Public Domain
Dreamy Dud. He Resolves Not to Smoke.
1915 · Essanay Film Manufacturing Company · Dir. Wallace A. Carlson
After stealing a man's pipe and smoking his way to the moon, Dreamy Dud decides that smoking isn't for him.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
The film 'Dreamy Dud. He Resolves Not to Smoke.' was released on August 25, 1915, as part of the 'Dreamy Dud' animated series created by Wallace A. Carlson for the Essanay Film Manufacturing Company.
Under 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 1915 production, the maximum possible term of copyright protection (even if timely renewed) would have expired no later than the end of 1990 (75 years from publication under the 1976 Act). Based on the pre-1928 rule, the film is definitively in the public domain.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- Library of Congress Catalog of Copyright Entries: Motion Pictures 1912-1939
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films (Series Context)
- The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons (Jeff Lenburg)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.