Harold Russell | |
---|---|
Born | Harold John Avery Russell January 14, 1914 North Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada |
Died | January 29, 2002 Needham, Massachusetts, U.S. | (aged 88)
Resting place | Lakeview Cemetery Wayland, Massachusetts |
Spouses | Rita Russell-Nixon
(m. 1944; died 1978)Betty Marshalsea
(m. 1981) |
Children | 2 |
Military career | |
Allegiance | United States |
Service | United States Army |
Years of service | 1941–1945 |
Rank | Sergeant |
Unit | 13th Airborne Division |
Battles / wars | World War II |
Harold John Avery Russell[1][2] (January 14, 1914 – January 29, 2002) was an American World War II veteran. After losing his hands during his military service, Russell was cast in the epic drama film The Best Years of Our Lives (1946), which earned him the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He was the first non-professional actor to win an Academy Award for acting and the first Oscar recipient to sell his award.