Public Domain
The Mechanical Cow
1927 · Universal Pictures / Winkler Pictures / Disney · Dir. Walt Disney
Oswald wakes up grumpy and takes it out on his alarm clock, afterward trying his best to wake up the mechanical cow sleeping in the bed beside him, with limited success. They finally do get going, sailing around the barnyard offering milk to denizens of the farm. When kidnappers arrive and takes Oswald's girlfriend away, he and the cow set off to rescue her.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
The film commonly referred to as 'Oswald Rabbit and the Mechanical Cow' is correctly titled 'The Mechanical Cow' (1927). It was produced by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks for the Oswald the Lucky Rabbit series, distributed by Universal Pictures.
Under the United States copyright law, all works published or registered before January 1, 1928, have entered the public domain. This film was released on October 3, 1927. Therefore, it entered the public domain in the United States upon the expiration of its maximum 75-year term (under the 1976 Act) or 95-year term (under the CTEA), occurring effectively on January 1, 2023, along with other works from 1927. No renewal analysis is required for films of this age as they are now public domain by law regardless of renewal status.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- U.S. Copyright Office, Circular 15a
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films (Short Film Records)
- IMDb - The Mechanical Cow (1927)
- The Encyclopedia of Disney Animated Shorts
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.