Public Domain
D.O.A.
1949 · Cardinal Pictures · Dir. Rudolph Maté
Frank Bigelow is about to die, and he knows it. The accountant has been poisoned and has only 24 hours before the lethal concoction kills him. Determined to find out who his murderer is, Frank, with the help of his assistant and girlfriend, Paula, begins to trace back over his last steps. As he frantically tries to unravel the mystery behind his own impending demise, his sleuthing leads him to a group of crooked businessmen and another murder.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
The film 'D.O.A.' was registered for copyright by Cardinal Pictures, Inc., on December 14, 1949, under registration number LP2713. Under the Copyright Act of 1909, works registered between 1928 and 1963 required a manual renewal filing with the US Copyright Office during the 28th year of the initial term to extend protection for a second term.
A search of the Stanford Copyright Renewal Database, the US Copyright Office CCE records, and secondary authoritative catalogs (such as Richard Baer's 'Film Superlist') confirms that no renewal was ever filed for this film. The copyright expired at the end of its first 28-year term in December 1977. As a result, the film entered the public domain in the United States on January 1, 1978.
Because the film was already in the public domain prior to the 1992 Automatic Renewal Act and is a US-origin work (meaning it is not eligible for URAA restoration), its status as public domain is permanent and well-documented. It is a staple of public domain film collections and is frequently cited in legal literature as a prominent example of a failed renewal.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- Library of Congress: Catalog of Copyright Entries (Motion Pictures 1940-1949), p. 81
- Stanford Copyright Renewal Database (search: D.O.A. 1949)
- Hurst/Baer, Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain 1894-1939/1940-1949
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films (1941-1950): D.O.A. entry
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.