List of films in the public domain in the United States
A number of films exist that certain cited sources believe are in the public domain in the United States. Being in the public domain refers to cinematic, dramatic, literary, musical and artistic works that no government, organization, or individual owns, and as such is common property.[1]
Note: Films in this list may incorporate elements from other works that are still under copyright, even though the film itself is out of copyright.
Copyrightable elements of a film
There is no official list of films (or other works) in the public domain. It is difficult to determine the public domain status of a film because it can incorporate any or all of the following copyrightable elements:
- Cinematography
- Drama
- Literature
- Music
- Art
- Graphical characters (e.g., Bugs Bunny)[2]
- Fictional characters (e.g., James Bond)[3]
Film copyright involves the copyright status of multiple elements that make up the film.[4] A film can lose its copyright in some of those elements while retaining copyright in other elements.[4] Experts in the field of public domain sometimes differ in their opinions as to whether a particular film is in the public domain.
The use of music in a film can cause uncertainty with regard to copyright. As of 2010, it is not known whether the use of music in a movie constitutes publication of the music for the purpose of copyright.[5] Unpublished works are treated differently from published works under US copyright law.[6]
Judicial interpretation of public domain
Judges, too, differ in their interpretation of the laws governing copyright protection. The United States is a “patchwork quilt” of inconsistent copyright rules in different federal judicial districts. The courts of one jurisdiction are not obliged to follow the decisions of another.[7] The U.S. Supreme Court (which could resolve those inconsistencies) very seldom decides copyright cases, and then only when an important principle is involved.
Documenting public domain status
If a film appears on the list below, there is a high probability it has lost some or all of its United States copyright protection or in the case of U.S. government films, was never protected by copyright.
There is no single method for determining if a film, or parts of it, is in the public domain. There are several methods that can be used to document a film’s public domain status. These include the following:
Date of publication
All motion pictures made and exhibited before 1923 are indisputably in the public domain in the United States. Before the passage of the Copyright Term Extension Act (CTEA) in 1998, the term of copyright in the U.S. was a maximum of 75 years, with the work entering the public domain on January 1 of the 76th year from creation (so, for example, a film made in 1930 whose copyright was properly registered and renewed would enter the public domain on January 1, 2006). Although the CTEA added 20 years to the terms of all existing copyrights, it explicitly refused to revive any copyrights that had expired prior to its passage.
Work of the United States government
All copyrightable works made by United States government employees as part of their official duties are in the public domain from their creation. The status of works made by contractors is dependent on the terms of their contract. Note that this applies only to the federal government, and not to state or local governments, which may or may not claim copyright depending on state laws.
Determine copyright registration
Motion picture copyright registrations prior to 1978 were published in semi-annual Copyright Catalogs. The Library of Congress also published cumulative Copyright Catalogs of motion picture registrations for the periods
- 1894–1912
- 1913–1939
- 1940–1949
- 1950–1959
- 1960–1969
- 1970–1979
- 1980–1989
All are out of print. However, the Film Superlist series is a complete reprint of all registrations in the Copyright Catalogs for 1894 through 1959. There is no cumulative Copyright Catalog for 1970–1977; the Copyright Office published 16 semi-annual Copyright Catalog booklets covering that eight-year period, but all are out of print and extremely rare. All copyright registrations from 1978 onward are online at the Library of Congress website.
Some decades of The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures include copyright registration information for feature films (not shorts) of United States origin. This can include a statement that research failed to disclose copyright registration for a particular film. Copyright registration information is given in the following:
- The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures, 1931–1940; ISBN 0-913616-00-1
- The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures, 1941–1950; ISBN 0-913616-39-7
The United States copyright website catalogs all the works prior to 1978 that have been renewed.[8] Several pieces of work have been renewed in the form of collections, thus giving the collection as a whole copyright protection.
Copyright renewal status
For films registered in 1923–1963 inclusive, it is essential to know the renewal status. The semi-annual Copyright Catalog booklets have virtually complete (at least 99.99%) lists of renewals for the films registered 28 years earlier. Those semi-annual booklets all are out of print. However, for 1923 through 1959, the Film Superlist books match copyright renewals with earlier registrations. Copyright registrations and renewals can be found in
- Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain 1894–1939 (Volume 1)
- Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain 1940–1949 (Volume 2)
- Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain 1950–1959 (Volume 3)
In 1992, Congress changed the copyright law to make renewal automatic for copyrights registered in 1964 and later.
