In the District Court of the United States, for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the United States of America, petitioner, vs. Motion Picture Patents Company, et al., defendants (1913)

Page scan 000174 from In the District Court of the United States, for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the United States of America, petitioner, vs. Motion Picture Patents Company, et al., defendants

Record Details:

Title:
In the District Court of the United States, for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the United States of America, petitioner, vs. Motion Picture Patents Company, et al., defendants
Date:
1913
Publisher:
New York, Appeal Printing Co.
Volume:
In the District Court of the United States, for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the United States of America, petitioner, vs. Motion Picture Patents Company, et al., defendants : record volume 3
Leaf #:
000174
Language:
English
Collection:
Government & Law and Early Cinema
Format:
Periodicals
Contributor:
The Museum of Modern Art Library, New York
Sponsor:
Media History Digital Library
Coordinator:
Media History Digital Library
Description:
These seven volumes contain the testimonies and supporting documents from the U.S. District Court's antitrust lawsuit against the Motion Picture Patents Company (MPPC). Formed in 1908, the MPPC (sometimes referred to asœ"the Edison Trust" or just "the Trust") sought to control the American film industry through pooling patents and demanding that producers and exhibitors acquire licenses to those patents. Independent producers and exhibitors, who refused to license the patents, argued that the MPPC was an unlawful monopoly. In 1912 and 1913, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania heard testimonies from both MPPC members, such as Siegmund Lubin, and "Independents" who later became Hollywood moguls, such as William Fox. Ultimately, in 1915, the case reached the U.S. Supreme Court, which found the MPPC in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act and spelled the end for the already weakening MPPC. -- Eric Hoyt, 2012
Date Added:
September 12, 2024
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1400 H. N. Marvin, Direct Examination. name of the reel. Now, as you know, we stayed with Mitchell as long as we could, we were supposed to get stuff not older than 30 days, but we often got stuff from one to two years old, so I think when we quit Mr. Mitchell, he had no kick coming whatever, and what I want your Exchange to do is to protect us against this Competition. I understand that he has promised our Competitions First run stuff at $8.00 a reel just to spite us, as you know Mitchell's Exchange cannot put first run in here untill ten o'clock P. M. on release day and you can easily beat that having the advantage of being closer to us. I am giving you this information in the hopes that you will give us the protection we are entitled to and see that Mitchell plays fair. Yours Truly, YALE AMUSEMENT COMPANY OF OKLA., Per L. W. Brophy, Pres. Letter Head. MITCHELL'S FILM EXCHANGE. Little Rock, Ark., Nov. 20th, 1909. Mr. John Buchanan, Mgr. Evelyn Theatre, McAlister, Okla. Dear Sir: — Mr. Brophy has decided to discontinue our service, and we have decided to see that all of his Competitors that stay with us, get better film service than he does from his new Exchange. We are going to shoot the "Custers Last Stand" picture right to you, and will wire you where to ship it to after you have run it two days. We are not only going to ship the Custer picture to you, but are going to pick good features for you hereafter. You will see Mr. Brophy sit up and take notice when we turn loose our "Galling Gun" on him. We, of course, are not mad at Mr. Brophy; if he thinks he can better his service any, it is alright with us, but we are going to see that the houses that remain with us, have better service than lie gets. We tli ink that he quit for the reason that we would not prom