Name: The Deonzo Brothers in their Wonderful Jumping Act
Director: Robert W. Paul
Released: 1901

The Deonzo Brothers in their Wonderful Jumping Act

1901 · American Mutoscope and Biograph Company · Dir. Robert W. Paul

The famous acrobats in the above title appear in a marvellous acrobatic act. There are three barrels arranged on the stage. The boys, blindfolded, stand on opposite sides of the stage, and jump from one barrel into the other until they both land in the same barrel at the same time. They then jump backwards onto the stage over the two barrels. One table is then mounted upon another and the center barrel is placed on top. The brothers still blindfolded jump one each into a barrel and from them to the first to the second table and from the second table into the barrel on top of the second table. They then jump backwards onto the stage. This is pronounced by show people to be the most marvellous acrobatic feat that has ever been introduced. (Edison Catalog)

Confidence

100

Why this status applies

This short film, featuring an acrobatic act by the Deonzo Brothers, was produced by the American Mutoscope and Biograph Company and registered for copyright as a series of still photographs (a common practice of the era) on March 29, 1901. Under US copyright law, all works published or registered before January 1, 1928, have entered the public domain regardless of whether they were renewed. Since the film was registered and released in 1901, its maximum possible copyright term (even with the extensions granted by later Acts) has expired. The 95-year term for works for hire published before 1978 does not apply to works this old; any work from 1901 became public domain at the latest by 1976 (under the old 56-year rule) or was already long-expired by the time the 1998 extension was passed.

Why this status applies

Supporting facts