Public Domain
Criminal Investigator
1942 · Monogram Pictures · Dir. Jean Yarbrough
A reporter investigates the murder of a showgirl, who was the widow of a millionaire. While digging in to the mysterious murder of a showgirl (Vivian Wilcox), intrepid reporter Bob Martin (Robert Lowery) uncovers a connection between that case and another one he's been working on. An inmate (Lawrence Creighton) holds the key to the crime, but there's one problem: He's deaf and mute. Meanwhile, the murderers (Jan Wiley and Charlie Hall) appear to be working for a very powerful person.
Confidence
95
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
Criminal Investigator was released in 1942 and registered for copyright by Monogram Pictures Corp. on October 16, 1942 (LP11655). Under the Copyright Act of 1909, works from this era required a formal renewal with the US Copyright Office during the 28th year of the initial term to maintain protection for an additional 67 years.
A search of the Stanford Copyright Renewal Database and the Library of Congress Catalog of Copyright Entries (CCE) reveals no record of renewal for this title. For a 1942 release, the renewal window would have occurred in 1969 or 1970. Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain (1894-1939 and 1940-1949 volumes) confirms that Monogram failed to renew the majority of its library from this period, including this film.
Because the copyright was not renewed, the work entered the public domain in the United States upon the expiration of its first 28-year term in 1970. The film is currently distributed by several well-known public domain labels such as Alpha Video and is available on the Internet Archive without copyright restriction.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- Stanford Copyright Renewal Database (no record found)
- Catalog of Copyright Entries: Motion Pictures 1912-1939 and 1940-1949
- Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain (Hurst/Baer)
- IMDb (Criminal Investigator 1942)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.