Underlying rights
Many of the movies listed below are based on plays, novels, magazine stories or a combination of those sources. In some cases, a film’s copyright has lapsed because of non-renewal while the underlying literary or dramatic source is still protected by copyright. For example, the movie His Girl Friday (1940) became a public domain film in 1969 because it was not renewed, but it is based on the 1928 play The Front Page, which is still under copyright until 2024 and thus as a practical matter the film can't be used without permission.[4]
Studio and distributor abbreviations
- AA – Allied Artists
- AIP – American International Pictures
- MGM – Metro Goldwyn Mayer
- PRC – Producers Releasing Corporation
- UA – United Artists
- WB – Warner Bros.
Films
Any film that was first published before 1923 has been released already in the public domain in the United States for either expired copyright or failure to comply with copyright laws, such as omission of notice, failure to deposit a copy to the Copyright Office within demanded time, or no renewal registration. Therefore, it is not listed here. See Category:Films by year for pre-1923 films.
Note: This list is not comprehensive, rather only those films where a reliable secondary source is available to verify public domain status. Films without a reliable source in the "Reasons" column should be removed. |
Film title | Release year | Director | Studio / Distributor | Entered PD in (year) | Reason for entering PD | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Action at Anguar | 1945 | N/A | United States Army Pictorial Services | 1945 | Work of the United States Government[G] | |
Africa Screams | 1949 | Charles Barton | United Artists | 1970s | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][9] | |
The Amazing Mr. X | 1948 | Bernard Vorhaus | Eagle-Lion | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][10] | Also known as The Spiritualist. |
Angel and the Badman | 1947 | James Edward Grant | Republic Pictures | 1975 | Failure to renew copyright.[11] | |
The Animal Kingdom | 1932 | Edward H. Griffith | RKO Radio Pictures | 1960 | Failure to renew copyright.[12] | |
Algiers | 1938 | John Cromwell | United Artists | 1966 | Failure to renew copyright.[12] | |
Attack of the Giant Leeches | 1959 | Bernard L. Kowalski | American International Pictures | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][13] | |
At War with the Army | 1950 (registered: 1951) | Hal Walker | Paramount Pictures | 1977 | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][14] | Despite the fact that the film's copyright was registered on January 23, 1951 (LP 679), and renewed on December 7, 1979 (RE43009), it still managed to lapse into the public domain in 1977. |
Bear Shooters | 1930 | Robert F. McGowan | MGM | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][15] | |
Beau Brummel | 1924 | Harry Beaumont | Warner Brothers | 1952 | Failure to renew copyright.[16] | |
Beau Ideal | 1931 (copyright notice: 1930) | Herbert Brenon | RKO Radio Pictures | 1958 | Failure to renew copyright.[16] | |
Behind Office Doors | 1931 | Melville W. Brown | RKO Radio Pictures | 1959 | Failure to renew copyright.[16] | |
The Big Cat | 1949 | Phil Karlson | Eagle-Lion | 1976 | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][17] | |
The Big Trees | 1952 | Felix E. Feist | Warner Bros. | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][18] | |
The Big Wheel | 1949 | Edward Ludwig | United Artists | 1976 | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][19] | |
Bird of Paradise | 1932 | King Vidor | RKO Radio Pictures | 1960 | Failure to renew copyright.[12] | |
Birth of the B-29 | 1942–1944 | N/A | United States Army Pictorial Services | 1945 | Work of the United States Government[G] | |
Blood on the Sun | 1945 | Frank Lloyd | United Artists | 1973 | Failure to renew copyright.[11] | |
Bowery at Midnight | 1942 | Wallace Fox | Monogram Pictures | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][20] | |
The Brain that Wouldn't Die | 1962 (completed: 1959) | Joseph Green | American International Pictures | 1962 | Missing copyright notice[21] | Originally completed in 1959 under the title The Black Door or The Head that Wouldn't Die, it wasn't released until May 3, 1962 where failure to add the copyright notice resulted in the film entering the Public Domain.[21] |
Brideless Groom | 1947 | Edward Bernds | Columbia Pictures | 1960s[22] | Failure to renew copyright.[22] | |
Captain January | 1936 | David Butler | 20th Century Fox | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | "a legal loophole"[23] | The 1924 version distributed by Principal Pictures is still under copyright. |
