Public Domain
The Dragon Painter
1919 · Haworth Pictures Corporation · Dir. William Worthington
A wild man and genius becomes a master painter's disciple, but loses his divine gift when he finds love.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
The Dragon Painter (1919), starring Sessue Hayakawa, is a US motion picture definitively in the public domain. According to current US copyright law, all works published or registered before January 1, 1928, have seen their copyright terms expire as a matter of law. This film was released by the Haworth Pictures Corporation and distributed by Robertson-Cole Distributing Corporation in 1919.
Because the film was released well before the 1928 cutoff, it is in the public domain regardless of whether it was originally registered or subsequently renewed. It is currently held in various archives including the George Eastman Museum and has been restored by the Milestone Film & Video collection, which acknowledges the public domain status of the underlying footage.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- Library of Congress: Catalog of Copyright Entries (CCE) 1894-1927
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films: The Dragon Painter (1919)
- Milestone Films: Sessue Hayakawa in The Dragon Painter
- U.S. Copyright Office: Circular 15a (Duration of Copyright)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.