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 #:
000480
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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458 Louis Rosenbluh, Direct Examination. 1 Petitioner's Exhibit No. 113. Form 52-5M. 10'09. MOTION PICTURE PATENTS COMPANY 80 Fifth Avenue New York City November 16, 1909. Greater New York Film Rental Company, 2 116 East 14th Street, New York City. Gentlemen : — We hereby notify you that the license of the Nicolet Theatre, Mr. S. Staff, proprietor, 187 Passaic Avenue, Passaic, N. J., has been cancelled on account of exhibition by him of unlicensed film. Do not serve this exhibitor without notice from us. „ Yours truly, MOTION PICTURE PATENTS COMPANY. JB/EP By J. B. X-32 By Mr. Grosvenor: Q. I show you three letters, dated November 18th, 26th and 26th, 1909, from the Patents Company, relating to the issuing of licenses to new theatres, or proposed theatres, and stating that there are one or more other licensed exhibitors in the vicinity of the proposed new exhibitors. Have you from time to time received such letters from the Patents Company before the granting of licenses? A. Yes, sir. Mr. Grosvenor: I offer those in evidence. The papers are received in evidence and marked respectively "Petitioner's Exhibits No. 114, No. 115, and No. 116," and are as follows: