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)

Page scan 000485 from 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 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 #:
000485
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:
September 12, 2024
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Louis Rosenbluh, Direct Examination. 463 Petitioners Exhibit No. 118. Form 52-10M l-'lO MOTION PICTURE PATENTS COMPANY 80 Fifth Avenue New York City. January 27th, 1910. Greater N. Y. Film Rental Co., 116 East 14th Street, New York City. Gentlemen : We have received applications for a license for Longwood Theatre, 12308 866 Longwood Ave., New Y^ork City. Mr. Hanson. Our records show that the population of this city is about 4113043, and that there are at present 161 Licensed Exhibitors in said city. As we have received 5 protests against licensing additional theatres in various parts of the city, we request that you investigate conditions in the vicinity of the above named applicant and give us your opinion of the advisability of licensing the above Exhibitor. Yours very truly, MOTION PICTURE^ PATENTS COMPANY, By G E J GEJ/MQ X-32 By Mr. Grosvexor : Q. Are you required under the terms of the license agreements, to send in to the Patents Company, a state