Public Domain
A Successful Failure
1934 · Monogram Pictures · Dir. Arthur Lubin
Ellery Cushing is full of catchy sayings and old-fashioned wisdom. But all that his family cares about is how much money he makes, and all that his boss at the newspaper sees is that Cushing is getting too old to keep up with his work. So his loyal co-worker Phil decides to see what he can do to help everyone see what his friend has to offer.
Confidence
95
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
Under the 1909 Copyright Act, works published between 1928 and 1963 required a renewal filing in the 28th year of their first copyright term to remain protected. 'A Successful Failure' was released in 1934 by Monogram Pictures, with an original registration appearing in the Catalog of Copyright Entries (CCE) under LP4991, dated November 1, 1934.
A search of the Stanford Copyright Renewal Database and the Library of Congress CCE renewal volumes (covering the relevant renewal window of 1961–1962) yields no results for this title. D. Richard Baer's 'Film Superlist,' which serves as a definitive index of these records, explicitly identifies the film as being in the public domain due to non-renewal.
Because the copyright was not renewed within the statutory timeframe, the work entered the public domain in the United States upon the expiration of its first 28-year term on December 31, 1962.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- Catalog of Copyright Entries: Motion Pictures 1912–1939 (LP4991)
- Stanford Copyright Renewal Database
- Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain (1894-1939) by D. Richard Baer
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films (1931-1940)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.