Public Domain
The Thieving Hand
1908 · Vitagraph Company of America
A one-armed street peddler notices that a well-to-do man has dropped his ring. He returns it to him. The wealthy man is very grateful and, to show his appreciation, takes the peddler to a 'Limb Store', where he buys him a new arm. The recipient soon discovers that this new arm has a will of its own - causing him considerable embarrassment.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
The Thieving Hand is a silent short film produced by the Vitagraph Company of America and released in 1908. Under current U.S. copyright law, all works published or registered before January 1, 1928, have entered the public domain regardless of renewal status.
Because this film was released in 1908, its statutory copyright term has expired. It is a well-known example of early trick photography and special effects, and it is widely available in public domain archives such as the Library of Congress and the Internet Archive. No further copyright research is required for works of this vintage.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.