Best Special Effects, 1943

Awards presented March 2, 1944

The nominees were ... 

• Air Force.  Photographic effects by Hans Koenekamp, Rex Wimpy; sound effects by Nathan Levinson
• Bombardier. Photographic effects by Vernon L. Walker; sound effects by James G. Stewart, Roy Granville
• Crash Dive. Photographic effects by Fred Sersen; sound effects by Roger Heman
• The North Star. Photographic effects by Clarence Sifer, R.O. Binger; sound effects by Thomas T. Moulton
• So Proudly We Hail! Photographic effects by Gordon Jennings, Farciot Edouart; sound effects by George Dutton
• Stand By for Action. Photographic effects by A. Arnold Gillespie, Donald Jahraus; sound effects by Michael Steinore      

And the Oscar went to ... 

Crash Dive. Photographic effects by Fred Sersen; sound effects by Roger Heman.

Sersen, left, and Heman accept their Oscars

Submariners Tyrone Power and Dana Andrews are both in love with Anne Baxter, but until the war intrudes the movie is ordinary romantic fluff. The action sequences, in color, are the film's saving grace. Sersen, who had previously won for The Rains Came, became so well known for the water sequences he staged that the 20th Century-Fox studio water tank was named after him. Heman had been an assistant director for United Artists, which decided, once it was clear that talkies were here to stay, to have him trained in sound technology. When Darryl Zanuck founded 20th Century studios, he released several of its films through United Artists and took note of Heman's ability, recruiting him when the studio merged with Fox. Heman remained with 20th Century-Fox for the rest of his career. This was his only Oscar. His son, Roger Jr., followed in his footsteps and won his own Oscar for Jaws.