I tracked Harold down at his home in Needham, Mass.
The largely unknown actor and veteran walked home with the Oscar for supporting actor, and academy voters also gave him an honorary gold statuette for “bringing hope and courage to his fellow veterans.” (The movie also won best picture, taking seven Oscars in all.) Harold was the only actor to ever win two Academy Awards for the same part. His role as Homer Parrish, an injured soldier with a pair of prosthetic hooks where his hands used to be, is one of the most distinctive in the history of Hollywood. Watching the film recently on Turner Classic Movies, I was moved by seeing my old friend Harold Russell come back to life again on screen. Ten years ago, the late movie critic Roger Ebert noted: “As long as we have wars and returning veterans, some of them wounded, ’The Best Years of Our Lives’ will not be dated.”
“Best Years” is remarkably contemporary in its appeal, still touching the hearts of millions of fans throughout the world. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the classic 1946 film “The Best Years of Our Lives.” Director William Wyler’s post-World War II drama remains one of the most popular movies of all time.
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