2003 in public domain

When a work's copyright expires, it enters the public domain. The following is a list of creators whose works entered the public domain in 2003. Since laws vary globally, the copyright status of some works are not uniform.

Countries with life + 50 years

[edit]

In most countries of Africa and Asia, as well as Australia, Belarus, Bolivia, Canada, New Zealand, Egypt and Uruguay, a work enters the public domain 50 years after the creator's death.

Names Country Birth Death Occupation Notable work
Youssef Aftimus Lebanon 25 November 1866 10 September 1952 Architect Beirut City Hall
Betty Allan Australia 11 July 1905 6 August 1952 Statistician
August Alle Estonia 31 August 1890 8 July 1952 Writer
Paul Hastings Allen United States 28 November 1883 28 September 1952 Composer
Aziza Amir Egypt 17 December 1901 28 February 1952 Screenwriter, actress A Girl from Palestine
Charles Ancliffe United Kingdom 1880 20 December 1952 Composer
Céline Arnauld France 20 September 1885 23 December 1952 Writer
Yury Artsybushev Russia 28 March 1877 12 November 1952 Painter
Alice Austen United States 17 March 1866 9 June 1952 Photographer
Frederic Austin United Kingdom 30 March 1872 10 April 1952 Composer, singer List of compositions by Frederic Austin
Nat Ayer United States 5 August 1887 19 September 1952 Composer The Bing Boys Are Here, Yes, Uncle!
Mariano Azuela Mexico 1 January 1873 1 March 1952 Writer The Underdogs
Adivi Baapiraju India 8 October 1895 1952 Writer
Ferdinand Bac France 15 August 1859 18 November 1952 Writer, artist
Jimmy Bancks Australia 10 May 1889 1 July 1952 Cartoonist Ginger Meggs
Bruno Barilli Italy 14 December 1880 15 April 1952 Composer
Antonieta de Barros Brazil 11 July 1901 28 March 1952 Journalist, politician
Rudolf Hans Bartsch Austria 11 February 1873 7 February 1952 Writer
Ioan A. Bassarabescu Romania 17 December 1870 27 March 1952 Writer, politician
Gaston Baty France 26 May 1885 13 October 1952 Playwright
Nicolae Constantin Batzaria Romania 20 November 1874 28 January 1952 Writer, politician
Nikolai Bayev Armenia 6 October 1875 5 August 1952 Architect Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater
John Hay Beith United Kingdom 17 April 1876 22 September 1952 Writer Pip
Zeev Ben-Zvi Israel 1904 1952 Sculptor
David Bergelson Soviet Union 12 August 1884 12 August 1952 Writer
Joseph Berlin Israel 1877 1952 Architect Lodzia House
Gino Boccasile Italy 14 July 1901 10 May 1952 Illustrator
Waldemar Bonsels Germany 21 February 1880 31 July 1952 Writer Maya the Bee
Giuseppe Antonio Borgese Italy 12 November 1882 4 December 1952 Writer
Henriëtte Bosmans Netherlands 6 December 1895 2 July 1952 Composer
Erma Bossi Germany 9 June 1875 14 April 1952 Painter
Sergei Bortkiewicz Ukraine 28 February 1877 25 October 1952 Composer List of compositions by Sergei Bortkiewicz
Marjorie Bowen United Kingdom 1 November 1885 23 December 1952 Writer
Bertram Bracken United States 10 August 1879 1 November 1952 Film director, screenwriter
E. J. Brady Australia 7 August 1869 22 July 1952 Journalist, poet The Earthen Floor
Émile Bréhier France 12 April 1876 3 February 1952 Philosopher
Margaret Wise Brown United States 23 May 1910 13 November 1952 Writer Goodnight Moon, The Runaway Bunny
Paul Bujor Romania 2 August 1862 17 May 1952 Biologist, writer
Delfina Bunge Argentina 24 December 1881 30 March 1952 Writer
Adolf Busch Germany 8 August 1891 9 June 1952 Musician, composer
Jack Caddigan United States 21 September 1879 1 January 1952 Lyricist "The Rose of No Man's Land"
Brun Campbell United States 26 March 1884 23 November 1952 Composer
Adolf Černý Czech Republic 19 August 1864 27 December 1952 Poet
