Public Domain
Another Job for the Undertaker
1901 · Edison Manufacturing Company · Dir. Edwin S. Porter
Shows a bedroom in a hotel. On the wall of the room is a conspicuous sign "Don't blow out the gas." A hayseed enters the room, accompanied by a bellboy. The boy deposits the Rube's bag and umbrella, turns a somersault, and vanishes through the door. The Rube then removes his hat and coat and places them upon the table. They immediately vanish. He then blows out the gas. The scene then instantly changes to a funeral procession, headed by Reuben's hearse, and followed by the carriages of his country friends. Strictly up-to-date picture. (Edison Catalog, 1901)
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
This short silent film was directed by Edwin S. Porter and released by the Edison Manufacturing Company in May 1901. Under current US copyright law, all works published before January 1, 1928, have entered the public domain regardless of their original registration or renewal status.
As a US production from the turn of the century, its copyright protection was governed by the Copyright Act of 1891, which provided a maximum term of 42 years (including renewals). Even if extended by later legislation, the absolute maximum protection for any work from 1901 expired no later than the end of the 75th year (1976) under the 1909 Act, or simply by the arrival of the 1928 cutoff date established by the 1998 Copyright Term Extension Act. The film is now freely available for public use and is held in various archives including the Library of Congress and the Internet Archive.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- https://www.loc.gov/item/00694314/
- https://archive.org/details/AnotherJobForTheUndertaker
- https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0000336/
- Elias Savada, The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures Produced in the United States: Film Beginnings, 1893-1910 (1995)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.