# List of films in the public domain in the United States

Most films are subject to copyright, but those listed here are believed to be in the public domain in the United States. This means that no government, organization, or individual owns any copyright over the work, and as such it is common property. This list is not comprehensive; the vast majority of public domain films are not included here for various reasons. Films in this list may incorporate elements from other works that are still under copyright, even though the film itself is out of copyright.

## Copyrightable elements of a film

There is no official list of films (or other works) in the public domain. It is difficult to determine the public domain status of a film because it can incorporate any or all of the following copyrightable elements:
* Cinematography
* Drama
* Literature
* Music
* Art
* Graphical characters (e.g., Bugs Bunny)
* Fictional characters (e.g., James Bond)
Film copyright involves the copyright status of multiple elements that make up the film. A film can lose its copyright in some of those elements while retaining copyright in other elements. Experts in the field of public domain sometimes differ in their opinions as to whether a particular film is in the public domain.
The use of music in a film can cause uncertainty with regard to copyright. As of 2010, it is not known whether the use of music in a film constitutes publication of the music for the purpose of copyright. Unpublished works are treated differently from published works under US copyright law.

## Judicial interpretation of public domain

Judges, too, differ in their interpretation of the laws governing copyright protection. The United States is a "patchwork quilt" of inconsistent copyright rules in different federal judicial districts. The courts of one jurisdiction are not obliged to follow the decisions of another. The Supreme Court of the United States (which could resolve those inconsistencies) very seldom decides copyright cases, and then only when an important principle is involved.

## Documenting public domain status

If a film appears on the list below, there is a high probability it has lost some or all of its United States copyright protection or, in the case of U.S. government films, was never protected by copyright.
There is no single method for determining if a film, or parts of it, is in the public domain. There are several methods that can be used to document a film's public domain status. These include the following:

### Determining copyright registration

Motion picture copyright registrations prior to 1978 were published in semi-annual Copyright Catalogs. The Library of Congress also published cumulative Copyright Catalogs of motion picture registrations for the periods, which all are out of print.
* 1894–1911
* 1912–1939
* 1940–1949
* 1950–1959
* 1960–1969
* 1970–1979
* 1980–1989
However, the Film Superlist series is a complete reprint of all registrations in the Copyright Catalogs for 1894 through 1959. There is no cumulative Copyright Catalog for 1970–1977; the Copyright Office published 16 semi-annual Copyright Catalog booklets covering that eight-year period, but all are out of print and extremely rare. All copyright registrations from 1978 onward are online at the Library of Congress website.
Some decades of The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures include copyright registration information for feature films (not shorts) of United States origin. This can include a statement that research failed to disclose copyright registration for a particular film. Copyright registration information is given in the following:
* The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures, 1931–1940; ISBN 0-913616-00-1
* The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures, 1941–1950; ISBN 0-913616-39-7
The United States copyright website catalogs all the pre-1978 works that have been renewed in 1978 or later. Several pieces of work have been renewed in the form of collections, thus giving the collection as a whole copyright protection.

### Missing or flawed copyright notice

Films published before March 1, 1989, had to contain a valid copyright notice in order to claim copyright. At the bare minimum, the copyright notice had to include the word "copyright" or an acceptable abbreviation (like a circled C), the year of publication (which could not be more than one year ahead of the actual publication), and the name of any entity claiming the copyright.
For example, episodes of the animated TV series The New 3 Stooges were published with an incomplete copyright notice with a year and copyright symbol but no claimant. The series was published prior to 1989, and the lack of an explicit claimant ensured that the series immediately lapsed into the public domain. If the series had been published after this date, the owner of any copyright would have been unclear due to uncertainty over ownership of the series.
As a result of the passage of the Berne Convention Implementation Act of 1988, a copyright notice is not required for films published on March 1, 1989, or later. An invalid notice or a lack of one would not invalidate the copyright to works published between 1978 and March 1, 1989, as long as a proper notice was added to subsequent copies.

