Public Domain
Uncle Josh in a Spooky Hotel
1900 · Edison Manufacturing Company · Dir. Edwin S. Porter
Uncle Josh checks into a hotel, presumably to get a better nights rest than he gets at home. Of course the way bad luck follows Josh around we know this is a forlorn hope. Sure enough, quicker than you can say "Georges Méliès" a ghost pops up to make sure Uncle Josh is denied a good nights rest.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
The film 'Uncle Josh in a Spooky Hotel' (alternatively titled 'Uncle Josh's Nightmare') was produced by the Edison Manufacturing Company and released in 1900. It is part of the popular 'Uncle Josh' series of short comedy films starring Cal Stewart, who originated the character on vaudeville and sound recordings.
Under US copyright law, all works published prior to January 1, 1928, have entered the public domain regardless of their original registration or renewal status. As a 1900 production, this film's copyright term expired decades ago. The work is physically preserved at the Library of Congress and is widely available through public domain archives like the Internet Archive and the Library of Congress's digital collections.
Note: generated without live web grounding (the grounded research engine was unavailable). Verify the cited sources independently before relying on this determination.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- Library of Congress (Catalog of Copyright Entries: Motion Pictures 1894-1912)
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films (Uncle Josh Series context)
- Internet Archive (Public Domain Motion Pictures)
- 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.