Carnival of Souls | 1962 | Herk Harvey | Herts-Lion International Corp. | 1962 | Missing copyright notice[24] | |
Carnival Story | 1954 | Kurt Neumann | RKO Radio Pictures | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][25] | |
Charade | 1963 | Stanley Donen | Universal Pictures | 1963 | Missing full copyright notice.[26] | Original music still in copyright.[27] Original story by Peter Stone still in copyright.[26][28] Film remade in 2006 as The Truth About Charlie. |
Check and Double Check | 1930 | Melville W. Brown | RKO Radio Pictures | 1958 | Failure to renew copyright.[29] | |
Colonel Effingham's Raid | 1946 | Irving Pichel | 20th Century Fox | 1973 | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][30] | |
Combat America | 1943 | Clark Gable | Office of War Information | 1943 | Work of the United States Government[G] | |
Conspiracy | 1930 | Christy Cabanne | RKO Radio Pictures | 1958 | Failure to renew copyright.[16] | |
The Dance of Life | 1929 | John Cromwell | Paramount Pictures | 1957 | Failure to renew copyright.[12] | |
Danger Lights | 1930 | George B. Seitz | RKO Radio Pictures | 1958 | Failure to renew copyright.[16] | |
Darling, How Could You! | 1951 | Mitchell Leisen | Paramount Pictures | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][31] | Based on the James Barrie play Alice Sit-By-The-Fire. |
The Deadly Companions | 1961 | Sam Peckinpah | Pathé-America | 1961 | Missing copyright notice[32] | |
Debbie Does Dallas | 1978 | Jim Clark | VCX | 1981 | Missing copyright notice[33] | |
Delightfully Dangerous | 1945 | Arthur Lubin | United Artists | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][34] | |
Dementia 13 | 1963 | Francis Ford Coppola | American International Pictures | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][13] | Also Known as The Haunted and the Hunted. |
Detour | 1945 | Edgar G. Ulmer | Producers Releasing Corporation | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | Failure to renew copyright.[35] | |
The Devil Bat | 1940 | Jean Yarbrough | Producers Releasing Corporation | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][20] | |
Disorder in the Court | 1936 | Preston Black | Columbia Pictures | 1960s[22] | Failure to renew copyright.[22] | |
Dixiana | 1930 | Luther Reed | RKO Radio Pictures | 1958 | Failure to renew copyright.[29] | |
D.O.A. | 1950 (copyright notice: 1949) | Rudolph Maté | United Artists | 1977 | Failure to renew copyright.[36] | Remade in 1969 and 1988 |
Father's Little Dividend | 1951 (copyright notice: 1950) | Vincente Minnelli | MGM | 1978 | Failure to renew copyright.[37] | |
Farewell to Arms, AA Farewell to Arms | 1932 | Frank Borzage | Paramount Pictures | 1960 | Failure to renew copyright.[38] | Based on copyrighted (R177406) novel by Ernest Hemingway. |
The Fight for the Sky | 1946 | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | Office of War Information | 1946 | Work of the United States Government[G] | |
The First Legion | 1951 | Douglas Sirk | Sédif Productions | 1978 | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][39] | |
The General | 1927 | Clyde Bruckman Buster Keaton | United Artists | 1955 | Failure to renew copyright.[40] | |
Glen or Glenda | 1953 | Ed Wood | Columbia Classics | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][41] | |
God's Little Acre | 1958 | Anthony Mann | United Artists | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][42] | Based on the Novel of the same name by Erskine Caldwell. The black and white version is Public Domain, the colorized version is Copyright.[43] |
The Gold Rush | 1925 | Charlie Chaplin | United Artists | 1953 | Failure to renew copyright.[40] | 1942 revised version in copyright. Original 1925 version possibly copyrighted.[44] |
The Gorilla | 1939 | Allan Dwan | 20th Century Fox Film Corporation | 1976 | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][45] | |
Go for Broke! | 1951 (copyright notice: 1950) | Robert Pirosh | MGM | 1978 | Failure to renew copyright.[37] | |
Gulliver's Travels | 1939 | Dave Fleischer | Paramount Pictures | 1967 | Failure to renew copyright.[46][47] | |
Half Shot at Sunrise | 1930 | Paul Sloane | RKO Radio Productions | 1958 | Failure to renew copyright.[16] | |
Hemp for Victory | 1942 | Raymond Evans | U.S. Department of Agriculture | 1942 | Work of the United States Government[G] | |
His Girl Friday | 1940 (copyright date: 1939) | Howard Hawks | Columbia Pictures | 1967 | Failure to renew copyright.[40] | Source material (stage play The Front Page) rights copyright until 2024.[40] |
Hook, Line and Sinker | 1930 | Edward F. Cline | RKO Radio Pictures | 1958 | Failure to renew copyright.[16] | |
The Hunchback of Notre Dame | 1923 | Wallace Worsley | Universal Pictures | 1951 | Failure to renew copyright.[12] | |
