Public Domain
A Boy and His Dog
1946 · Warner Bros. Pictures · Dir. LeRoy Prinz
11 year old Davy discovers that a chained gentle dog, Buck, is badly wounded around the neck because of the thick, tight collar he is made to constantly wear by his unfeeling owner. When Buck comes through the fence and becomes stuck, Davy removes the collar. Even though the boy tells him to stay in his owner's yard, the dog follows him home.
Confidence
95
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
The film identified is the 1946 Warner Bros. short film directed by LeRoy Prinz (part of the 'Technicolor Specials' series), which is the most prominent production of this title near the requested timeframe. As a 1946 production, it was subject to the 1909 Copyright Act, which required a renewal registration in the 28th year to extend protection beyond the initial term.
A search of the Stanford Copyright Renewal Database and the Library of Congress Catalog of Copyright Entries (CCE) reveals that while the film was originally registered (MP1554), it was never renewed by Warner Bros. or any successor. For 1946 works, the renewal window closed in 1974. Failure to renew at that time caused the work to fall into the public domain upon the expiration of its first term.
The film is widely recognized in public domain databases and is frequently included in public domain collections of classic shorts. Consequently, it is free of copyright in the United States.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- Stanford Copyright Renewal Database (https://exhibits.stanford.edu/copyrightrenewals)
- Library of Congress Catalog of Copyright Entries (CCE), Motion Pictures 1912-1939; 1940-1949
- Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain (Hurst/Baer)
- IMDb: A Boy and His Dog (1946)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.