Public Domain
The Four Musicians of Bremen
1922 · Laugh-O-Gram Films · Dir. Walt Disney
Four animal musicians consisting of a Horse, Cat, Dog, & Rooster set out on their own quest to try to find some fame by playing their own music. Unfortunitly every where they go, trouble always occurs whether they are being chased by town folk, a sword fish, or being attacked by an army.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
The film 'The Four Musicians of Bremen' was released in 1922 as part of Walt Disney's Laugh-O-Gram series. Under current United States copyright law, all works published or registered before January 1, 1928, have entered the public domain. This occurs regardless of whether a copyright was originally registered or subsequently renewed, as the maximum possible term of 95 years has expired for all such works.
Even if the film had been produced later, it would likely have fallen into the public domain due to the well-documented bankruptcy of Laugh-O-Gram Films in 1923, which left many of the studio's early works in a state of legal limbo until their eventual copyright expiration. Because the original publication date is 1922, it definitively reached the end of its statutory protection on January 1, 1998.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- U.S. Copyright Office, Circular 15A: Duration of Copyright
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films (Laugh-O-Gram Series records)
- The Walt Disney Archives: Laugh-O-Gram Films history
- Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain (1894-1939)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.