Protected
Bedlam
1946 · RKO Radio Pictures · Dir. Mark Robson
London, 1761. St. Mary's of Bethlehem, a sinister madhouse, is visited by wealthy people who enjoy watching the patients confined there as if they were caged animals. Nell Bowen, one of the visitors, is horrified by the deplorable living conditions of the unfortunate inhabitants of this godforsaken place, better known as Bedlam.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
The film 'Bedlam', starring Boris Karloff as Master George Sims, was produced by Val Lewton's unit at RKO. It was originally registered for copyright on 1946-04-19 under registration number LP292. According to the Stanford Copyright Renewal Database and the Library of Congress Catalog of Copyright Entries (CCE), the copyright was successfully renewed on 1973-10-09 by RKO General, Inc. (Renewal Registration No. R560565).
Because the film was released in 1946 and the copyright was timely renewed in its 28th year, the copyright was extended for a second term. Under the 1976 Copyright Act and the Copyright Term Extension Act of 1998, this protection lasts for 95 years from the original publication date. Consequently, 'Bedlam' is protected in the United States until January 1, 2042. Current rights are held by Warner Bros. (via Turner Entertainment), which acquired the RKO film library.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- Stanford Copyright Renewal Database (R560565)
- Catalog of Copyright Entries: Motion Pictures 1912–1939 and 1940–1949 (LP292)
- David Pierce, Motion Picture Copyrights and Renewals, 1950–1959
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films (Bedlam, 1946)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.