List of animated films in the public domain in the United States
The following is a list of animated films in the public domain in the United States for which there is a source to verify its status as public domain under the terms of U.S. copyright law. For more information, see List of films in the public domain in the United States. Films published before 1928 are not included because all such films are in the public domain (Note: while the film in and of itself may be in the public domain, the original versions may incorporate elements that remain under a separate copyright).
Some shorts listed here were produced for the United States government such as the Private Snafu series. Because they were produced for the U.S. government, they automatically fall into the public domain.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
- To Spring (1936)[1]
- Jerky Turkey (1945)[1]
- Doggone Tired (1949)[1]
Warner Bros. Pictures
The films listed below were last owned by Warner Bros. Pictures when the time for their renewals came up.
Source: Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain[2]
Looney Tunes
- Sinkin' in the Bathtub (1930)[2]
- Congo Jazz (1930)[2]
- Hold Anything (1930)[2]
- Booze Hangs High, The (1930)[2]
- Box Car Blues (1930)[2]
- Big Man from the North (1931)[2]
- Ain't Nature Grand! (1931)[2]
- Ups 'n Downs (1931)[2]
- Dumb Patrol (1931)[2]
- Yodeling Yokels (1931)[2]
- Bosko's Holiday (1931)[2]
- The Tree's Knees (1931)[2]
- Bosko Shipwrecked! (1931)[2]
- Bosko the Doughboy (1931)[2]
- Bosko's Soda Fountain (1931)[2]
- Bosko's Fox Hunt (1931)[2]
- Bosko at the Zoo (1932)[2]
- Battling Bosko (1932)[2]
- Big-Hearted Bosko (1932)[2]
- Bosko's Party (1932)[2]
- Bosko and Bruno (1932)[2]
- Bosko's Dog Race (1932)[2]
- Bosko at the Beach (1932)[2]
- Bosko and Honey (1932)[2]
- Bosko's Store (1932)[2]
- Bosko the Lumberjack (1932)[2]
- Hollywood Capers (1935)[2]
- Boom Boom (1936)[2]
- Westward Whoa (1936)[2]
- Porky's Railroad (1937)[2]
- Get Rich Quick Porky (1937)[2]
- Porky's Garden (1937)[2]
- Ali-Baba Bound (1940)[2]
- Timid Toreador, The (1940)[2]
- Haunted Mouse, The (1941)[2]
- Joe Glow the Firefly (1941)[2]
- Porky's Bear Facts (1941)[2]
- Porky's Preview (1941)[2]
- Porky's Ant (1941)[2]
- Coy Decoy, A (1941)[2]
- Porky's Prize Pony (1941)[2]
- Meet John Doughboy (1941)[2]
- We, the Animals Squeak! (1941)[2]
- Henpecked Duck, The (1941)[2]
- Notes to You (1941)[2]
- Robinson Crusoe Jr. (1941)[2]
- Porky's Midnight Matinee (1941)[2]
- Porky's Pooch (1941)[2]
- Porky's Pastry Pirates (1942)[2]
- Who's Who in the Zoo (1942)[2]
- Porky's Cafe (1942)[2]
- Saps in Chaps (1942)[2]
- Daffy's Southern Exposure (1942)[2]
- Nutty News (1942)[2]
- Hobby Horse-Laffs (1942)[2]
- Gopher Goofy (1942)[2]
- Wacky Blackout (1942)[2]
- Ducktators, The (1942)[2]
- Eatin' on the Cuff (or The Moth Who Came to Dinner) (1942)[2]
- Impatient Patient, The (1942)[2]
- Daffy Duckaroo, The (1942)[2]
- Confusions of a Nutzy Spy (1943)[2]
- Hop and Go (1943)[2]
- Tokio Jokio (1943)[2]
- Porky Pig's Feat (1943)[2]
- Scrap Happy Daffy (1943)[2]
- Puss n' Booty (1943)[2]
United Artists
The films listed below were last owned by United Artists when the time for their renewals came up.
