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 4
Leaf #:
000495
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:
July 25, 2024
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Albert W. Goff, Direct Examination. 2345 Q. If there are any theatres included in that number that are so served by other branches of the General Film Company, do you know whether the number would be large or small? A. Very small. Very small, indeed. Q. How small would you say? A. Well, not a possible ten. Q. Then you are prepared to testify that, of the number 475, not exceeding ten may be served by other branches of the General Film Company, than your own? A. Yes, sir. Q. Could you state about what percentage in volume of revenue of the business is done by the special feature companies in that territory? A. Nothing definite on account of not knowing where they put their service, that is, they will put their service in for one day only, and they are supplied by another exchange for the other six days in the week, or perhaps for the other five days, as the case may be. Q. What does the Famous Players charge for their service in Cleveland? A. Perhaps fifty dollars. Thirtyfive dollars for a day on a feature. The Knickerbocker Theatre in town, I understand, runs a feature for six days in a week for $200, and the seventh day, they fill in with an outside program, other than the Famous Players. Q. Do you know how many theatres are supplied in Cleveland with the program of the Famous Players? A. I could not say definitely, no. You understand, I could tell any one of our customers that is getting the -Famous Players, but I could not tell you which of the Universal or Mutual is getting the program. Q. Well, how many of your theatres in Cleveland are getting the Famous Players? A. Two. Q. How many are getting the Warner? A. None, to the best of my knowledge and belief. Q. How many are getting other special feature films from outside sources? A. I could not give you a definite answer on that. They fill in with them at odd times. Q. How many theatres, motion picture theatres, are there in Cleveland? A. Between 130 and 140. Q. And of that number, how many are served by the General Film Company? A. About 65. Q. How many are there in Columbus? A. Possibly 45 to 50. Q. And how many do you serve? A. About 20 or 22.