing both of his hands in the war was widely celebrated by critics and it wasn't long before he was being considered as an Oscar contender.
On the night of the ceremony itself, Russell was awarded an honorary Academy Award for 'bringing hope and courage to his fellow veterans', but he'd later go on to bag the prize for Best Supporting Actor, too.
Though he's mostly remembered for this unexpected performance and being the only person to receive two Academy Awards for one performance, Russell would also go down in history as the first individual to sell an Oscar in 1992. He later claimed that he did so as he needed the money to pay for his wife's medical bills.