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 2
Leaf #:
000247
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:
June 13, 2024
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William J. Anderson, Redirect Examination. 865 The letter of December 30th, 1910, is marked 1 Petitioner's Exhibit No. 160, and is as follows: Petitioner's Exhibit No. 160. MOTION PICTURE PATENTS COMPANY. 80 Fifth Avenue, New York. Dec. 30, 1910 Mr. William J. Anderson, 2111 E. Orleans St., Philadelphia, Pa. 2 Dear Sir: Confirming conversation of this date. We will issue you a license to exhibit film on the following terms: You are to obtain film from a licensed exchange only for such exhibitions as you desire to give, these exhibitions to be unlimited in number. You are to pay us a royalty of fifty cents (50c.) per exhibition, your exhibitions to be limited to one day or 3 one night exhibitions, unless you have permission from us for an exhibition of a longer period. This royalty is to be paid through the exchange that supplies your films and is to be forwarded to us by the Exchange. In every case the Exchange must be notified by you of the exact time and location of the exhibition for which film is obtained, and the film is to be returned by you to the Exchange promptly after the exhibition. Film obtained by you for one exhibition must not be transferred by you to another exhibition, except with the knowledge and permission of the Exchange; and when the 4 second exhibition occurs on the evening or day following the first exhibition. You are not to have in your possession at any time any stock of film except in transit from the place of exhibition to the Exchange. You are not to make use of any film except licensed film in any exhibition given or booked by you.