# RightsAtlas Research Packet — The Paleface (1922)

> ⚠️ **NOT legal advice.** This is a primary-source research packet describing **United States** copyright status only. It is not a clearance certificate and not a DMCA counter-notification. Verify independently before any platform dispute.

**Scope:** Tier A — **film-print layer only**. Music, story, trademark, and restorations are NOT cleared by this packet.
**Packet version:** `2026-09-12-c2bade8`  ·  **Generated:** 2026-10-05  ·  **Country:** US  ·  **Last verified:** 2026-09-12

## ⚠️ Sound recordings (pre-1972)
Sound recordings fixed before **15 Feb 1972** can be protected under state law / the Music Modernization Act until **2067 or later** — the film *print* being public domain does **not** free the music track. Assume the recorded score is a claim risk.

## Film print — Verified public domain
- **term_expiry:** Published 1922 in the US. The 28-year initial term expired in 1950; no renewal was filed. All US works published before 1928 are unambiguously in the public domain. — [U.S. Copyright Office — Circular 15a: Duration of Copyright](https://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ15a.pdf)
- **renewal_absence_search:** Searched CCE Part 14A Renewal Registrations Jan–Dec 1949 (Vol 3) and Jan–Dec 1950 (Vol 4) — the two volumes that would capture a renewal of a 1922 publication. Neither 'The Paleface' nor 'Paleface' appears in either year's records. — [Catalog of Copyright Entries, Third Series, Part 14A Renewals 1950 — Library of Congress / archive.org](https://archive.org/details/catalogofcopyri3414libr)

> Published 1922: US copyright term (95 years) has expired for works published through 1930 — the film print is public domain in the US by term expiry, regardless of country of origin.

## Other layers — NOT cleared by this packet

| Layer | Status | Evidence on file |
|---|---|---|
| Music score | Partially protected | 1 item(s) |
| Underlying story / screenplay | Verified public domain | 1 item(s) |
| Character trademarks | Undetermined | 0 item(s) |
| Restorations / re-releases | Not public domain | 1 item(s) |

## What this means
- **Watching:** Watching via the linked archival copies is generally the lowest-risk activity.
- **Reusing / monetizing:** The film print may be free, but at least one layer (music, story, or restoration) is unresolved — expect Content ID claims; keep evidence handy and consider removing or replacing the score.

## Archival copies
- [The Paleface (1922) — Buster Keaton; archive.org HD transfer](https://archive.org/details/the-paleface) · good
- [The Paleface (1922) — Buster Keaton; Silent Hall of Fame upload](https://archive.org/details/BusterKeatonsThePaleface) · good

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_Valid as of 2026-10-05. Copyright status can change — check the live dossier before relying on this in a dispute:_ https://bitgitty.github.io/rightsatlas/film/the-paleface-1922/