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 #:
000353
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:
June 13, 2024
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Thomas H. Bates, Direct Examination. 971 Petitioner's Exhibit No. 176. LUBIN MANUFACTURING COMPANY Philadelphia, Pa. U. S. A. (All Branch Offices Listed.) April Tenth, 1911. Mr. Thos H. Bates, 133 Moreland St., Roxbury, Mass. Dear Sir: Replying to your letter of April 8th., would say that our fixed price for making a negative for advertising purposes is $1.00 a foot for the negative and 15c a foot for each positive together with the necessary expenses for the operators. A film of this nature, however, appeals to us quite strongly and we may be able to produce this Film in such a manner that we could send it out on our regular release plan and in such an event we could furnish you with a print of the subject in return for the services. We would much prefer taking the picture in our studio where we have every convenience at hand. We would ask that you communicate with us further on this subject to see if our plan meets with your approval. Yours very truly, LUBIN MANUFACTURING CO. Per T. D. Cochrane. T. D. C. L. M. L. Q. Subsequently, you had the pictures taken by this man in Boston? A. Yes, sir. Q. Named Bosworth? A. Yes, sir. Q. And then, when you had the positive developed from the negative, what efforts did you make to display the films in the local theatres? A. I was conversant with a gentleman who was the manager of one of the theatres, and he suggested that I go and see Mr. Brooks, the proprietor of 2