Theo Champion Germany 5 February 1887 20 September 1952 Painter
Wilfred Rowland Childe United Kingdom 1890 1952 Writer
Howard Chandler Christy United States 10 January 1872 3 March 1952 Painter, illustrator
Max Clarenbach Germany 19 May 1880 9 July 1952 Painter
Frederick de Jersey Clere New Zealand 7 January 1856 13 August 1952 Architect St Mary of the Angels, Wellington
Marie Closset Belgium 16 August 1873 20 July 1952 Poet
Archie Frederick Collins United States 8 January 1869 3 January 1952 Inventor, writer The Radio Amateur's Handbook
Jack Conway United States 17 July 1887 11 October 1952 Film director, actor A Tale of Two Cities
Romain Coolus France 25 May 1868 9 September 1952 Playwright
André Corthis France 15 April 1882 8 August 1952 Writer
Annie Sophie Cory United Kingdom 1 October 1868 2 August 1952 Writer Anna Lombard
Kathleen Coyle Ireland 23 October 1886 25 March 1952 Writer
Arthur Shearly Cripps United Kingdom 10 June 1869 1 August 1952 Writer, religious leader
Benedetto Croce Italy 25 February 1866 20 November 1952 Philosopher, historian Manifesto of the Anti-Fascist Intellectuals
Edward S. Curtis United States 19 February 1868 19 October 1952 Photographer, ethnologist In the Land of the Head Hunters
Catherine Chisholm Cushing United States 15 April 1874 19 October 1952 Writer
Sebastião da Gama Portugal 10 April 1924 7 February 1952 Poet
Surendranath Dasgupta India 8 October 1887 18 December 1952 Philosopher
Jo Davidson United States 30 March 1883 2 January 1952 Sculptor
Eugenio de Liguoro Italy 15 March 1899 30 June 1952 Film director, actor
John Dewey United States 20 October 1859 1 June 1952 Philosopher John Dewey bibliography
Mikhail Doller Soviet Union 1889 15 March 1952 Film director, screenwriter The End of St. Petersburg
Norman Douglas United Kingdom 8 December 1868 7 February 1952 Writer South Wind
Harvey Dunn United States 8 March 1884 29 October 1952 Painter
Henry Edwards United Kingdom 18 September 1882 2 November 1952 Film director, actor
Raymond B. Egan Canada 14 November 1890 13 October 1952 Songwriter "The Japanese Sandman"
Richard Eichberg Germany 27 October 1888 8 May 1952 Film director The Tiger of Eschnapur, The Indian Tomb
Alfred Einstein Germany 30 December 1880 13 February 1952 Musicologist
Otto Eis Austria 19 March 1903 14 January 1952 Screenwriter
George Grant Elmslie United States 20 February 1869 23 April 1952 Architect Harold C. Bradley House
Paul Éluard France 14 December 1895 18 November 1952 Poet
Lydia Field Emmet United States 23 January 1866 16 August 1952 Painter
Philip G. Epstein United States 22 August 1909 7 February 1952 Screenwriter Casablanca
Lucien Fabre France 14 February 1889 26 November 1952 Writer
Ludwig Fahrenkrog Germany 20 October 1867 27 October 1952 Painter
Jeffery Farnol United Kingdom 10 February 1878 9 August 1952 Writer The Broad Highway
Arthur Farwell United States 23 March 1872 20 January 1952 Composer
Itzik Feffer Soviet Union 10 September 1900 12 August 1952 Poet
Macedonio Fernández Argentina 1 June 1874 10 February 1952 Writer The Museum of Eterna's Novel
John Flanagan United States 4 April 1865 28 March 1952 Sculptor
Ernest Florman Sweden 20 September 1863 15 September 1952 Film director
Hugh Ford United States 5 February 1868 1952 Film director, screenwriter
Elena Fortún Spain 17 November 1886 8 May 1952 Writer Celia, lo que dice
Gilbert Frankau United Kingdom 21 April 1884 4 November 1952 Writer
Charles K. French United States 17 January 1860 2 August 1952 Actor, film director, screenwriter
Carl Friedemann Germany 29 April 1862 9 April 1952 Composer "Kaiser Friedrich Marsch"
