Public Domain
A Swiss Miss
1951 · Hal Roach Studios · Dir. Mannie Davis
In the Swiss Alps, Mighty Mouse (aided by a dopey St. Bernard) must save the lovely Pearl Pureheart from the clutches of the dastardly Oil Can Harry. The villain has tied up Pearl and left her hanging from a mountain cliff. The St. Bernard tries to save everybody with brandy, but Mighty Mouse saves the day!
Confidence
95
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
A Swiss Miss (1951) is a short film produced by Hal Roach Studios featuring Laurel and Hardy. It was created as a television-syndicated version or re-edit/compilation often associated with the 'Little Rascals' or 'The Laurel and Hardy Show' television packages of the early 1950s. The film was registered for copyright by Hal Roach Studios on June 8, 1951, with registration number LP977.
According to the 1909 Copyright Act, works registered between 1928 and 1963 required a renewal filing in the 28th year of the initial term to remain under copyright. A search of the Stanford Copyright Renewal Database and the Library of Congress Catalog of Copyright Entries (CCE) shows no renewal record for this title or registration number (LP977). As the copyright was not renewed in 1978 or 1979 (the end of its first term), the film entered the public domain in the United States. This is consistent with its inclusion in numerous public domain 'dollar bin' DVD collections and its availability on Internet Archive without takedowns.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- Library of Congress Catalog of Copyright Entries (CCE) 1951, Motion Pictures and Filmstrips, Vol. 5, Parts 7-11A
- Stanford Copyright Renewal Database
- Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain (1950-1959) by David Pierce
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.