Public Domain
The Doll-House Mystery
1915 · Thanhouser Film Corporation · Dir. Sidney Franklin
When a stack of valuable bonds go missing from the Grant household, suspicion falls on little Carmen Grant's playmate Georgie, whose father is a poor ex-convict trying to go straight.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
Under the current United States copyright law, all works published or registered before January 1, 1928, have entered the public domain. This film, produced by the Thanhouser Film Corporation and released in March 1915, falls well within this category.
The film was a three-reel drama directed by Jack Harvey. Because it was published more than 95 years ago (specifically 109 years ago as of 2024), its statutory copyright term has expired regardless of whether it was originally registered or renewed. There are no provisions under US law to extend the copyright of a 1915 production beyond its 75-year (pre-1998 law) or 95-year (post-1998 law) limits.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- Thanhouser Film Corporation Filmography (thanhouser.org)
- The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures Produced in the United States
- 17 U.S.C. § 304 (Duration of Copyright)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.