Harold Russell Was the First and Only Person to Win Two Oscars for a Single Performance
Russell, a nonprofessional actor who lost both his hands in World War II, was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Best Picture-winner The Best Year of Our Lives. The Academy assumed he would lose, so they presented him with an Honorary Oscar “for bringing hope and courage to his fellow veterans through his appearance in The Best Years of Our Lives.” However, he beat out four legendary performers and took home both the Honorary Oscar and the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.