Public Domain
Abe Lincoln of Ninth Avenue
1939 · Monogram Pictures · Dir. William Nigh
Jimmy, an idealistic and hard-working young man, has just arrived in New York City with dreams of making his fortune. Along the way he faces numerous obstacles, opportunities and temptations, but through it all, he considers the actions of his hero, Abraham Lincoln, for guidance. Will Jimmy see his dreams come true, or will he be another of the countless hopefuls chewed up and spit out by New York's mean streets?
Confidence
95
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
The film 'Abe Lincoln of Ninth Avenue' (also known by its alternative title 'Streets of New York') was released by Monogram Pictures in 1939. Under the rules of the Copyright Act of 1909, works published between 1928 and 1963 required a copyright renewal filing during the 28th year of their first term to maintain protection for a second term.
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 under either 'Abe Lincoln of Ninth Avenue' or 'Streets of New York'. According to the 'Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain' (Hurst/Baer), the copyright for this production was not renewed. As a result, the film entered the public domain in the United States in 1967 upon the expiration of its initial 28-year term. The film is widely available on public domain archives and through PD distributors such as Alpha Video and Sinister Cinema.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- Stanford Copyright Renewal Database
- U Penn online Catalog of Copyright Entries (CCE)
- Hurst, Richard Maurice. Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain (1894-1939)
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films
- Internet Archive
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.