### Date of publication and renewal status

All motion pictures made and exhibited before 1930 are indisputably in the public domain in the United States. This date will move forward one year, every year, meaning that films released in 1930 will enter the public domain in 2026, films from 1931 in 2027, and so on, concluding with films from 1977 entering the public domain in 2073.
Films registered between 1930 and 1963 had to have their copyrights renewed in order for them not to enter the public domain. The semi-annual Copyright Catalog booklets have virtually complete lists of renewals for the films registered 28 years earlier. Those semi-annual booklets all are out of print. However, for 1930 through 1959, the Film Superlist books match copyright renewals with earlier registrations. Copyright registrations and renewals can be found in:
* Volume 1: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain 1894–1939
* Volume 2: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain 1940–1949
* Volume 3: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain 1950–1959
As a result of the Copyright Renewal Act of 1992, copyrights registered in 1964 and later were automatically renewed.
Before the passage of the Copyright Term Extension Act (CTEA) in 1998, the term of copyright in the U.S. was a maximum of 75 years, with the work entering the public domain on January 1 of the 76th year from creation (so, for example, a film made in 1930 whose copyright was properly registered and renewed would enter the public domain on January 1, 2006). As such, all films released before 1923 would have entered the public domain by January 1, 1998. Although the CTEA added 20 years to the terms of all existing copyrights until 2019, it explicitly refused to revive any copyrights that had expired prior to its passage. On January 1, 2019, the 20-year extension expired and new works began entering the public domain each year thereafter.

### Underlying rights

Many of the films listed below are based on novels, plays, magazine stories or a combination of these sources. In some cases, a film's copyright has lapsed because of non-renewal while the underlying literary or dramatic source is still protected by copyright; for example, the film His Girl Friday (1940) became a public domain film in 1969 because it was not renewed, but it is based on the 1928 play The Front Page; as a practical matter, the film could not be used without permission until copyright on the play expired in 2024.

### Work of the United States government

All works made by United States government employees as part of their official duties are in the public domain from their creation. The status of works made by contractors is dependent on the terms of their contract. Note that this applies only to the federal government, and not to state or local governments, which may or may not claim copyright depending on state laws.

