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 #:
000129
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. 107 begin as soon as the license fee has been forwarded with the application of the exhibitor to the Patents Company. The service shall be accepted, however, by the Exchange subject to the condition that the theatre be eventually licensed by the Patents Company, and with the understanding that if the license is refused, the Exchange shall discontinue the service to the exhibitor immediately upon receiving notice to this effect from the Patents Company. If a license on such an application is issued, the license fee will be retained by the Patents Company, and in addition thereto the royalties of the exhibitors will be fixed, dating from the time the service began; if the license is refused, the entire license fee of f 10 will be returned to the applicant. (2) APPLICATIONS FROM NEW THEATRES. Where a new theatre is projected in any locality, or where an established theatre which has not been exhibiting motion pictures since February 1, 1909, desires to exhibit licensed motion pictures, the exhibitor may make application for a license to the Patents Company, either direct or through any licensed Exchange, upon the form of application which will be furnished. A license fee of $10 must accompany all such applications. In all cases in this class the exhibitor may not receive any licensed motion pictures until such time as the application has been investigated by the Patents Company and the license has actually been issued to the exhibitor applying. If the license is issued, the license fee of $10 will be applied upon the royalties fixed; in case the application is refused, the entire license fee of $10 will be returned to the applicant.