2026 Public Domain…so, what’s new? Betty Boop’s cartoon debut, a little Gershwin tune and Nancy Drew too !

ByEmily Moog

Public Domain Law has added a lot of graduates this year….

With the turning of the calendar to 2026, thousands of copyrighted works from 1930 enter public domain, along with sound recordings from 1925….

For items not in the public domain, it’s best to consult this nutshell (available as an ebook to NYLI members!)

Among cartoons graduating is “Dizzy Dishes” (1930); this cartoon features a kind of forerunner to the character who looks a bit different from the Betty we know. The character itself, based on the Bronx’s very own Helen Kane, remains protected. Check out Fleischman’s explanation of how Miss Betty Boop remains their property by clicking here….

“Dizzy Dishes” (1930) is in the public domain….. Depression-era cartoons seem to feature food a lot !!

Nancy Drew, girl detective, is as much an icon as Miss Boop; both were created during the Great Depression year of 1930. It is interesting to note that Nancy Drew’s first mystery, “The Secret of the Old Clock,” finds our heroine visiting a Prohibition-era speak easy, hiding evidence from the police and acting as a kind of Robin Hood by redistributing a wealthy neighbor’s money!

Perhaps Miss Drew needs to look at some of our Criminal Law & Procedure materials!!

Finally, a little highlight on some of the music making it into the public domain. George & Ira Gershwin’s tunes remain perenially popular; United Airlines has been using their Rhapsody in Blue in its ads for more than a few years! And now, in 2026, four of their best known songs are losing their copyright — “I Got Rhythm,” “I’ve Got a Crush on You,” “But Not for Me” and “Embraceable You.”

Does it get any better? Ella Fitzgerald singing “Embraceable You”… just in time for Valentines Day!

But for those musicians (and for the lawyers and librarians who assist them!), here is the source that you must consult with….

Get your tunes licensed… Kohn’s is available to NYLI members….

Another year… another group of artistic works that are considered public domain. Don’t let another year pass without joining The New York Law Institute. For a free trial and membership information, click here….

America will be 250 years old come July…. and The New York Law Institute turns 200 in 2028!

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