Public Domain
The Escape on the Fast Freight
1915 · Kalem Company · Dir. Leo D. Maloney
Two tramps hold up small-town Ferndale's railway station night operator Helen, lock her in a closet, and escape. Later, standing on a bridge over the freight yards, Helen sees the two bandits aboard an outgoing freight and drops onto the roof of the car from above as it crosses underneath. A chase along the roofs of the speeding cars ensues.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
This short film is Episode 13 of the famous silent serial 'The Hazards of Helen', starring Helen Holmes and produced by the Kalem Company. It was released on February 6, 1915.
Under current US copyright law, all works published before January 1, 1929, have entered the public domain regardless of whether they were registered or renewed. Since this film was published and copyrighted in 1915, its statutory protection has expired, as the maximum possible term for works of this era (95 years) concluded at the end of 2010. Therefore, the film is definitively in the public domain in the United States.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films (1911-1920)
- Library of Congress: Catalog of Copyright Entries (Motion Pictures 1912-1939)
- Internet Archive: The Hazards of Helen (Episode 13)
- 17 U.S.C. § 304 (Copyright Act of 1976)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.