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 #:
000669
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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Gov't Ex. 136, Agt. Edison & Eastman Kodak Cos. 643 Mr. Grosvenor: I offer in evidence Petitioner's Exhibit No. 136, being an agreement between the Motion Picture Patents Company, Edison Manufacturing Company, and Biograph Company, of February 14th, 1911. Petitioners Exhibit No. 136. 1. THIS AGREEMENT, made this 14th day of February, 1911, by and between Motion Picture Patents Company, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New Jersey, and having an office at Jersey City, in said State, party of the first part, (hereinafter referred to as the Licensor) ; the Edison Manufacturing Company, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New Jersey, and having an office at Orange, in said State, party of the second part (hereinafter referred to as the Edison Company), and Biograph Company of New York City, N. Y., party of the third part (hereinafter referred to as the Licensee) , WITNESSETH : 2. WHEREAS, an agreement in writing was entered into on the 18th day of December, 1908, by and between the Licensor, the Edison Company and the Licensee; and 3. WHEREAS, the Licensor, the Edison Company and the Licensee desire to modify and alter said agreement of December 18, 1908, in certain particulars: NOW THIS AGREEMENT WITNESSETH: 4. The Licensor, the Edison Company and the Licensee, for valuable and sufficient considerations, each to the other moving, do hereby mutually covenant and agree to, and do hereby, modify and alter said agreement of December 18, 1908,* as follows: 5. P>y cancelling, and they do hereby cancel, the second clause of paragraph numbered 4 of said agreement of December 18, 1908, and do hereby substitute therefor the following :