In 1972, just after this person had vowed never to step foot again on U.S. soil, he flew to America to receive a special Academy Award for "the incalculable effect he had on motion pictures". Who was he?

In 1952, the celebrated filmmaker and actor Charlie Chaplin departed the United States for the London premiere of his film, "Limelight." While he was at sea, the U.S. Attorney General revoked his re-entry permit, effectively beginning a 20-year exile for the British star who had lived in America for nearly four decades. This drastic measure was the culmination of years of suspicion during the "Red Scare," fueled by FBI investigations into his alleged communist sympathies and political views. Though he had never been a member of the communist party, his films often contained social and political themes, and he described himself as a "peacemonger," which drew the ire of government officials.

Having vowed never to return, Chaplin eventually settled in Switzerland with his family. Two decades later, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences offered him an Honorary Award for his profound impact on the art of filmmaking. Initially hesitant, the 82-year-old Chaplin decided to accept and traveled back to the U.S. His return was a momentous occasion, widely seen as an effort to make amends for past injustices. At the 1972 Academy Awards ceremony, a visibly emotional Chaplin was greeted with a 12-minute standing ovation, one of the longest in the history of the awards, cementing a poignant end to a long and bitter chapter of his life.