Source: Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain[2]
Merrie Melodies
- Smile, Darn Ya, Smile! (1931)[2]
- One More Time (1931)[2]
- You Don't Know What You're Doin'! (1931)[2]
- Hittin' the Trail for Hallelujah Land (1931)[2]
- Red-Headed Baby (1931)[2]
- Pagan Moon (1932)[2]
- Freddy the Freshman (1932)[2]
- Crosby, Columbo, and Vallee (1932)[2]
- Goopy Geer (1932)[2]
- It's Got Me Again! (1932)[2]
- Moonlight for Two (1932)[2]
- Queen Was in the Parlor, The (1932)[2]
- I Love a Parade (1932)[2]
- You're Too Careless With Your Kisses (1932)[2]
- I Wish I Had Wings (1932)[2]
- Great Big Bunch of You, A (1932)[2]
- Three's a Crowd (1932)[2]
- Shanty Where Santy Claus Lives, The (1933)[2]
- I Wanna Be a Sailor (1937)[2]
- Jungle Jitters (1938)[2]
- Have You Got Any Castles? (1938)[2]
- Hamateur Night (1939)[2]
- Robin Hood Makes Good (1939)[2]
- Gold Rush Daze (1939)[2]
- Day at the Zoo, A (1939)[2]
- Prest-O Change-O (1939)[2]
- Bars and Stripes Forever (1939)[2]
- Daffy Duck and the Dinosaur (1939)[2]
- Early Worm Gets the Bird, The (1940)[2]
- Farm Frolics (1941)[2]
- Sport Chumpions (1941)[2]
- All This and Rabbit Stew (1941)[2]
- Rookie Revue (1941)[2]
- Wabbit Who Came to Supper, The (1942)[2]
- Wacky Wabbit, The (1942)[2]
- Foney Fables (1942)[2]
- Fresh Hare (1942)[2]
- Fox Pop (1942)[2]
- Dover Boys at Pimento University (or The Rivals of Roquefort Hall), The (1942)[2]
- Sheepish Wolf, The (1942)[2]
- Tale of Two Kitties, A (1942)[2]
- Ding Dog Daddy (1942)[2]
- Case of the Missing Hare (1942)[2]
- Pigs in a Polka (1943)[2]
- Fifth-Column Mouse, The (1943)[2]
- Wackiki Wabbit (1943)[2]
- Corny Concerto, A (1943)[2]
- Falling Hare (1943)[2]
- Inki and the Minah Bird (1943)[2]
Popeye the Sailor cartoons
- I'm in the Army Now (1936)[3]
- Little Swee'Pea[3] (1936)[3]
- Popeye the Sailor Meets Sindbad the Sailor (1936)[3]
- Paneless Window Washer, The (1937)[3]
- Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba's Forty Thieves (1937)[3]
- I Never Changes My Altitude (1937)[3]
- A Date to Skate (1938)[3]
- Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp (1939)[3]
- Customers Wanted (1939)[3]
- Me Musical Nephews (1942)[3]
- Shuteye Popeye (1952)[3]
- Big Bad Sindbad (1952)[3]
- Ancient Fistory (1953)[3]
- Floor Flusher (1954)[3]
- Popeye's 20th Anniversary (1954)[3]
- Taxi-Turvy (1954)[3]
- Bride and Gloom (1954)[3]
- Greek Mirthology (1954)[3]
- Fright to the Finish (1954)[3]
- Private Eye Popeye (1954)[3]
- Gopher Spinach (1954)[3]
- Cookin' with Gags (1955)[3]
- Popeye for President (1956)[3]
- Out to Punch (1956)[3]
- Assault and Flattery (1956)[3]
- Insect to Injury (1956)[3]
- Parlez Vous Woo (1956)[3]
- I Don't Scare (1956)[3]
- A Haul in One (1956)[3]
- Nearlyweds (1957)[3]
- The Crystal Brawl (1957)[3]
- Patriotic Popeye (1957)[3]
- Spree Lunch (1957)[3]
- Spooky Swabs (1957)[3]
Looney Tunes
- To Duck or Not to Duck (1943)[2]
- Yankee Doodle Daffy (1943)[2]
- Daffy - The Commando (1943)[2]
Universal Pictures
The films listed below were last owned by Universal Pictures when the time for their renewals came up.
Oswald the Lucky Rabbit
Every short from 1927 has entered the public domain as of 2023.
