Este archivo se encuentra en el dominio público en los Estados Unidos porque fue publicado en ese país entre los años 1929 y 1977 (ambos incluidos) sin haber indicado un aviso de derechos de autor. A menos que su autor haya fallecido años antes, se mantiene bajo propiedad intelectual en los países o zonas que no aplican la regla del plazo más corto para las obras estadounidenses, como China continental (50 años p.m.a., a excepción de Hong Kong o Macao), Alemania (70), Canadá (70), Suiza (70), México (100) y otros países con reglas particulares. Vea esta página y este diagrama como referencia e información.
It was created for publicity purposes-distribution to the media. The image was meant to bring attention and publicity for the personalities pictured, and the film in which they starred.
Film production expert Eve Light Honthaner in The Complete Film Production Handbook, (Focal Press, 2001 p. 211.):
"Publicity photos (star headshots) have traditionally not been copyrighted. Since they are disseminated to the public, they are generally considered public domain, and therefore clearance by the studio that produced them is not necessary."
"There is a vast body of photographs, including but not limited to publicity stills, that have no notice as to who may have created them." (The Professional Photographer's Legal Handbook By Nancy E. Wolff, Allworth Communications, 2007, p. 55.)
"Publicity Photos (star headshots) older publicity stills have usually not been copyrighted and since they have been disseminated to the public, they are generally considered public domain and therefore there is no necessity to clear them with the studio that produced them (if you can even determine who did)."
United States Copyright Office page 2 "Visually Perceptible Copies The notice for visually perceptible copies should contain all three elements described below. They should appear together or in close proximity on the copies.
2 The year of first publication. If the work is a derivative work or a compilation incorporating previously published material, the year date of first publication of the derivative work or compilation is sufficient. Examples of derivative works are translations or dramatizations; an example of a compilation is an anthology. The year may be omitted when a pictorial, graphic, or sculptural work, with accompanying textual matter, if any, is reproduced in or on greeting cards, postcards, stationery, jewelry, dolls, toys, or useful articles.