Public Domain
Everett True Breaks Into the Movies
1916 · Selig Polyscope Co.
Everett sees a want-ad for film actors in his morning paper and decides to apply. He turns out to be a natural in front of the camera, but his wife does not approve of the love scenes. Based on the comic strip The Outbursts of Everett True.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
Under the current laws of the United States, all works published or registered before January 1, 1929, have entered the public domain. 'Everett True Breaks Into the Movies' was released in 1916, based on the popular 'The Outbursts of Everett True' comic strip by A.D. Condo.
As a film produced and released in 1916, it falls well before the 1929 cutoff. The copyright protection for this film, regardless of whether it was ever formally registered or renewed, expired no later than 75 years after its publication under the 1976 Act, and it definitively transitioned into the public domain upon the expiration of its maximum possible term. Consequently, no copyright search for renewal is necessary for this title.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films
- Library of Congress: Copyright Records (Pre-1929)
- Hurst, Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain (1894-1939)
- 17 U.S.C. § 304
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.