Public Domain
Felix in Hollywood
1923 · Margaret J. Winkler / Pat Sullivan Studios · Dir. Otto Messmer
A starving actor, reduced to trying his luck in the movies, travels to Hollywood. His cat, Felix, poses as a travel bag and comes along.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
Under the terms of the Copyright Term Extension Act of 1998, all works published in the United States prior to January 1, 1928, have entered the public domain. 'Felix in Hollywood', a notable early animated short featuring Felix the Cat, was originally released on May 15, 1923, and copyrighted in the name of Pat Sullivan.
Because the film was published more than 95 years ago and falls before the 1928 cutoff, its copyright protection has expired by operation of law. Even if a valid renewal had been filed under the previous 1909 Act, the maximum possible term of protection ended at the conclusion of 1998 (75 years after publication). Consequently, the work is now free to use and distribute without permission from the original estate or studio.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- U.S. Copyright Office, Circular 15A: Duration of Copyright
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films (Short Film Records)
- Internet Archive: Felix in Hollywood (1923)
- Library of Congress: National Film Registry (Selected for 2014)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.