Public Domain
Hot Stuff
1912 · Edison Manufacturing Co. · Dir. Mack Sennett
Hank (Mack Sennett) loses his girl (Mabel Normand) to another guy (Dell Henderson) so he decides to get even with some hot sauce.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
The film 'Hot Stuff' was released on August 21, 1912, as a short comedy produced by the Edison Manufacturing Company. As a work first published in the United States prior to January 1, 1928, its copyright protection has expired as a matter of law.
According to US copyright law (17 USC § 304), all works published or registered before 1928 have entered the public domain. Even if the film was originally registered with the Copyright Office (as was standard for Edison productions of the era, which were often filed as paper prints), the maximum term of protection (95 years total if renewed) would have ended no later than 2007. Consequently, the film is free for use and distribution without permission.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- Library of Congress Catalog of Copyright Entries: Motion Pictures 1894-1912
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films (Historical Short Subject Records)
- The Edison Phonograph Monthly (1912)
- IMDb: Hot Stuff (1912)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.