## Films

Some films are not listed here in order to keep this list to a manageable size. These include films that were released before 1930 (see Category:Films by year for pre-1930 films) and works of the United States government. Films released under a free license such as Creative Commons are also excluded.
* Note: This list is not comprehensive; the vast majority of public domain films are not listed here. This list includes a selection of notable films where a reliable secondary source is available that discusses public domain status. Others are on the list of animated films in the public domain in the United States.
| Film title | Release year | Director | Studio / Distributor | Entered the public domain in (year) | Reason for entering the public domain | Note(s) |
| Abraham Lincoln | 1930 | D. W. Griffith | United Artists | 1958 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| Africa Screams | 1949 | Charles Barton | United Artists | 1977 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| Algiers | 1938 | John Cromwell | United Artists | 1966 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp | 1939 | Dave Fleischer | Paramount Pictures | [data missing] | [data missing] | The third of three Popeye Technicolor two-reel specials. |
| The Amazing Mr. X | 1948 | Bernard Vorhaus | Eagle-Lion Films | [data missing] | [data missing] | Also known as The Spiritualist. |
| Angel and the Badman | 1947 | James Edward Grant | Republic Pictures | 1975 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| The Animal Kingdom | 1932 | Edward H. Griffith | RKO Radio Pictures | 1960 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| At War with the Army | 1950 | Hal Walker | Paramount Pictures | [data missing] | [data missing] | |
| Attack of the Giant Leeches | 1959 | Bernard L. Kowalski | American International Pictures | [data missing] | [data missing] | |
| The Bat | 1959 | Crane Wilbur | Allied Artists | [data missing] | [data missing] | |
| Beat the Devil | 1953 | John Huston | United Artists | 1980 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| Beau Ideal | 1931 (copyright notice: 1930) | Herbert Brenon | RKO Radio Pictures | 1958 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| Becky Sharp | 1935 | Rouben Mamoulian | RKO Radio Pictures | [data missing] | [data missing] | |
| Behind Office Doors | 1931 | Melville W. Brown | RKO Radio Pictures | 1959 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| The Big Wheel | 1949 | Edward Ludwig | United Artists | [data missing] | [data missing] | |
| Bird of Paradise | 1932 | King Vidor | RKO Radio Pictures | 1960 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| Blood on the Sun | 1945 | Frank Lloyd | United Artists | 1973 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| Blue Steel | 1934 | Robert N. Bradbury | Lone Star Pictures | [data missing] | [data missing] | |
| Bowery at Midnight | 1942 | Wallace Fox | Monogram Pictures | [data missing] | [data missing] | |
| The Brain That Wouldn't Die | 1962 (completed: 1959) | Joseph Green | American International Pictures | 1962 | Missing copyright notice. | Originally completed in 1959 under the title The Black Door (it was then changed to The Head That Wouldn't Die), it was not released until May 3, 1962, where failure to add the copyright notice resulted in the film entering the public domain. |
| Brideless Groom | 1947 | Edward Bernds | Columbia Pictures | 1960s | Copyright not renewed. | |
| A Bucket of Blood | 1959 | Roger Corman | American International Pictures | [data missing] | [data missing] | |
| Captain Kidd | 1945 | Rowland V. Lee | United Artists | [data missing] | [data missing] | |
| Carnival of Souls | 1962 | Herk Harvey | Herts-Lion International Corp. | 1962 | Missing copyright notice. | There was a dispute about the rights to the film from 1990 to 1995. The entirety of the film rights might have been granted to John Clifford in 1996. The DVD release of the film by The Criterion Collection lists copyright by Harold Harvey and John Clifford. |
| Charade | 1963 | Stanley Donen | Universal Pictures | 1963 | Defective copyright notice | Original music still in copyright. Original story by Peter Stone still in copyright. |
| The Chase | 1946 | Arthur Ripley | Nero Films/United Artists | [data missing] | [data missing] | Independent film left without an owner. |
| Check and Double Check | 1930 | Melville W. Brown | RKO Radio Pictures | 1958 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| Conspiracy | 1930 | Christy Cabanne | RKO Radio Pictures | 1958 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| Cyrano de Bergerac | 1950 | Michael Gordon | United Artists | 1980s | [data missing] | |
| Danger Lights | 1930 | George B. Seitz | RKO Radio Pictures | 1958 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| The Deadly Companions | 1961 | Sam Peckinpah | Pathé-America | 1961 | Missing copyright notice. | |
| Debbie Does Dallas | 1978 | Jim Clark | VCX | 1981 | Missing copyright notice. | The Dallas Cowboys hold veto power on commercial publication because of unauthorized use of their trademarks. |
| Dementia 13 | 1963 | Francis Ford Coppola | American International Pictures | [data missing] | [data missing] | Also known as The Haunted and the Hunted. |
