Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award

The Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award is awarded periodically by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences at the Governors Awards ceremonies to "creative producers, whose bodies of work reflect a consistently high quality of motion picture production." The award is named for Irving Thalberg, legendary head of the Production Division of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, who developed the company's reputation for sophisticated films. The trophy itself is a bust of Thalberg rather than the familiar "Oscar" statuette. However, it is still counted as an "honorary Oscar". The award was established in 1937 and was first presented at the 10th Academy Awards, in March 1938. There have been 39 statuettes awarded to date.

Katharine Hepburn made her first and only appearance at the ceremony to present The Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award to her long time friend Lawrence Weingarten. Whenever she won an Oscar, she always had either the presenter or another person associated with her film accept it on her behalf. Upon taking the stage, she received a standing ovation, to which she replied "I'm living proof that a person can wait forty-one years to be unselfish."