Svend Gade Denmark 1877 1952 Film director, screenwriter
Leonhard Gall Germany 24 August 1884 20 January 1952 Architect Führerbau
Sawai Gandharva India 19 January 1886 12 September 1952 Singer, teacher
John Murray Gibbon Canada 12 April 1875 2 July 1952 Writer Canadian Mosaic
C. P. H. Gilbert United States 29 August 1861 25 October 1952 Architect
Charles Ginner United Kingdom 4 March 1878 6 January 1952 Painter
Charles Buxton Going United States 4 April 1863 1952 Engineer, writer
Percy Gray United States 3 October 1869 10 October 1952 Painter
Sammy Gronemann Germany 21 March 1875 6 March 1952 Writer
René Grousset France 5 September 1885 12 September 1952 Historian The Empire of the Steppes
Ernst Haiger Germany 10 June 1874 15 March 1952 Architect
Covington Hall United States 25 August 1871 21 February 1952 Activist, writer
Halfdan M. Hanson Norway 30 November 1884 12 September 1952 Architect Our Lady of Good Voyage Church
Cicely Hamilton United Kingdom 15 June 1872 6 December 1952 Writer
Gertrude Demain Hammond United Kingdom 1862 21 July 1952 Illustrator
Knut Hamsun Norway 4 August 1859 19 February 1952 Writer, poet Growth of the Soil
Hildegarde Hawthorne United States 25 September 1871 10 December 1952 Writer
Sven Hedin Sweden 19 February 1865 26 November 1952 Geographer, travel writer Through Asia Volume 1
Aaro Hellaakoski Finland 22 June 1893 23 November 1952 Poet
Fletcher Henderson United States 18 December 1897 29 December 1952 Musician, composer A Study in Frustration
Graily Hewitt United Kingdom 1864 1952 Calligrapher, writer
Laura Coombs Hills United States 7 September 1859 21 February 1952 Artist
David Hofstein Soviet Union 12 June 1889 12 August 1952 Poet
Hilda Hongell Finland 16 January 1867 10 June 1952 Architect
Curly Howard United States 22 October 1903 18 January 1952 Actor
Felix Huch United States 6 September 1880 6 July 1952 Writer
Billy Hughes Australia 25 September 1862 28 October 1952 Politician
Myron Hunt United States 27 February 1868 26 May 1952 Architect Bridges Hall of Music
Harold Innis Canada 5 November 1894 9 November 1952 Economist
Horace Jackson United States 29 March 1898 26 January 1952 Screenwriter
Frederick Jacobi United States 4 May 1891 24 October 1952 Composer
Rashid Jahan India 25 August 1905 29 July 1952 Writer Angarey
Alan James United States 23 March 1890 30 December 1952 Film director, screenwriter
Enrique Jardiel Poncela Spain 15 October 1901 18 February 1952 Writer, playwright We Thieves Are Honourable
Harry Benjamin Jepson United States 16 August 1870 23 August 1952 Composer
Frances Benjamin Johnston United States 15 January 1864 16 May 1952 Photographer
Owen Johnson United States 27 August 1878 27 January 1952 Writer Stover at Yale
Eugene Jolas United States 26 October 1894 26 May 1952 Writer
Herbert Juttke Germany 1897 1952 Screenwriter
David Kakabadze Georgia 20 August 1889 10 May 1952 Painter
Fabjan Kaliterna Croatia 20 January 1886 30 January 1952 Architect
Ariake Kambara Japan 15 March 1876 3 February 1952 Writer
Aleksandr Kamenskij [ru] Russia 12 December 1900 7 November 1952 Composer
Artur Kapp Estonia 28 February 1878 14 January 1952 Composer
Bernard Karfiol United States 6 May 1886 16 August 1952 Painter
Otto Katz Czech Republic 27 May 1895 3 December 1952 Agent, writer
Elizabeth Kenny Australia 12 September 1880 30 November 1952 Nurse, physical therapist
Frederic G. Kenyon United Kingdom 15 January 1863 23 August 1952 Historian
Rollin Kirby United States 4 September 1875 8 May 1952 Cartoonist
Alexandra Kollontai Russia 31 March 1872 9 March 1952 Politician, writer Red Love
Sadie Koninsky United States 1872 2 January 1952 Composer