| Detour | 1945 | Edgar G. Ulmer | Producers Releasing Corporation | [data missing] | Copyright not renewed | |
| The Devil Bat | 1940 | Jean Yarbrough | Producers Releasing Corporation | [data missing] | [data missing] | |
| Disorder in the Court | 1936 | Preston Black | Columbia Pictures | 1960s | Copyright not renewed. | |
| Dixiana | 1930 | Luther Reed | RKO Radio Pictures | 1958 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| D.O.A. | 1950 | Rudolph Maté | United Artists | 1977 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| The Emperor Jones | 1933 | Dudley Murphy | United Artists | [data missing] | [data missing] | |
| Father's Little Dividend | 1951 (copyright notice: 1950) | Vincente Minnelli | MGM | 1978 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| A Farewell to Arms | 1932 | Frank Borzage | Paramount Pictures | 1960 | Copyright not renewed. | Based on A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway. |
| Fear and Desire | 1953 | Stanley Kubrick | Joseph Burstyn | [data missing] | Copyright not renewed. | |
| The Flying Deuces | 1939 | A. Edward Sutherland | RKO Radio Pictures | [data missing] | [data missing] | |
| The Front Page | 1931 | Lewis Milestone | United Artists | [data missing] | [data missing] | |
| Glen or Glenda | 1953 | Ed Wood | Screen Classics | [data missing] | [data missing] | |
| Go for Broke! | 1951 (copyright notice: 1950) | Robert Pirosh | MGM | 1978 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| The Gorilla | 1939 | Allan Dwan | 20th Century Fox | [data missing] | [data missing] | |
| The Great Flamarion | 1945 | Anthony Mann | Republic Pictures | [data missing] | Copyright not renewed | |
| Gulliver's Travels | 1939 | Dave Fleischer | Paramount Pictures | 1967 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| Half Shot at Sunrise | 1930 | Paul Sloane | RKO Radio Productions | 1958 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| His Girl Friday | 1940 (copyright date: 1939) | Howard Hawks | Columbia Pictures | 1967 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| The Hitch-Hiker | 1953 | Ida Lupino | RKO Radio Pictures | [data missing] | [data missing] | |
| Hook, Line and Sinker | 1930 | Edward F. Cline | RKO Radio Pictures | 1958 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| House on Haunted Hill | 1959 | William Castle | Allied Artists | [data missing] | [data missing] | |
| The Hunchback of Notre Dame | 1939 | William Dieterle | RKO Radio Pictures | [data missing] | [data missing] | |
| Indestructible Man | 1956 | Jack Pollexfen | Allied Artists | [data missing] | [data missing] | |
| Inside the Lines | 1930 | Roy Pomeroy | RKO Radio Productions | 1958 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| The Inspector General | 1949 | Henry Koster | Warner Bros. | [data missing] | [data missing] | |
| It's a Wonderful Life | 1946 (copyright notice: 1947) | Frank Capra | Liberty Films RKO Pictures | 1975 | Copyright not renewed. | While the film images are public domain, under rulings of Stewart v. Abend, the film text (script) is based on the copyrighted short story "The Greatest Gift" by Philip Van Doren Stern. Republic also purchased the exclusive rights to the film's copyrighted music to further shore up its rights. |
| Jack and the Beanstalk | 1952 | Jean Yarbrough | Warner Bros. | 1980 | Copyright not renewed | |
| The Jackie Robinson Story | 1950 | Alfred E. Green | Eagle-Lion Films | [data missing] | [data missing] | |
| The Joe Louis Story | 1953 | Robert Gordon | United Artists | [data missing] | [data missing] | |
| Kansas City Confidential | 1952 | Phil Karlson | United Artists | [data missing] | Copyright not renewed | |
| Kept Husbands | 1931 | Lloyd Bacon | RKO Radio Productions | 1959 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| The Lady Refuses | 1931 | George Archainbaud | RKO Radio Productions | 1959 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| A Lady to Love | 1930 | Victor Sjöström | MGM | 1958 | Copyright not renewed. | Based on the play They Knew What They Wanted. |
| The Last Man on Earth | 1964 | Ubaldo Ragona, Sidney Salkow | American International Pictures, 20th Century Fox | 1992 | Copyright not renewed. | Source novel I Am Legend (1954) is still under copyright. |
| The Last Time I Saw Paris | 1954 (copyright notice: 1944) | Richard Brooks | MGM | 1972 | Copyright not renewed; defective notice led to an earlier expiration. | Music score still protected by copyright. |
| Lawful Larceny | 1930 | Lowell Sherman | RKO Radio Productions | 1958 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| Leathernecking | 1930 | Edward F. Cline | RKO Radio Productions | 1958 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| Letter of Introduction | 1938 | John M. Stahl | Universal Pictures | 1966 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| Life with Father | 1947 | Michael Curtiz | Warner Bros. | 1975 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| The Little Princess | 1939 | Walter Lang | 20th Century Fox | 1967 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| Little Shop of HorrorsThe Little Shop of Horrors | 1960 | Roger Corman | Filmgroup | 1988 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| Lonely Wives | 1931 | Russell Mack | RKO Radio Pictures | 1959 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| Love Affair | 1939 | Leo McCarey | RKO Radio Pictures | 1967 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| Love Laughs at Andy Hardy | 1945 | Willis Goldbeck | MGM | [data missing] | Copyright not renewed. | |
