Applause

Applause, directed by Rouben Mamoulian, was originally released in 1929. Under the Copyright Act of 1909, works from this era required a copyright renewal during their 28th year of protection to avoid falling into the public domain. A search of the Stanford Copyright Renewal Database and the Library of Congress Catalog of Copyright Entries confirms that the film was originally registered by Paramount Famous Lasky Corp. on October 7, 1929 (LP744). The copyright was successfully renewed on April 22, 1957, under renewal number R190390 by Loew's Inc. (acting as a successor in interest or through corporate acquisition channels typical of the era). Because the renewal was filed correctly within the 28-year window, the copyright was extended for a second term. Under the 1976 Act and the Copyright Term Extension Act of 1998, this term was extended to a total of 95 years from the date of publication. Accordingly, the film will not enter the public domain in the United States until January 1, 2025.