Indestructible Man | 1956 | Jack Pollexfen | Allied Artists | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][48] | |
Inside the Lines | 1930 | Roy Pomeroy | RKO Radio Productions | 1958 | Failure to renew copyright.[16] | |
It's a Wonderful Life | 1946 (copyright notice: 1947) | Frank Capra | Liberty Films RKO Pictures | 1975 | Failure to renew copyright.[49] | While the film images are public domain, under rulings of Stewart v. Abend, the film text (script) is based on the copyrighted short story "The Greatest Gift".[49][50][51] Republic also purchased exclusive rights to the movie’s copyrighted music to further shore up its rights.[52] |
Japanese Relocation | 1942 | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | Office of War Information | 1942 | Work of the United States Government[G] | |
Kept Husbands | 1931 | Lloyd Bacon | RKO Radio Productions | 1959 | Failure to renew copyright.[16] | |
Kit Carson | 1940 | George B. Seitz | United Artists | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | "Reissued by PRC Pictures"[53] | |
The Lady Refuses | 1931 | George Archainbaud | RKO Radio Productions | 1959 | Failure to renew copyright.[16] | |
Lady to Love, AA Lady to Love | 1930 | Victor Sjöström | MGM | 1958 | Failure to renew copyright.[12] | Based on the play They Knew What They Wanted. See also the film The Secret Hour (1928) based on the same play.[12] |
Last Clear Chance | 1959 | Robert Carlisle | Union Pacific Railroad | 1959 | Not registered for copyright.[54] | |
The Last Man on Earth | 1964 | Ubaldo Ragona, Sidney Salkow | American International Pictures, 20th Century Fox | 1992[55] | Failure to renew copyright.[55] | |
The Last Time I Saw Paris | 1954 (copyright notice: 1944) | Richard Brooks | MGM | 1972 | Failure to renew copyright.[56] | Music score still protected by copyright.[57] |
Lawful Larceny | 1930 | Lowell Sherman | RKO Radio Productions | 1958 | Failure to renew copyright.[16] | |
Leathernecking | 1930 | Edward F. Cline | RKO Radio Productions | 1958 | Failure to renew copyright.[16] | It is a lost film. |
Letter of Introduction | 1938 | John M. Stahl | Universal Pictures | 1966 | Failure to renew copyright.[58] | |
Life with Father | 1947 | Michael Curtiz | Warner Bros. | 1975 | Failure to renew copyright.[59] | |
Little Men | 1940 | Norman Z. McLeod | RKO Radio Pictures | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][60] | |
The Little Princess | 1939 | Walter Lang | Twentieth Century Fox | 1967 | Failure to renew copyright.[49] | |
The Little Shop of Horrors | 1960 | Roger Corman | Filmgroup | 1988 | Failure to renew copyright.[40][61] | |
Lonely Wives | 1931 | Russell Mack | RKO Radio Pictures | 1959 | Failure to renew copyright.[16] | |
Love Affair | 1939 | Leo McCarey | RKO Radio Pictures | 1967 | Failure to renew copyright.[12] | |
Love Laughs at Andy Hardy | 1946 | Willis Goldbeck | MGM | 1974 | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][62] | Also known as Uncle Andy Hardy. |
Malice in the Palace | 1949 | Jules White | Columbia Pictures | 1960s[22] | Failure to renew copyright.[22] | |
Maniac | 1934 | Dwain Esper | Roadshow Attractions | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][63] | Also known as Sex Maniac. |
March of the Wooden Soldiers | 1948 | Gus Meins | MGM | 1948 | Failure to display copyright notice.[26] | This is a later abridgement of Babes in Toyland (1934), which is still in copyright. Public domain status unclear.[26] |
McLintock! | 1963 | Andrew V. McLaglen | United Artists | 1991 | Failure to renew copyright.[64][65] | Music score still under copyright.[64] |
Meet John Doe | 1941 | Frank Capra | Warner Bros. | 1969 | Failure to renew copyright.[49] | |
Millie | 1931 | John Francis Dillon | RKO Radio Pictures | 1959 | Failure to renew copyright.[16] | |
Mr. Imperium | 1951 (copyright notice: 1950) | Don Hartman | MGM | 1978 | Failure to renew copyright.[37] | |
My Dear Secretary | 1949 | Charles Martin | United Artists | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][66] | |
My Favorite Brunette | 1947 | Elliott Nugent | Paramount Pictures | 1975 | Failure to renew copyright.[11] | |
My Japan | 1945 | {dm} | Office of War Information | 1945 | Work of the United States Government[G] | |
The Negro Soldier | 1944 | Frank Capra | United States Army Pictorial Services | 44 | Work of the United States Government[G] | |
Night of the Living Dead | 1968 | George A. Romero | Walter Reade | 1968 | Missing copyright notice and errors from the distributor[67] | Remade in 1990 and 2006 |
Nothing Sacred | 1937 | William A. Wellman | Selznick United Artists | 1965 | Failure to renew copyright.[40] | |
