Betty Boop, Nancy Drew free for creators as they enter public domain

Iconic cartoons, movies, songs and books released in 1925 – 1930 are now all in the public domain.

In United States copyright law, a copyright lasts for 95 years after a work was created, and 100 years for sound recordings.

Hence on January 1st, works from 1930, and sound recordings from 1925, have entered the public domain. That means artists can reinterpret those items in new works, movie screenings can air the original films for free and much more.

Jennifer Jenkins, Director of Duke Law’s Center for the Study of the Public Domain and James Boyle, Law professor at Duke Law School and co- director of the Center, broke down what all this means, and some of the major works it applies to, in a thorough blog post.

The blog post stated, “When works go into the public domain, they can legally be shared, without permission or fee. Community theaters can screen the films. Youth orchestras can perform the music publicly, without paying licensing fees.”

Notable books that are are now in the public domain include William Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying, Dashiell Hammett’s The Maltese Falcon and Agatha Christie’ The Murder at the Vicarage, which was the first novel featuring Miss Marple. Along with, the first four Nancy Drew books, written by Mildred Benson under the name Carolyn Keene.

The cartoons included, Betty Boop, Dizzy Dishes, Disney’s Pluto, The Chain Gang, The Picnic and the original versions of Mickey Mouse, Popeye, and Winnie-the-Pooh.

The movies that are now part of public domain consists of Oscar Best Picture winners All Quiet on the Western Front and Cimarron, King of Jazz, Free and Easy and Anna Christie.

Meanwhile for the songs, written by George and Ira Gershwin I Got Rhythm, I've Got a Crush on You, But Not for Me and Embraceable You, are all now in the public domain.

They’re joined by songs like Georgia on My Mind, Dream a Little Dream of Me and Livin' in the Sunlight, and Lovin' in the Moonlight.