Public Domain
His First Flame
1927 · Mack Sennett Comedies · Dir. Harry Edwards
Fire chief Amos McCarthy, a confirmed misogynist, counsels his nephew Harry Howells to avoid matrimony at all costs. Still, the lovestruck Harry is determined to marry his sweetheart Ethel. All that changes, though, when it turns out Ethel is a faithless gold-digger. Disillusioned, Harry spends the night in his uncle's fire house to try and forget his troubles... until the clamor of a fire alarm presents the bumbling Harry with a chance to be a hero.
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. 'His First Flame', starring Harry Langdon, was produced by Mack Sennett and released through Pathe Exchange in 1927.
Because the film was released in 1927, its 95-year copyright term expired on January 1, 2023. Regardless of whether the copyright was originally registered (LP23864) or renewed (R141940), the statutory limit for protection of works from this era has been reached. It is now free for use and distribution in the United States.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- U.S. Copyright Office Catalog of Copyright Entries (CCE)
- Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain (1894-1939)
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films
- Stanford Copyright Renewal Database
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.