# Check classic films for US public-domain status

**Use case:** 

Find out which films you can use freely in the US: each title comes back public domain, likely public domain, check renewal (1931-1963 films that needed a renewal) or protected, with the date it enters the public domain and why. This example checks six films from 1922 to 1975; swap in your own list or a CSV link.

## Input

```json
{
  "works": [
    {
      "id": "FILM-1",
      "title": "Nosferatu",
      "creator": "F. W. Murnau",
      "type": "film",
      "year": 1922,
      "country": "Germany"
    },
    {
      "id": "FILM-2",
      "title": "Frankenstein",
      "creator": "James Whale",
      "type": "film",
      "year": 1931
    },
    {
      "id": "FILM-3",
      "title": "His Girl Friday",
      "creator": "Howard Hawks",
      "type": "film",
      "year": 1940
    },
    {
      "id": "FILM-4",
      "title": "Casablanca",
      "creator": "Michael Curtiz",
      "type": "film",
      "year": 1942
    },
    {
      "id": "FILM-5",
      "title": "Night of the Living Dead",
      "creator": "George A. Romero",
      "type": "film",
      "year": 1968
    },
    {
      "id": "FILM-6",
      "title": "Jaws",
      "creator": "Steven Spielberg",
      "type": "film",
      "year": 1975
    }
  ],
  "works_url": "https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/your-sheet-id/edit#gid=0",
  "preset": "2027-entrants",
  "as_of_date": "2027-01-01",
  "use_wikidata": true
}
```

## Output

```json
{
  "work_id": {
    "label": "Your ID",
    "format": "string"
  },
  "work_title": {
    "label": "Work",
    "format": "string"
  },
  "work_type": {
    "label": "Type",
    "format": "string"
  },
  "publication_year": {
    "label": "Published",
    "format": "integer"
  },
  "status": {
    "label": "Status",
    "format": "string"
  },
  "us_public_domain_date": {
    "label": "US public domain on",
    "format": "string"
  },
  "rule": {
    "label": "Rule",
    "format": "string"
  },
  "confidence": {
    "label": "Confidence",
    "format": "number"
  },
  "explanation": {
    "label": "Why",
    "format": "string"
  },
  "wikidata_url": {
    "label": "Wikidata",
    "format": "string"
  }
}
```

## About this Actor

This example demonstrates how to use [US Public Domain Checker (books, films, music, art)](https://apify.com/robot-supply-store/us-public-domain-checker.md) with a specific input configuration. Visit the [Actor detail page](https://apify.com/robot-supply-store/us-public-domain-checker.md) to learn more, explore other use cases, and run it yourself.


## How to integrate an Actor?

This Task's input is already configured above. Use it as-is rather than inventing a new one.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For full API examples (JavaScript, Python, CLI, MCP, OpenAPI), see this Task's Actor page: https://apify.com/robot-supply-store/us-public-domain-checker.md

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).