Public Domain
My True Story
1951 · Columbia Pictures · Dir. Mickey Rooney
Ann Martin is serving time as a jewel thief. Paroled and determined to stay clean, she quickly finds out that her freedom was bought by an old, vicious boss that has picked her for a job.
Confidence
95
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
The film 'My True Story' was a US production released by Columbia Pictures on March 8, 1951, based on the radio program of the same name. Under the Copyright Act of 1909, works registered between 1928 and 1963 required a renewal filing with the US Copyright Office during their 28th year of protection to avoid entering the public domain.
A search of the Stanford Copyright Renewal Database and the Library of Congress Catalog of Copyright Entries (CCE) reveals that while the film was originally registered (LP789), no renewal was ever filed. Specifically, for films released in 1951, the renewal window was open in 1978 and 1979. Columbia Pictures (the original claimant) and its successors failed to renew the copyright for this title. Consequently, the film fell into the public domain at the end of its first 28-year term on December 31, 1979. It is currently listed in numerous public domain film databases and is frequently distributed by budget labels like Alpha Video and Sinister Cinema.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- Stanford Copyright Renewal Database (https://exhibits.stanford.edu/copyrightrenewals)
- U Penn Online Catalog of Copyright Entries (CCE)
- Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain (1950-1959) by David Pierce
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films (My True Story, 1951)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.