| The Lucky Texan | 1934 | Robert N. Bradbury | Lone Star Pictures | [data missing] | [data missing]. | |
| Made for Each Other | 1939 | John Cromwell | United Artists | [data missing] | [data missing] | |
| Malice in the Palace | 1949 | Jules White | Columbia Pictures | 1960s | Copyright not renewed. | |
| The Man from Utah | 1934 | Robert N. Bradbury | Lone Star Pictures | [data missing] | [data missing]. | |
| The Man with the Golden Arm | 1955 | Otto Preminger | United Artists | [data missing] | [data missing] | Loosely based on the copyrighted novel by Nelson Algren, though Algren at least once disowned the film due to substantial changes from the source material and never followed through on his legal effort to claim a copyright due to lack of funds. |
| Maniac | 1934 | Dwain Esper | Roadshow Attractions | [data missing] | [data missing] | Also known as Sex Maniac. |
| Manos: The Hands of Fate | 1966 | Harold P. Warren | Emerson Film Enterprises | 1968 | Failure to display copyright notice. | Original script may have been copyrighted. |
| March of the Wooden Soldiers | 1950 | Gus Meins | Lippert Pictures | 1950 | Failure to display copyright notice. | This is a later abridgement of Babes in Toyland (1934), which is still in copyright. Its public domain status remains unclear. |
| McLintock! | 1963 | Andrew V. McLaglen | United Artists | 1991 | Copyright not renewed. | Music score still under copyright. |
| Meet John Doe | 1941 | Frank Capra | Warner Bros. | 1969 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| Millie | 1931 | John Francis Dillon | RKO Radio Pictures | 1959 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| Mr. Imperium | 1951 (copyright notice: 1950) | Don Hartman | MGM | 1978 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| My Dear Secretary | 1948 | Charles Martin | United Artists | [data missing] | [data missing] | |
| My Favorite Brunette | 1947 | Elliott Nugent | Paramount Pictures | 1975 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| My Man Godfrey | 1936 | Gregory La Cava | Universal Pictures | [data missing] | [data missing] | While the film images are public domain, under rulings of Stewart v. Abend, the film text (script) is based on the copyrighted 1935 book My Man Godfrey by Eric S. Hatch. |
| Night of the Living Dead | 1968 | George A. Romero | Walter Reade | 1968 | Missing copyright notice due to an error from the distributor. | Night of the Living Dead entered the public domain because the original theatrical distributor, the Walter Reade Organization, neglected to place a copyright indication on the prints. In 1968, United States copyright law required a proper notice for a work to maintain a copyright: U.S. Copyright Office, Circular 92, Copyright Law of the United States of America, Chapter 4: Copyright Notice, Deposit, and Registration, Omission of notice on certain copies and phonorecords. Image Ten displayed such a notice on the title frames of the film beneath its original title, Night of the Flesh Eaters, but the distributor removed the statement when it changed the title. The restored version released on home media by The Criterion Collection is under copyright by Image Ten, Inc. |
| Nothing Sacred | 1937 | William A. Wellman | Selznick, United Artists | 1965 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| Of Human Bondage | 1934 | John Cromwell | RKO Radio Pictures | 1962 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| Our Town | 1940 | Sam Wood | United Artists | [data missing] | [data missing] | |
| The Outlaw | 1943 | Howard Hughes | Howard Hughes Prod., United Artists | 1971 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| The Painted Hills | 1951 | Harold F. Kress | MGM | 1979 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| The Pay-Off | 1930 | Lowell Sherman | RKO Radio Pictures | 1958 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| Penny Serenade | 1941 | George Stevens | Columbia Pictures | 1968 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| Plan 9 from Outer Space | 1959 | Ed Wood | Distributors Corporation of America | 1987 | [data missing] | |
| Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba's Forty Thieves | 1937 | Dave Fleischer | Paramount Pictures | [data missing] | [data missing] | The second of three Popeye Technicolor two-reel specials. |
| Popeye the Sailor Meets Sindbad the Sailor | 1936 | Dave Fleischer | Paramount Pictures | [data missing] | [data missing] | The first of three Popeye Technicolor two-reel specials. |
| Pot o' Gold | 1941 | George Marshall | United Artists | [data missing] | [data missing] | |
| Quicksand | 1950 | Irving Pichel | United Artists | [data missing] | [data missing] | |
| Rage at Dawn | 1955 | Tim Whelan | RKO Pictures | [data missing] | [data missing] | |
| Rain | 1932 | Lewis Milestone | United Artists | 1960 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| Randy Rides Alone | 1934 | Harry L. Fraser | Lone Star Pictures | 1934 | Copyright notice lacks claimant. | |
