Public Domain
A Torrid Toreador
1942 · Famous Studios · Dir. Eddie Donnelly
A Toreador, who talks like Jimmy Durante, wants to marry the fair Spanish lass, who talks like Lupe Velez, but her father, who talks like Leo Carrillo, tells him he must first prove himself worthy by fighting the bull. He does so and, after a few incidents in which things do not appear to be going his way and some scattered 'ole's, wins the hand of his fair lady.
Confidence
95
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
A Torrid Toreador is a short animated film in the 'Gabby' series, produced by Famous Studios (the successor to Fleischer Studios) and distributed by Paramount Pictures. It was released on June 16, 1942. Under the 1909 Copyright Act, works published between 1928 and 1963 required a renewal filing with the US Copyright Office in the 28th year of their original copyright term to remain protected.
A search of the Stanford Copyright Renewal Database and the Library of Congress Catalog of Copyright Entries (CCE) reveals no renewal registration for this specific title. Unlike many of the more famous Popeye or Superman shorts from the same era, which were often renewed by Paramount or successor entities like United Artists/AAP, the Gabby series shorts frequently fell into the public domain due to oversight. The film is widely cited in public domain animation databases and is included in various public domain cartoon collections (such as those by Alpha Video and Mill Creek), confirming its status.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- Stanford Copyright Renewal Database (https://exhibits.stanford.edu/copyrightrenewals)
- Hurst, Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain (1894-1939; 1940-1949)
- Library of Congress Catalog of Copyright Entries (CCE), Motion Pictures 1912–1939 and 1940–1949
- The Big Cartoon DataBase (BCDB): A Torrid Toreador (1942)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.