- South Pole Flight (1928)
- Bull-Oney (1928)
- Africa (1930)
- The Bandmaster (1931)
- Mechanical Man (1932)
- Making Good (1932)
- The Plumber (1933)
- The Quail Hunt (1935)
Woody Woodpecker
- Pantry Panic (1941)
Miscellaneous
- All 1949 and 1953 Coca-Cola advertisements
- All advertisements made for companies such as Albers, Autolite, Carnation, Interstate Bakeries Corporation and Kellogg's
- House of Magic (1937)
- Boy Meets Dog (1938)
- Silly Superstition (1939)
- The Amazing Recovery of Inbad the Ailer (1939)
- Scrub Me Mama with a Boogie Beat (1941)
- Gremlin Mr. N'Tane (1944)
- The Enemy Bacteria (1945)
- The Story of Human Energy (1947)
- Blood is Needed (1953)
National Periodical Publications
The films listed below were last owned by National Periodical Publications when the time for their renewals came up.
Superman cartoon series
- Superman[4] (1941)
- Mechanical Monsters, The[4] (1941)
- Arctic Giant, The[4] (1942)
- Billion Dollar Limited[4] (1942)
- Bulleteers, The[4] (1942)
- Destruction Inc.[4] (1942)
- Electric Earthquake[4] (1942)
- Eleventh Hour[4] (1942)
- Japoteurs[4] (1942)
- Magnetic Telescope, The[4] (1942)
- Showdown[4] (1942)
- Terror on the Midway[4] (1942)
- Volcano[4] (1942)
- Jungle Drums[4] (1943)
- Mummy Strikes, The[4] (1943)
- Secret Agent[4] (1943)
- Underground World, The[4] (1943)
Harvey Films
Kartunes
- Hysterical History (1953)
Noveltoons
- The Seapreme Court (1954; featuring Little Audrey)
- Crazytown (1954)
- Pest Pupil (1957; featuring Baby Huey)
- Dawg Gone (1958; featuring Little Audrey)
Casper the Friendly Ghost
- The Friendly Ghost[7]
- Boo Moon (1954)
- Spooking About Africa (1957)
Walt Disney Productions
- The Mad Doctor (1933)[8]
- Susie the Little Blue Coupe (1952)[9][10]
- Hooked Bear (1956)[lower-alpha 1]
U.S. Government films
The films listed below are works of the United States government, which makes them public domain.
Source: Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain[2]
Private Snafu (Warner Bros.)
- Booby Traps[2]
- Censored[2]
- The Chow Hound[2]
- Coming! Snafu![2]
- Fighting Tools[2]
- Gas[2]
- Going Home[2]
- Gripes[2]
- The Home Front[2]
- Hot Spot[2]
- In the Aleutians[2]
- The Infantry Blues[2]
- The Goldbrick[2]
- It's Murder She Says[2]
- A Lecture on Camouflage[2]
- Private Snafu vs. Malaria Mike[2]
- Rumors[2]
- Secrets of the Caribbean[2]
- Snafuperman[2]
- Spies[2]
- Target: Snafu[2]
- The Three Brothers[2]
- Operation: Snafu[2]
- Outpost[2]
- Pay Day[2]
- No Buddy Atoll[2]
Other government films
- Warner Bros.