| The Red House | 1947 | Delmer Daves | United Artists | [data missing] | [data missing] | |
| Reefer Madness | 1936 | Louis J. Gasnier | Motion Picture Ventures | 1936 | Improper copyright notice. | Also known as The Burning Question, Dope Addict and Tell Your Children. |
| Riders of Destiny | 1933 | Robert N. Bradbury | Lone Star Pictures | [data missing] | [data missing]. | |
| Road to Bali | 1952 | Hal Walker | Paramount Pictures | 1980 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| Rock, Rock, Rock! | 1956 | Will Price | Distributors Corporation of America | 1984 | Copyright not renewed. | The Chuck Berry soundtrack of the film may not be in the public domain. |
| The Royal Bed | 1931 (copyright notice: 1930) | Lowell Sherman | RKO Radio Pictures | 1958 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| Royal Wedding | 1951 (copyright notice: 1950) | Stanley Donen | MGM | 1978 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| Sagebrush Trail | 1933 | Armand Schaefer | Lone Star Pictures | 1933 | Copyright notice lacks claimant. | Remake of Partners of the Trail (Wallace Fox, 1931). |
| Salt of the Earth | 1954 | Herbert Biberman | Independent Productions | 1982 | Copyright not renewed. | Selected for preservation in the National Film Registry in 1992. |
| Santa Claus Conquers the Martians | 1964 | Nicholas Webster | Embassy Pictures Corporation | 1964 | Missing copyright notice. | Musical score owned by Famous Music. |
| Santa Fe Trail | 1940 | Michael Curtiz | Warner Bros. | 1968 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| Scarlet Street | 1945 | Fritz Lang | Universal Pictures | [data missing] | [data missing] | |
| The Screaming Skull | 1958 | Alex Nicol | American International Pictures | 1958 | Never registered for copyright. | |
| Second Chorus | 1940 | H.C. Potter | Paramount Pictures | [data missing] | Copyright not renewed. | |
| The Silver Horde | 1930 | George Archainbaud | RKO Radio Pictures | 1958 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| Sin Takes a Holiday | 1930 | Paul L. Stein | RKO Radio Pictures | 1958 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| Sing a Song of Six Pants | 1947 | Jules White | Columbia Pictures | 1960s | Copyright not renewed. | |
| Sinners in Paradise | 1938 | James Whale | Universal Pictures | 1966 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| The Snows of Kilimanjaro | 1952 | Henry King | 20th Century Fox | [data missing] | [data missing] | Based on the copyrighted novel by Ernest Hemingway |
| The Southerner | 1945 | Jean Renoir | United Artists | [data missing] | [data missing] | |
| A Star Is Born | 1937 | William A. Wellman | Selznick, United Artists | 1965 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| The Star Packer | 1934 | Robert N. Bradbury | Lone Star Pictures | [data missing] | [data missing]. | |
| The Strange Love of Martha Ivers | 1946 | Lewis Milestone | Paramount Pictures | 1974 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| The Stranger | 1946 | Orson Welles | International Pictures, RKO Radio Productions | 1973 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| Suddenly | 1954 | Lewis Allen | United Artists | 1983 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| Superman (1940s cartoon series) | 1941-1943 | Dave Fleischer, various | Paramount Pictures | [data missing] | [data missing] | |
| Swing High, Swing Low | 1937 | Mitchell Leisen | Paramount Pictures | 1965 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| Teenagers from Outer Space | 1959 | Tom Graeff | Warner Bros. | 1987 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| The Terror | 1963 | Roger Corman | American International Pictures, Filmgroup | 1963 | Missing copyright registration. | In the early 1990s, Corman asked Mark Griffiths to shoot 12 minutes of additional footage starring Dick Miller, thus making a new film titled The Return of the Terror (1991), so Corman could claim his copyright. |
| The Terror of Tiny Town | 1938 | Sam Newfield | Columbia Pictures | 1966 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| Three Guys Named Mike | 1951 (copyright notice: 1950) | Charles Walters | MGM | 1978 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| Till the Clouds Roll By | 1946 | Richard Whorf | MGM | 1974 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| Too Late for Tears | 1949 | Byron Haskin | United Artists | [data missing] | [data missing] | |
| Topper Returns | 1941 | Roy Del Ruth | United Artists | 1969 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| Utopia (a.k.a. Atoll K) | 1951 | Léo Joannon and John Berry (uncredited) | Franco London Films | 1951 | No U.S. copyright filed. | |
| Vengeance Valley | 1951 (copyright notice: 1950) | Richard Thorpe | MGM | 1978 | Copyright not renewed. | |
| The Wasp Woman | 1959 | Roger Corman | Filmgroup | [data missing] | [data missing] | |
| West of the Divide | 1934 | Robert N. Bradbury | Lone Star Pictures | [data missing] | [data missing]. | |
| White Zombie | 1932 | Victor Halperin | United Artists | [data missing] | [data missing] | The source material for the film may not be in the public domain. |
| Wives Under Suspicion | 1938 | James Whale | Universal Pictures | 1966 | Copyright not renewed. | |