Kosugi Tengai Japan 7 November 1865 1 September 1952 Writer
Vasyl Krychevsky Ukraine 12 January 1873 15 November 1952 Painter, architect Coat of arms of Ukraine
Masao Kume Japan 23 November 1891 1 March 1952 Writer
Leib Kvitko Soviet Union 15 October 1890 12 August 1952 Poet
Gregory La Cava United States 10 March 1892 1 March 1952 Film director My Man Godfrey
Max Laeuger Germany 30 September 1864 12 December 1952 Architect, ceramicist
Alfred La Liberté Canada 10 February 1882 7 May 1952 Composer
Karel Lamač Czech Republic 27 January 1897 2 August 1952 Film director
William F. Lamb United States 21 November 1883 8 September 1952 Architect Empire State Building
Rued Langgaard Denmark 28 July 1893 10 July 1952 Composer Music of the Spheres
Carlos Alberto Leumann Argentina 1886 1952 Poet
Heinrich Lilienfein Germany 20 November 1879 20 December 1952 Writer
Yrjö Lindegren Finland 13 August 1900 12 November 1952 Architect Helsinki Olympic Stadium
Percy Lindsay Australia 17 September 1870 21 September 1952 Painter
Julie M. Lippmann United States 1864 1952 Writer
Jessie Lipscomb United Kingdom 13 June 1861 12 January 1952 Sculptor
William J. Long United States 3 April 1867 1952 Writer
Ferdinand Lot France 20 September 1866 20 July 1952 Historian
Andrés Luna de San Pedro Philippines 9 September 1887 22 January 1952 Architect First United Building
Desmond MacCarthy United Kingdom 20 May 1877 7 June 1952 Writer
J. Farrell MacDonald United States 6 June 1875 2 August 1952 Film director, actor
Edward Madden United States 17 July 1878 11 March 1952 Songwriter
Mahjoor India 1887 9 April 1952 Poet
Hakob Manandian Armenia 10 November 1873 4 February 1952 Historian
Anna Margolin United States 1887 1952 Poet
Peretz Markish Soviet Union 7 December 1895 12 August 1952 Poet
Enrique González Martínez Mexico 13 April 1871 19 February 1952 Poet
H. J. Massingham United Kingdom 25 March 1888 22 August 1952 Writer, poet
Charles Maurras France 20 April 1868 16 November 1952 Writer
Achille Mauzan France 1883 1952 Illustrator
William Sutherland Maxwell Canada 14 November 1874 25 March 1952 Architect Shrine of the Báb
J. P. McGowan Australia 24 February 1880 26 March 1952 Actor, film director The Hazards of Helen, The Hurricane Express
E. H. W. Meyerstein United Kingdom 11 August 1889 12 September 1952 Writer, scholar
Robert Minor United States 15 July 1884 26 January 1952 Cartoonist
Mir-Jam Serbia 22 April 1887 22 December 1952 Writer
Ferenc Molnár Hungary 12 January 1878 1 April 1952 Writer, playwright The Paul Street Boys, Liliom
Montéhus France 9 July 1872 1952 Songwriter
Italo Montemezzi Italy 4 August 1875 15 May 1952 Composer L'amore dei tre re
Maria Montessori Italy 31 August 1870 6 May 1952 Educator
Irving Morrow United States 22 September 1884 28 October 1952 Architect Golden Gate Bridge
Lodewijk Mortelmans Belgium 5 February 1868 24 June 1952 Composer
Willy Mullens Netherlands 4 October 1880 21 April 1952 Film director
Keith Murdoch Australia 12 August 1885 4 October 1952 Journalist
Matija Murko Slovenia 10 February 1861 11 February 1952 Literary historian
Herbert Murrill United Kingdom 11 May 1909 25 July 1952 Composer
Bangalore Nagarathnamma India 3 November 1878 19 May 1952 Singer, writer
Ghulam Bhik Nairang Pakistan 26 September 1876 16 October 1952 Poet, politician
Shinpei Nakayama Japan 22 March 1887 30 December 1952 Songwriter "Katyusha's song"
Alfred Neumann Germany 15 October 1895 3 October 1952 Writer
John O'Brien Australia 13 October 1878 27 December 1952 Priest, poet "Said Hanrahan"
Ivan Olbracht Czech Republic 6 January 1882 20 December 1952 Writer Nikola Šuhaj loupežník
