Why did King Vidor receive an honorary Academy Award in 1979?

In 1979, King Vidor was presented with an honorary Academy Award in recognition of his "incomparable achievements as a cinematic creator and innovator."1

Vidor was a highly influential American motion-picture director whose work during the 1920s and 1930s was noted for its creativity and its uncompromising exploration of themes such as idealism and disillusionment. Throughout his career, he directed numerous acclaimed films, including The Big Parade (1925), Hallelujah (1929), The Champ (1931), Stella Dallas (1937), and The Citadel (1938).2