Public Domain
Good Night, Nurse!
1918 · Comique Film Corporation · Dir. Roscoe Arbuckle
Roscoe's wife, tired of his endless drunkenness, reads of an operation that cures alcoholism and has him admitted to No Hope Sanitarium to get the surgery. Roscoe, wanting out, eventually disguises himself as a nurse to effect his escape.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
The film 'Good Night, Nurse!' is a two-reel silent comedy starring Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle and Buster Keaton, released on July 8, 1918. Under current US copyright law, all works published or registered in the United States prior to January 1, 1928, have entered the public domain due to the expiration of their statutory copyright term.
Even if the film had been renewed (which was required under the 1909 Act for works to enjoy a second term), the maximum possible duration for a work published in 1918 would have expired at the end of 1993 (75 years) or, under later extensions, would not have survived past the absolute 95-year cutoff for works of that era. As of January 1, 2014, all works from 1918 are definitively in the public domain in the United States, regardless of renewal status or studio lineage.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- U.S. Copyright Office, Circular 15A: Duration of Copyright
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films: Good Night, Nurse! (1918)
- Internet Archive: Good Night, Nurse! (1918) entry
- Silent Era database (silentera.com)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.