Herbert Arnould Olivier United Kingdom 9 September 1861 2 March 1952 Painter
Paul Ondrusch Germany 4 June 1875 29 September 1952 Sculptor
Joseph O'Neill Ireland 1886 6 May 1952 Writer
Vittorio Emanuele Orlando Italy 19 May 1860 1 December 1952 Politician
Henry Otto United States 8 August 1877 3 August 1952 Film director, actor
Fulton Oursler United States 22 January 1893 24 May 1952 Writer The Greatest Story Ever Told
Russell Owen United States 8 January 1889 3 April 1952 Journalist South of the Sun
Frances Theodora Parsons United States 5 December 1861 10 June 1952 Naturalist, writer
Jack Parsons United States 2 October 1914 17 June 1952 Engineer, occultist
Teixeira de Pascoaes Portugal 2 November 1877 14 December 1952 Writer
Raymond Pech France 4 February 1876 3 July 1952 Writer
Constant Permeke Belgium 31 July 1886 4 January 1952 Painter, sculptor
Eva Perón Argentina 7 May 1919 26 July 1952 Politician, actress La razón de mi vida
Paul Pierné France 30 June 1874 24 March 1952 Composer
Ladislaus Pilars de Pilar Poland 3 March 1874 22 November 1952 Poet
Arthur Pink United Kingdom 1 April 1886 15 July 1952 Writer
Charles Plisnier Belgium 13 December 1896 17 July 1952 Writer Faux passeports
Pedro Prado Chile 8 October 1886 31 January 1952 Writer
Chilukuri Narayana Rao India 1890 1952 Writer
Hugo Raudsepp Estonia 13 December 1896 17 July 1952 Writer, politician
Karl Ludvig Reichelt Norway 1 September 1877 13 March 1952 Writer
Elizabeth Robins United States 6 August 1862 8 May 1952 Writer
Lou Rogers United States 26 November 1879 11 March 1952 Cartoonist
Henriette Roland Holst Netherlands 24 December 1869 21 November 1952 Poet
A. S. W. Rosenbach United States 22 July 1876 1 July 1952 Collector, writer
William Roughead United Kingdom 1870 1952 Writer, lawyer
Joan Rubió Spain 24 April 1870 30 November 1952 Architect
Edwin L. Sabin United States 23 December 1870 24 November 1952 Writer
Wadia Sabra Lebanon 23 February 1876 11 April 1952 Composer
Olaf Saile Germany 27 August 1901 29 June 1952 Writer
George Santayana Spain 16 December 1863 26 September 1952 Philosopher, writer The Life of Reason
Garimella Satyanarayana India 14 July 1893 18 December 1952 Poet
Fred Sauer Austria 14 December 1886 17 September 1952 Film director, screenwriter
Jurgis Savickis Lithuania 4 May 1890 22 December 1952 Writer
Alberto Savinio Italy 25 August 1891 5 May 1952 Writer, composer
Wilhelm Schäfer Germany 20 January 1868 19 January 1952 Writer
Laurence Dwight Smith United States 1895 1952 Writer
Georg Schumann Germany 25 October 1866 23 May 1952 Composer
Vincent Scotto France 21 April 1874 15 November 1952 Composer
Philip Walsingham Sergeant United Kingdom 27 January 1872 20 October 1952 Writer Modern Chess Openings
Franz Seitz Sr. Germany 14 April 1887 7 March 1952 Film director, screenwriter
Carlo Sforza Italy 24 January 1872 4 September 1952 Politician
Ilya Shatrov Russia 1 April 1879 2 May 1952 Composer "On the Hills of Manchuria"
Tatiana Shchepkina-Kupernik Russia 24 January 1874 27 July 1952 Writer, translator
Vladimir Shcherbachov Soviet Union 24 January 1889 5 March 1952 Composer
Maria Shkapskaya Soviet Union 15 October 1891 7 September 1952 Writer
Rudolf Sieczyński Austria 23 February 1879 5 May 1952 Composer "Vienna, City of My Dreams"
Renato Simoni Italy 5 September 1875 5 July 1952 Playwright Turandot
Christopher Arthur Smith Australia 19 November 1892 2 March 1952 Architect Capri Theatre, Peterborough Town Hall
Leo Smith United Kingdom 26 November 1881 18 April 1952 Composer
Herman Sörgel Germany 2 April 1885 25 December 1952 Architect
Niles Spencer United States 16 May 1893 15 May 1952 Painter
