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)

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 1
Leaf #:
000127
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:
May 23, 2024
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Bulletins to Exhibitors. 105 LICENSED THEATRES. 1 We beg to call jour attention to the following provisions of your license: (1) Only licensed exhibitors may show licensed film. (2) Licensed exhibitors must not show unlicensed film. Should you find your business subjected to unfair competition by unlicensed exhibitors showing licensed films, or 2 by licensed exhibitors showing unlicensed film, if you will report the facts to us we will take immediate action to stop the practice. INFORMATION REGARDING THEATRES. In order to properly protect our licensees we need information. We ask you to fill out and send us by return mail the data called for on the accompanying slip regarding your own theatre and the other theatres near you. Petitioner's Exhibit No. 44. Exhibitors' Bulletin— No. 2. MOTION PICTURE PATENTS COMPANY 80 Fifth Avenue New York City February 27, 1909. ROYALTIES FROM EXHIBITORS. The Patents Company has fixed March 8th to April 1st as the next royalty period, during which time the royalties for licensed theatres will be at the rate of $2.00 per week,, making a total of $6.00, to cover the period from Marcb 8th to April 1st, 1909. A due bill is being sent to-day to each licensed exhibitor, calling for this payment. 4