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 (1914)

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:
1914
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 5
Leaf #:
00085
Language:
English
Collection:
Early Cinema and Government & Law
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 21, 2023
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Fred C. Aiken, Gross Examination. 2535 "But we must not pay too much attention to the jokes of the opposition; let us go to work and continue to make good films. You, renters, give better service to your customers, give tliem full satisfaction and make more money. The only way, however, to arrive at this result is to faithfully live up to the rules of your Association/' By Mr. Grosvenor: Q. The exchanges that formed the Film Service Association took out so-called license agreements under the film patent after February, 1908? A. I think they did, with the Edison Company. Q. And the Kleine rental exchanges refused to take out those agreements, and left the Association at that time? A. The Kleine Optical Company did not take out a license. Whether they refused, or not, I don't know. Q. As a matter of fact, all the people who continued in the Film Service Association did take out those licenses? A. I think maybe they did. Q. In those exchange agreements, which you call licenses, were incorporated many of those provisions which you regarded for the best interests of the rental exchanges, and in regard to which you testified on direct examination, to wit, sub-renting, the return of films, etc.? A. I think it was, yes, sir. Q. I show you an article in the Show World of April 25th, 1908, page 22, entitled, "Important Bulletin of Film Association." Please read that. A. I have read it. Q. This purports to be a bulletin issued by the Film Service Association. Do you recall the Association issuing a bulletin of that description? A. We used to issue bulletins frequently. I presume that is one of them. I recall it as such. Q. You were one of the members of the Executive Committee who adopted those bulletins? A. Y"es, sir. Q. And authorized their issuance? A. I was. Mr. Grosvenor : I ask that that be copied into the record. Mr. Kingsley : Objected to, as incompetent, irrelevant and not the best evidence.