Jaap Speyer Netherlands 1891 1952 Film director
Fráňa Šrámek Czech Republic 19 January 1877 1 July 1952 Writer
Malcolm St. Clair United States 17 May 1897 1 June 1952 Film director
Władysław Strzemiński Poland 21 November 1893 26 December 1952 Painter
Gusztáv Szerémi Hungary 9 May 1877 16 August 1952 Composer
Ray Taylor United States 1 December 1888 15 February 1952 Film director
Giovanni Tebaldini Italy 7 September 1864 11 May 1952 Composer
Teffi Russia 21 May 1872 6 October 1952 Writer
Josephine Tey United Kingdom 25 July 1896 13 February 1952 Writer The Daughter of Time
Jean Tharaud France 9 May 1877 8 April 1952 Writer
Anna-Lisa Thomson Sweden 20 September 1905 12 February 1952 Ceramist
Henriette Tirman France 1875 30 October 1952 Painter
John Treloar Australia 10 December 1894 28 January 1952 Museum administrator
Lamar Trotti United States 18 October 1900 28 August 1952 Screenwriter
Josef Thorak Austria 7 February 1889 26 February 1952 Sculptor
Uncle Dave Macon United States 7 October 1870 22 March 1952 Singer-songwriter
Fartein Valen Norway 25 August 1887 14 December 1952 Composer
Antonio María Valencia Colombia 10 November 1902 22 July 1952 Composer
Lodewijk van Deyssel Netherlands 22 September 1864 26 January 1952 Writer
Johan van Hell Netherlands 28 February 1889 31 December 1952 Artist
Louis Valtat France 8 August 1869 2 January 1952 Painter
Louis Verneuil France 14 May 1893 3 November 1952 Playwright
Clara Viebig Germany 17 July 1860 31 July 1952 Writer
Roger Vitrac France 17 November 1899 22 January 1952 Playwright, poet
Ellen Roosval von Hallwyl Sweden 1867 1952 Artist
Karl Wach Germany 7 January 1878 21 June 1952 Architect
Lars Israel Wahlman Sweden 17 April 1870 18 September 1952 Architect Tjolöholm Castle
H. T. Webster United States 21 September 1885 22 September 1952 Cartoonist Caspar Milquetoast
Adolph Alexander Weinman United States 11 December 1870 8 August 1952 Sculptor Walking Liberty half dollar, Mercury dime
Percy Wenrich United States 21 September 1885 22 September 1952 Composer "Sail Along, Silv'ry Moon"
Roland West United States 20 February 1885 31 March 1952 Film director
Alberto Williams Argentina 23 November 1862 17 June 1952 Composer Poema del Iguazú
Hans Wittwer  Switzerland 4 February 1894 19 March 1952 Architect ADGB Trade Union School
Paramahansa Yogananda India 5 January 1893 7 March 1952 Yogi, writer Autobiography of a Yogi
Ellsworth Young United States 1866 1952 Artist
Ernst Zahn  Switzerland 24 January 1867 12 February 1952 Writer Frau Sixta
Lee Woodward Zeigler United States 7 May 1868 16 June 1952 Illustrator

Entering the public domain in the United States

[edit]

In the United States, the copyright status of works extends for the life of the author or artists, plus 70 years.[1][2] If the work is owned by a corporation, then the copyright extends 95 years.[3]

Due to the passing of the Copyright Term Extension Act (Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act) in 1998, no new works would enter the public domain in this jurisdiction until 2019.[4]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "What Could Have Entered the Public Domain | Duke University School of Law".
  2. ^ "S.505 - One Hundred Fifth Congress of the United States of America at the Session Session. An act to amend the provisions of title 17, United States Code, with respect to the duration of copyright, and for other purposes" (PDF). U.S. Copyright Office.
  3. ^ "Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States | Copyright Information Center".
  4. ^ "United States Copyright Law". Archived from the original on 2014-08-01. Retrieved 2012-06-02.