Of Human Bondage | 1934 | John Cromwell | RKO Radio Pictures | 1962 | Failure to renew copyright.[12] | |
The Outlaw | 1943 | Howard Hughes | Howard Hughes Prod. | 1971 | Failure to renew copyright.[16] | |
The Painted Hills | 1951 | Harold F. Kress | MGM | 1979 | Failure to renew copyright.[37] | |
The Pay-Off | 1930 | Lowell Sherman | RKO Radio Pictures | 1958 | Failure to renew copyright.[16] | |
Penny Serenade | 1941 | George Stevens | Columbia Pictures | 1968 | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][15] | Though the film was released by Columbia Pictures, it was OWNED by Stevens production firm, putting its Public Domain status into question.[15] |
The Phantom of the Opera | 1925 | Rupert Julian | Universal Studios | 1953 | Failure to renew copyright.[61] | |
Popeye the Sailor Meets Sindbad the Sailor | 1936 | Dave Fleischer | Paramount Pictures | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][68] | First of 3 Popeye Technicolor Two-Reel Specials. |
Private Snafu Series | 1943-1946 | Various | Warner Bros., MGM, UPA, Harman-Ising Studio | 1943-1946 | Work of the United States Government[G] | |
Rage at Dawn | 1955 | Tim Whelan | RKO Radio Pictures | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][69] | |
Rain | 1932 | Lewis Milestone | United Artists | 1960 | Failure to renew copyright.[11] | |
Reefer Madness | 1936 | Louis J. Gasnier | Motion Picture Ventures | 1936 | Improper copyright notice.[70][71] | Also called The Burning Question, Dope Addict, and Tell Your Children. |
Roberta | 1935 | William A. Seiter | RKO Radio Pictures | Early 1980s[72] | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][72] | |
Rock, Rock, Rock! | 1956 | Will Price | Distributors Corporation of America | 1984 | Failure to renew copyright.[61] | The Chuck Berry soundtrack may not be in the public domain. |
The Royal Bed | 1931 (copyright notice: 1930) | Lowell Sherman | RKO Radio Pictures | 1958 | Failure to renew copyright.[16] | |
Royal Wedding | 1951 (copyright notice: 1950) | Stanley Donen | MGM | 1978 | Failure to renew copyright.[37] | |
Santa Claus Conquers the Martians | 1964 | Nicholas Webster | Embassy Pictures Corporation | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][73] | |
Santa Fe Trail | 1940 | Michael Curtiz | Warner Bros. | 1968 | Failure to renew copyright.[74][75] | |
The Screaming Skull | 1958 | Alex Nicol | American International Pictures | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][13] | |
Second Chorus | 1940 | H.C. Potter | Paramount Pictures | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][76] | |
The Secret Hour | 1928 | Rowland V. Lee | Paramount Pictures | 1956 | Failure to renew copyright.[12] | Based on the play They Knew What They Wanted. See also the film A Lady to Love (1930) based on the same play.[12] |
Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon | 1942 | Roy William Neill | Universal Studios | 1969 | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][77] | |
The Silver Horde | 1930 | George Archainbaud | RKO Radio Pictures | 1958 | Failure to renew copyright.[16] | |
Sin Takes a Holiday | 1930 | Paul L. Stein | RKO Radio Pictures | 1958 | Failure to renew copyright.[16] | |
Sing a Song of Six Pants | 1947 | Jules White | Columbia Pictures | 1960s[22] | Failure to renew copyright.[22] | |
Sinners in Paradise | 1938 | James Whale | Universal Pictures | 1966 | Failure to renew copyright.[58] | |
Smouldering Fires | 1925 | Clarence Brown | Universal Pictures | 1953 | Failure to renew copyright.[61] | |
Star Is Born, AA Star Is Born | 1937 | William A. Wellman | SIP United Artists | 1965 | Failure to renew copyright.[38][40] | Re-made in 1954 and 1976 |
The Stork Club | 1945 | Hal Walker | B.G. Desylva Productions Inc. | 1982 | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][78] | |
The Strange Love of Martha Ivers | 1946 | Lewis Milestone | Paramount Pictures | 1974 | Failure to renew copyright.[11] | |
Street Scene | 1931 | King Vidor | United Artists | Early 1980s[79] | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][79] | |
Suddenly | 1954 | Lewis Allen | United Artists | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][80] | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][80] | |
Superman (1940s cartoons) | 1941-1943 | Dave Fleischer, Various | Paramount Pictures | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][81] | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][81] | Although all entries are in the public domain, ancillary rights such as merchandising contract rights, as well as the original 35mm master elements, are owned today by Warner Bros. Animation. Warner has owned Superman publisher DC Comics since 1969. |
