Photo of George Nader and Dani Crayne, along with anonymous children pictured. Photographer: Nat Dallinger. Release date: November 30, 1956. Stamp date: January 5, 1957. "(C) 1956, KING FEATURE SYNDICATE,INC."
Renewal registration for this photo was searched under names "Dallinger" and "King Features" in http://www.Copyright.gov/records/; none have been found in Visual Materials and Serials.
Film production expert Eve Light Honthaner in The Complete Film Production Handbook, (Focal Press, 2001 p. 211.):
Publicity photos (star headshots) have traditionally not been copyrighted. Since they are disseminated to the public, they are generally considered public domain, and therefore clearance by the studio that produced them is not necessary.
The Professional Photographer's Legal Handbook By Nancy E. Wolff, Allworth Communications, 2007, p. 55:
There is a vast body of photographs, including but not limited to publicity stills, that have no notice as to who may have created them.
Publicity Photos (star headshots) older publicity stills have usually not been copyrighted and since they have been disseminated to the public, they are generally considered public domain and therefore there is no necessity to clear them with the studio that produced them (if you can even determine who did).
Note that it may still be copyrighted in jurisdictions that do not apply the rule of the shorter term for US works (depending on the date of the author's death), such as Canada (70 years p.m.a.), Mainland China (50 years p.m.a., not Hong Kong or Macao), Germany (70 years p.m.a.), Mexico (100 years p.m.a.), Switzerland (70 years p.m.a.), and other countries with individual treaties.
Photo of George Nader and Dani Crayne, along with anonymous children pictured. Photographer: Nat Dallinger. Release date: November 30, 1956. Stamp date: January 5, 1957. "'''(C) 1956, KING FEATURE SYNDICATE,INC.'''" Source: * Item: http://www.ebay.com...