''Seeing Hands'' is a 1943 American

short Short may refer to: Places * Short (crater), a lunar impact crater on the near side of the Moon * Short, Mississippi, an unincorporated community * Short, Oklahoma, a census-designated place People * Short (surname) * List of people known as ...

film. It tells the story of Benjamin Charles Helwig, who was blinded in his late teens but became a valued employee at an American World War II manufacturing plant, machining and inspecting precision parts. Directed by

Gunther von Fritsch Gunther von Fritsch (15 July 1906, Pula – 27 August 1988, Pasadena, California, Pasadena) was an American film director born in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Biography Gunther von Fritsch was born 15 July 1906 in Pula. He studied in Paris, and ...

, the film was nominated for an

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

at the

16th Academy Awards The 16th Academy Awards were held on March 2, 1944, to honor the films of 1943. This was the first Oscar ceremony held at a large public venue, Grauman's Chinese Theatre. The ceremony was broadcast locally on KFWB, and internationally by CBS R ...

for Best Short Subject (One-Reel).

Cast

* Barbara Bedford as Ben's Mother (uncredited) * William Bishop as Man Pulling Lamp Cord (uncredited) *

Robert Frazer Robert Frazer (born Robert William Browne, June 29, 1891August 17, 1944) was an American actor who appeared in some 224 shorts and films from the 1910s until his death. He began in films with the Eclair company which released through Universal ...

as John Downin (uncredited) *

Russell Gleason Russell Gleason (February 6, 1908 – December 25, 1945) was an American actor who began his career at the very beginning of the talking film era. Born into an acting family, one of his earliest roles was in the 1930 classic film, ''All Quiet on ...

as adult Ben Helwig (uncredited) *

George 'Spanky' McFarland George McFarland (October 2, 1928 – June 30, 1993) was an American actor most famous for starring as a child as Spanky in the '' Our Gang'' series of short-subject comedies of the 1930s and 1940s. The ''Our Gang'' shorts were later syndicated ...

as "Fatty” leading initiation (uncredited) * Pete Smith, narrator of short (uncredited)

References

External links

*
Find-a-grave. Benjamin Charles Helwig
1943 films 1943 drama films 1943 short films American drama short films American black-and-white films Films directed by Gunther von Fritsch 1940s English-language films 1940s American films {{short-drama-film-stub