Protected
Another Fine Mess
1930 · Hal Roach Studios · Dir. James Parrott
Two homeless vagabonds hide out in a vacant mansion and pose as the residents when prospective lessees arrive and try to rent it.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
Another Fine Mess is a Laurel and Hardy short film produced by Hal Roach and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Under the Copyright Act of 1909, works published between 1928 and 1963 required a renewal filing in the 28th year to maintain protection. This film was originally registered for copyright on November 24, 1930, under registration number LP1764.
A search of the Stanford Copyright Renewal Database and the Library of Congress CCE confirms that the copyright was successfully renewed on February 7, 1958, under renewal number R208447 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Distributing Corp. Because the copyright was renewed, it escaped the public domain and is currently protected until 95 years after its publication date. It will enter the public domain on January 1, 2026.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- Stanford Copyright Renewal Database (R208447)
- Catalog of Copyright Entries, 1958, Motion Pictures and Filmstrips (U Penn)
- Hurst, Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain (1894-1939)
- IMDb: Another Fine Mess (1930)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.