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 #:
000214
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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2604 Joseph R. Dexxistox, Direct Examination. Q. And from what source did you obtain the licensed service then? A. From the General Film Company, Detroit. Q. Before the General Film Company began to operate in this territory, did you find it possible to advertise a program in advance for your theatres? A. Well, it would not be where you had competition, and of course we had. Q. Did you have competition in Paulding? A. Yes, sir, I had before I bought the other house out. Q. Was the other house a licensed house at the time you bought it out? A. Well, at the time I bought it, I think it was — I know it was before the General Film Company was formed. It was both. It had changed from one to the other. Part of the time licensed, and part of the time independent. Q. At the time the AmuseYou Theatre was running as a licensed house, was it in competition with the Family Theatre or the Theatorium, as you then called it? A. Yes, sir. Q. Did it, during part of that time, use the licensed service? A. Oh, yes, most of the time. Q. Did you have a conflict or conflicts with the AmuseYou Theatre during that period? A. Yes, sir, we did, continually. One case in particular was when I had arranged to run "Damon and Pythias" there, and we were co-operating with the Pythian Sisters, and they were selling tickets for us, and boosting it in every way possible, and sharing the profits. The day before we were to run this picture, they got it out of the Toledo office, and ran it previous to the night that we had advertised it for. Q. Did you have a similar experience at other times with other pictures of less note? A. Oh, yes, that was of frequent occurrence. Q. Did you find it possible during that period to determine upon a definite program in advance, and with the certainty of showing it on the day set? A. We scarcely ever knew what we were going to have until the express came in with the films. We opened up our package to see what we had. It was a gamble. Q. Since you have been taking service from the General Film Company for your theatre at Monroe, have you been able to announce a program in advance, and to advertise it? A. Yes, sir; I have advertised in advance all the time. We put out weekly programs, usually.