Public Domain
Safety Last!
1923 · Hal Roach Studios · Dir. Fred C. Newmeyer
When a store clerk organizes a contest to climb the outside of a tall building, circumstances force him to make the perilous climb himself.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
Safety Last! is a classic silent comedy film starring Harold Lloyd. Under the Copyright Term Extension Act of 1998, all works published in the United States before January 1, 1924, entered the public domain 95 years after their publication. Since the film was released in April 1923, its copyright expired on January 1, 2019.
Prior to entering the public domain by expiration of time, the film's copyright had been successfully maintained. It was originally registered by the Hal Roach Studios (Reg. No. LP19013) and the copyright was timely renewed in 1950 by Harold Lloyd (Reg. No. R67305). However, because it was published before the 1928 cutoff, it is now definitively within the public domain regardless of previous renewals.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- U.S. Copyright Office Record of Renewals, 1950 (R67305)
- Hurst, Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain (1894-1939)
- Library of Congress, Catalog of Copyright Entries: Motion Pictures 1912-1939
- Public Domain Review - Works Entering the Public Domain in 2019
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.