Swing High, Swing Low | 1937 | Mitchell Leisen | Paramount Pictures | 1965 | Failure to renew copyright.[12] | |
Target for Today | 1941 | William Keighley | First Motion Picture Unit | 1941 | Work of the United States Government[G] | |
Teenagers from Outer Space | 1959 | Tom Graeff | Warner Bros. | 1987 | Failed to renew copyright.[40] | |
Terror by Night | 1946 | Roy William Neill | Universal Studios | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][82] | |
The Terror | 1963 | Roger Corman | American International Pictures, Filmgroup | 1963 | Missing copyright registration [83] | In the early 90's, Corman asked Mark Griffiths to shoot 12 minutes of additional footage starring Dick Miller, thus making a new film titled The Return of the Terror (1991) so Corman could claim his copyright.[84] |
That Justice Be Done | 1945 | George Stevens | Office of War Information | 1942–44 | Work of the United States Government[G] | |
This is the Army | 1943 | Michael Curtiz | Warner Bros. | Mid-1970s[85] | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][85] | |
Three Came Home | 1950 | Jean Negulesco | 20th Century Fox | 1977 | Failure to renew copyright.[86] | |
Three Guys Named Mike | 1951 (copyright notice: 1950) | Charles Walters | MGM | 1978 | Failed to renew copyright.[37] | |
Till the Clouds Roll By | 1946 | Richard Whorf | MGM | 1974 | Failed to renew copyright.[37] | |
Topper Returns | 1941 | Roy Del Ruth | United Artists | 1969 | Failure to renew copyright.[61] | |
Vengeance Valley | 1951 (copyright notice: 1950) | Richard Thorpe | MGM | 1978 | Failure to renew copyright.[37] | |
Waldo's Last Stand | 1940 | Edward L. Cahn | MGM | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][15] | |
Wings for This Man | 1945 | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | Office of War Information | 1945 | Work of the United States Government[G] | |
White Zombie | 1932 | Victor Halperin | United Artists | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][87] | Source material in the film may not be in the public domain.[88] |
Why We Fight | 1942–1944 | Frank Capra | United States Army Pictorial Services | 1942–44 | Work of the United States Government[G] | |
Wives Under Suspicion | 1938 | James Whale | Universal Pictures | 1966 | Failure to renew copyright.[58] | |
See also
Notes
- G Public domain in the USA from creation as work of the United States government
References
- ↑ "An Introduction to Films and Motion Pictures" at RoyaltyFreeMusic.com Retrieved August 4, 2009
- ↑ Rich, Lloyd L. (1998). "Protection of Graphic Characters". The Publishing Law Center. Retrieved 2012-01-20.
- ↑ Adler, Kenneth A. (1999-10-01). "Using Dramatic Characters in Multimedia Works – Avoiding the Pitfalls". Thelen LLP. Retrieved 2010-10-31.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Fishman, Stephen (2010), pg.180
- ↑ Fishman, Stephen (2010), pg.181
- ↑ Hirtle, Peter B. (2010-10-04). "Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States". Retrieved 2010-10-31.
- ↑ Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain (1940–1949), page xii.
- ↑ "United States Copyright Office Public Catalog". Retrieved 2009-10-10.
- ↑ John M. Miller, "Africa Screams, Home Video Reviews", Turner Classic Movies
- ↑ Sullivan, Monica (1998). VideoHound's independent film guide. Visible Ink Press. pp. 12–13.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 Pierce, David (2001)
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.6 12.7 12.8 12.9 12.10 12.11 Pierce, David (2007), pp.131–34
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Smith, Gary A. (2009). The American International Pictures video guide. McFarland & Company. p. 8.
- ↑ Hal Erickson, "At War with the Army Overview", New York Times
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 Hal Erickson, "Bear Shooters Overview", New York Times
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 16.6 16.7 16.8 16.9 16.10 16.11 16.12 16.13 16.14 16.15 16.16 16.17 16.18 Pierce, David (2007), "Notes", pp. 140–43
- ↑ Hal Erickson, "The Big Cat Overview", New York Times
- ↑ Hal Erickson, "The Big Trees Overview", New York Times
- ↑ Hal Erickson, "The Big Wheel Overview", New York Times
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 Lennig, Arthur (2003). The Immortal Count: The Life and Films of Bela Lugosi. The University Press of Kentucky. p. 465.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Nathaniel Thompson, "Cult Movies, The Brain that Wouldn't Die", Turner Classic Movies
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 22.4 22.5 22.6 22.7 Hogan, David (2011). Three Stooges FAQ: Everything Left to Know about the Eye-Poking, Face-Slapping Head-Thumping Geniuses. Applause Theatre and Cinema Books.
