Steamboat Willie enters public domain in 2024
Steamboat Willie, the 1928 animated short featuring Mickey Mouse, entered the public domain in 2024 after its 95-year copyright expired. The seven-minute and twenty-second film, produced by Walt Disney, was the first cartoon with synchronized sound, dialogue, and effects. It depicts Mickey battling Captain Pete for control of a steamboat, with Minnie Mouse accidentally dropping a ukulele and sheet music later eaten by a goat. Copyright protection, originally set to expire in 2004, was extended to 95 years due to Disney lobbying. Only the original 1928 version of Mickey is affected; modern versions remain under Disney's control. Other works entering the public domain in 2024 include Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence, Orlando by Virginia Woolf, All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque, The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie, The Threepenny Opera by Bertolt Brecht, The Cameraman by Buster Keaton, and The Circus by Charlie Chaplin.
Key facts
- Steamboat Willie was released in 1928.
- It is the first cartoon with synchronized sound, dialogue, and effects.
- The short runs approximately 7 minutes and 20 seconds.
- It was produced by Walt Disney and co-animated by Ub Iwerks.
- The copyright expired in 2024 after 95 years.
- Copyright was originally set to expire in 2004 but extended to 95 years.
- Only the 1928 version of Mickey Mouse is affected.
- Other works entering public domain in 2024 include Lady Chatterley's Lover and All Quiet on the Western Front.
Entities
Artists
- Walt Disney
- Ub Iwerks
- D.H. Lawrence
- Virginia Woolf
- Erich Maria Remarque
- Agatha Christie
- Bertolt Brecht
- Buster Keaton
- Charlie Chaplin
Institutions
- Walt Disney Company
- Duke Center for the Study of the Public Domain