Public Domain
Affairs of Cappy Ricks
1937 · Republic Pictures · Dir. Ralph Staub
Cappy Ricks, a crusty old sea captain, returns home from a long voyage to discover that his family and his business are in chaos--his daughter is set to marry a nitwit that he can't stand, and his future mother-in-law has taken over everything and is set to merge his business with that of a rival company. Worst of all, though, is that she--in the interests of "progress"--has completely automated his beloved ship, "Electra"!. He sets out to put an end to all this foolishness and comes up with what he thinks is a foolproof plan.
Confidence
95
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
Affairs of Cappy Ricks was released in 1937 and was originally registered for US copyright by Republic Pictures Corp. under registration number LP7184 on May 29, 1937. Under the Copyright Act of 1909, works from this era required a renewal filing with the US Copyright Office during the 28th year of their first copyright term to remain protected.
A thorough search of the Stanford Copyright Renewal Database and the Library of Congress Catalog of Copyright Entries (CCE) reveals no renewal record for this title. The copyright would have been eligible for renewal in 1964 or 1965, but the original claimant (Republic) or its successors failed to file the necessary paperwork. Consequently, the film entered the public domain in the United States upon the expiration of its initial 28-year term.
This film is frequently cited in public domain lists, including the 'Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain' by D. Richard Baer, which confirms the lack of renewal. It is widely available for distribution by public domain film companies and on the Internet Archive without restriction.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- Catalog of Copyright Entries 1937, Motion Pictures, Vol 12-13, p. 119
- Stanford Copyright Renewal Database (Checked for LP7184)
- D. Richard Baer, Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain (1894-1939)
- IMDb - Company Credits for Affairs of Cappy Ricks (1937)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.