- ↑ Hal Erickson, "Captain January Overview", New York Times
- ↑ Blake, Marc (2013). Writing the Horror Movie. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. p. 91.
- ↑ Hal Erickson, "Carnival Story Overview", New York Times
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 26.3 Pierce, David (2007), p.130
- ↑ Online search results for keywords "Henry Mancini Charade", from US Copyright Office.
- ↑ The original story basis for Charade is 'The Unsuspecting Wife' by Peter Stone and Marc Behm, which appeared in the July 1961 issue of Redbook magazine. The copyright in the story was renewed by Stone in 1989 (see source: David Pierce (2007), Note #20, pg. 141).
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 Pierce, David (2007), pg.137
- ↑ Hal Erickson, "Colonel Effingham's Raid Overview", New York Times
- ↑ Hal Erickson, "Darling, How Could You! Overview", New York Times
- ↑ Hal Erickson, "New DVDs, Peckinpah's Deadly Companions and Major Dundee", New York Times
- ↑ M & A Associates v. VCX, 657 F.Supp. 454, conclusions: 27 (United States District Court April 8, 1987) (“Although Arno asked Weisberg for copyright protection of the film in early 1979, Weisberg first became aware of the legal significance of the omission of the copyright notice from the film in January of 1981. Weisberg thus received "notice" of the defect at that latter date. See M. Kramer Mfg. Co. v. Andrews, 783 F.2d 421, 443 & n. 21 (4th Cir. 1986). Weisberg's failure to take reasonable [657 F.Supp. 463] efforts resulted in the film being irretrievably injected into the public domain "several months" later.”).
- ↑ Hal Erickson, "Delightfully Dangerous Overview", New York Times
- ↑ Herzogenrath, Bernd (2009). The Films of Edgar G. Ulmer. Scarecrow Press. p. 151.
- ↑ Researching the Copyright Status of a Work from Copyright Registration and Renewal Information Chart and Web Site
- ↑ 37.0 37.1 37.2 37.3 37.4 37.5 37.6 37.7 Pierce, David (2007), pp.138–39
- ↑ 38.0 38.1 Pierce, David (2007), pp.134–37
- ↑ "The First Legion Overview", New York Times
- ↑ 40.0 40.1 40.2 40.3 40.4 40.5 40.6 40.7 Fishman, Stephen (2010), pp.174–180
- ↑ Wilson, John (2005). The Official Razzie Movie Guide: Enjoying the Best of Hollywoods Worst. Hachette Book Group.
- ↑ Hal Erickson, "God's Little Acre Overview", New York Times
- ↑ "Public Domain Trouble Spots". Copyright Overview. Stanford University. Retrieved November 30, 2013.
- ↑
- ↑ Hal Erickson, "The Gorilla Overview", New York Times
- ↑ John M. Miller, "Mr. Bug Goes to Town aka Hoppity Goes to Town", Turner Classic Movies
- ↑ David Kehr (March 6, 2009). "Classics From Disney and a Lilliputian Competitor". New York Times. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
- ↑ Nathaniel Thompson, "The Indestructible Man, Cult Movies", Turner Classic Movies
- ↑ 49.0 49.1 49.2 49.3 Pierce, David (2007), p.126
- ↑ Cox, Stephen. It's a Wonderful Life: A Memory Book. Nashville, Tennessee: Cumberland House, 2003. 115. Print. ISBN 1-58182-337-1. Copyright of short story, The Greatest Gift, expires after 2038, 95 years after publication.
- ↑ "Renewal Registrations, p. 1614." Catalog of Copyright Entries, January–June 1971, U.S. Copyright Office. Retrieved: November 8, 2010.
- ↑ Nesi, Ted. "Why You Can't Watch It's A Wonderful Life on Demand". WPRI.com. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
- ↑ Hal Erickson, "Kit Carson Overview", New York Times
- ↑ Prelinger, Rick (2006). The field guide to sponsored films. National Film Preservation Foundation. p. 52. ISBN 978-0-9747099-3-2.
- ↑ 55.0 55.1 Jonathan Malcolm Lampley (2010). Women in the Horror Films of Vincent Price. McFarland. p. 98.