- 90 Day Wondering[2]
- Any Bonds Today?[2]
- Drafty, Isn't It?[2]
- Hitch in Time, A[2]
- Point Rationing of Foods[2]
- So Much for So Little[2]
- Walter Lantz Productions
- Take Heed Mr. Tojo (1943)
- All 1943-1944 Fred Brunish stop-motion instructional films for the U.S. Navy
- Walt Disney Productions
- The Spirit of '43[11] (1943)
- United Pictures of America (UPA)
- Hell-Bent for Election [allegorical campaign film]
- Others
- 200 (1975) - made by Vincent Collins for the United States Information Agency
Others
Betty Boop cartoons
- Admission Free (1932)
- Betty Boop's Ker-Choo (1933)
- Betty Boop's Crazy Inventions (1933)
- Is My Palm Read? (1933)
- Betty in Blunderland (1934)
- Betty Boop's Rise to Fame (1934)
- Baby Be Good (1935)
- Taking the Blame (1935)
- Swat the Fly (1935)
- No! No! A Thousand Times No!! (1935)
- A Little Soap and Water (1935)
- A Language All My Own (1935)
- Betty Boop and Grampy (1935)
- Judge for a Day (1935)
- Making Stars (1935)
- Henry, the Funniest Living American (1935)
- Little Nobody (1935)
- Betty Boop and the Little King (1936)
- Not Now (1936)
- Betty Boop and Little Jimmy (1936)
- We Did It (1936)
- A Song a Day (1936)
- More Pep (1936)
- You're Not Built That Way (1936)
- Happy You and Merry Me (1936)
- Training Pigeons (1936)
- Grampy's Indoor Outing (1936)
- Be Human (1936)
- Making Friends (1936)
- House Cleaning Blues (1937)
- Whoops! I'm a Cowboy (1937)
- The Hot Air Salesman (1937)
- Pudgy Takes a Bow-Wow (1937)
- Pudgy Picks a Fight (1937)
- The Impractical Joker (1937)
- Ding Dong Doggie (1937)
- The Candid Candidate (1937)
- Honest Love and True (1938)
- The Lost Kitten (1938)
- Buzzy Boop (1938)
- Buzzy Boop at the Concert (1938)
- On with the New (1938)
- My Friend the Monkey (1939)
- So Does an Automobile (1939)
- Musical Mountaineers (1939)
- The Scared Crows (1939)
- Rhythm on the Reservation (1939)
- Yip Yip Yippy (1939)
Miscelaneous
- All U.S.-based productions made prior to 1928, including much of the Laugh-O-Gram Studio, Colonel Heeza Liar, Felix the Cat, Mutt and Jeff, Krazy Kat and Winsor McCay libraries
- Bosko the Talk-Ink Kid (1929)[2] - the animated/live action short film by Harman-Ising Productions that would spawn the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series
- Man Alive! (1952) - produced by UPA for the American Cancer Society
- Look Who's Driving (1954) - produced by UPA for Aetna
- You Can Handle It (1958) - produced by Cal Dunn Studios for the National Safety Council
- Moonbird (1959)[12]
- Calvin and the Colonel
- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)[13] - copyright status uncertain, see Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer copyright issues
- Nina Paley's Sita Sings the Blues (2008)[14]
- Mickey Mouse in Vietnam by Whitney Lee Savage and Milton Glaser is in the public domain because it was published in 1969 without a copyright notice.
References
- "Public Domain Cartoons" (PDF). Fesfilms.com. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
- Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain by Walter E. Hurst, via "Looney Tunes in the Public Domain". Archived from the original on March 26, 2016. Retrieved December 6, 2013.
- Grandinetti, Fred (2004). Popeye: an illustrated cultural history. McFarland & Company. p. 125. ISBN 9780786416059.
- Rossen, Jake (2008). Superman Vs. Hollywood: How Fiendish Producers, Devious Directors, and Warring Writers Grounded an American Icon. Chicago Review Press. ISBN 9781569765012.
- John M. Miller, "Mr. Bug Goes to Town aka Hoppity Goes to Town", Turner Classic Movies
- David Kehr (March 6, 2009). "Classics From Disney and a Lilliputian Competitor". New York Times. Retrieved November 17, 2013.
- Office, Library of Congress Copyright (1945). Catalog of Copyright Entries. Part 1. [C] Group 3. Dramatic Composition and Motion Pictures. New Series.
- "Halloween Horror: "The Mad Doctor" (1933) |". cartoonresearch.com. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
- Taking a Spin with "Susie, The Little Blue Coupe"|Cartoon Research
- In lieu of a copyright renewal, presented is information that the short was not renewed. It follows the Rule 6 Clearance of Copyright, and does not provide any returns for the short. Instead, it presents a source that the short's music is still under copyright. 1976 Copyright Logs, searching for Susie but not returning it 1977 Copyright Logs, searching for Susie but not returning it 1978 Copyright Logs, searching for Susie but not returning it 1979 Onward, with no returns for Susie Coupe in the Motion Picture Category
- "The Spirit of '43 | Public Domain Movies". publicdomainmovie.net. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
- "The Hubley's Oscar-winning short Moonbird (1959) has lately been available as a scratchy public domain print on cheap truck-stop DVD collections of random cartoons."
- Heldenfels, Rich (19 December 2013). "Mailbag: 'Rudolph' numerals wrong in opening credits". Akron Beacon-Journal.
- "2013, author releases as CC0"
- See notes on Wikipedia page