Public Domain
Flip's Circus
1921 · Bray Productions · Dir. Winsor McCay
Flip is balancing his hat on his face while leaning forwards and backwards. He eventually falls face forward. Flip opens the tent flap to reveal a lot of large animals behind him. A large animal creature-I have no idea what it is-comes out and starts to interact with Flip. Flip keeps hitting him. Flip puts his head in the animal's mouth. At one point, the animal swallows him as we see moving bumps on the stomach. He then spits him back out!
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
Under US copyright law, all works published or registered before January 1, 1929, have entered the public domain. This film, directed by Broadus J. Edwards and featuring the character Flip the Frog, was released in 1921 (part of the Bray-Pictograph or Bray Studios series).
Because the film was released more than 95 years ago and falls before the 1929 cutoff established by the Copyright Term Extension Act, its copyright has expired regardless of whether it was originally registered or renewed. It is now part of the public domain in the United States.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.