The ceremonies were presided over by Helen Hayes, Alan King, Sammy Davis Jr., and Jack Lemmon.

She appeared along with one of her leading men from the 1940s, singer Dick Haymes, to present the musical scoring awards.

[2][3] Charlie Chaplin received an honorary award at this ceremony, for "the incalculable effect he has had in making motion pictures the art form of this century".

Chaplin, who had been living in self-imposed exile in Switzerland for twenty years, went back to the United States to re-market his older films and to receive this award.

When introduced to the audience, Chaplin received a twelve-minute standing ovation, the longest in Academy Awards history.