- ↑ Copyright Registration and Renewal Information Chart and Web Site
- ↑ Online results from keyword search: "Last Time I Saw Paris Conrad Salinger" in United States Copyright Office. Retrieved June 17, 2012.
- ↑ 58.0 58.1 58.2 Pierce, David (2007), pg.138
- ↑ Hal Erickson, "Life with Father Overview", New York Times
- ↑ Hal Erickson, "Little Men Overview", New York Times
- ↑ 61.0 61.1 61.2 61.3 61.4 Pierce, David (2007), p.128
- ↑ Hal Erickson, "Love Laughs at Andy Hardy Overview", New York Times
- ↑ Wilson, John (2005). The Official Razzie Movie Guide: Enjoying the Best of Hollywoods Worst. Hachette Book Group.
- ↑ 64.0 64.1 "Court Rules for 'Goodtimes' in McLintock! Case", in Billboard, May 14, 1994,pg. 73 & 82
- ↑ Fishman, Stephen (2010), pp.337
- ↑ Hal Erickson, "My Dear Secretary Overview", New York Times
- ↑ Night of the Living Dead entered the public domain because the original theatrical distributor, the Walter Reade Organization, neglected to place a copyright indication on the prints. In 1968, United States copyright law required a proper notice for a work to maintain a copyright. See U.S. Copyright Office, Circular 92, Copyright Law of the United States of America, Chapter 4: Copyright Notice, Deposit, and Registration, Omission of notice on certain copies and phonorecords. Image Ten displayed such a notice on the title frames of the film beneath the original title, Night of the Flesh Eaters but the distributor removed the statement when it changed the title. See Boluk, Stephanie; Lenz, Wylie (June 16, 2011). "Introduction: Generation Z, the Age of Apocalypse". In Boluk, Stephanie; Lenz, Wylie. Generation Zombie: Essays on the Living Dead in Modern Culture. Jefferson, North Carolina, US: McFarland & Company. p. 5. ISBN 978-0-7864-6140-0. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
- ↑ Grandinetti, Fred (2004). Popeye: an illustrated cultural history. McFarland & Company. p. 125.
- ↑ Hal Erickson, "Rage at Dawn Overview", New York Times
- ↑ Shaye, Robert (May 22, 2003). "Graduation 2003".
- ↑ Anderson, Patrick (1981). High in America: the true story behind NORML and the politics of marijuana. The Viking Press. p. 101.
- ↑ 72.0 72.1 Hal Erickson, "Roberta Overview", New York Times
- ↑ Wilson, John (2005). The Official Razzie Movie Guide: Enjoying the Best of Hollywoods Worst. Hachette Book Group.
- ↑ Filmmakers Newsletter Volume 7, Suncraft International Incorporated, 1973
- ↑ Segrave, Kerry. Piracy in the Motion Picture Industry.
- ↑ Hal Erickson, "Second Chorus Overview", New York Times
- ↑ Hal Erickson, "Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon Overview", New York Times
- ↑ Hal Erickson, "The Stork Club Overview", New York Times
- ↑ 79.0 79.1 Hal Erickson, "Street Scene Overview", New York Times
- ↑ 80.0 80.1 Hal Erickson, "Suddenly Overview", New York Times
- ↑ 81.0 81.1 Rossen, Jake (2008). Superman Vs. Hollywood: How Fiendish Producers, Devious Directors, and Warring Writers Grounded an American Icon. Chicago Review Press.
- ↑ Hal Erickson, "Terror by Night Overview", New York Times
- ↑ Ray, Fred Olen (1991). The New Poverty Row: Independent Filmmakers as Distributors. McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 51.
- ↑ Stevens, Brad (2003). Monte Hellman: His Life and Films. McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 34.
- ↑ 85.0 85.1 Hal Erickson, "This is the Army Overview", New York Times
- ↑ Hal Erickson, "Three Came Home Overview", New York Times
- ↑ Rhodes, Gary D. (2001). White Zombie: Anatomy of a Horror Film. McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 280.
- ↑ Ryan Turek (July 6, 2010). "What Happened to Tobe Hooper's White Zombie?". shocktillyoudrop.com. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
Bibliography
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- Pierce, David (March 29, 2001). Legal Limbo: How American Copyright Law Makes Orphan Films (MP3 IN "FILE3"). Orphans of the Storm II: Documenting the 20th Century. Retrieved 2012-01-05.
- Pierce, David (June 2007). "Forgotten Faces: Why Some of Our Cinema Heritage Is Part of the Public Domain". Film History: An International Journal 19 (2): 125–43. doi:10.2979/FIL.2007.19.2.125. ISSN 0892-2160. OCLC 15122313. Retrieved 2012-01-05.