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 000454 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 2
Leaf #:
000454
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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1072 Joseph Hopp, Direct Examination. 1 Petitioner's Exhibit No. 192. MOTION PICTURE PATENTS COMPANY 80 Fifth Avenue New York City March 14th, 1910. Standard Film Exchange, 159 E. Washington St., Chicago, 111. Gentlemen : Referring to Vaudette Theatre, #6371 Moline, Illinois Ross & Ross Under date of January 8th we wrote to these exhibitors as follows: 3 "We have a record of a theatre operated by Ross & Adler at the above place. Will you be good enough to let us know if this is the same theatre now operated by you, under the name of the Vaudette Theatre, License Number 6371. "Enclosed please find return envelope for your convenience in replying." Under date of January 26th and again on February 24th we wrote them, requesting a reply to our letter of January 4 8th. The above is information which we need for our files, and unless we receive same on or before April 1st, we shall have to notify you to discontinue service to the theatre referred to. Yours truly, MOTION PICTURE PATENTS COMPANY, By F. H. FH/JK X-90