Public Domain
Dunces and Dangers
1918 · Vitagraph Company of America · Dir. Larry Semon
Larry and his wife are desperately poor—with no food. However, the butcher and grocer show up to collect money they are owed and they won't take no for an answer. They are ready to take anything and everything and eventually chase the pair up onto the room—where various stunts occur.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
Dunces and Dangers is a silent comedy short starring Larry Semon, released by the Vitagraph Company of America. Under the current copyright laws of the United States, all works published before January 1, 1928, have entered the public domain regardless of their original registration or renewal status.
The film was originally registered for copyright on October 2, 1918 (LP12948) and would have required a renewal in its 28th year to extend protection; however, the expiration of the maximum 95-year term for works of this era occurred no later than 2013. Since it precedes the 1928 cutoff, it is definitively public domain in the US.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- https://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ15a.pdf
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films (Silent Film Era)
- Internet Movie Database (IMDb)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.