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 #:
000507
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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Ralph Le Beau, Direct Examination. 2357 Company? A. Yes, sir; they maintain a branch in Chicago in opposition to us, in competition with us. Q. How do you find the competition from the special feature companies? A. The Warner Feature Film Company has no accounts using their service exclusively for any length of time in the State. They occasionally take on accounts for a few weeks, but not for an indefinite period. The Famous Players Company is fairly strong; their weekly rental I would estimate at about $900 per week in the State. Q. How many motion picture theatres are there in the territory which you have just described as being territory of the Milwaukee branch? A. About 290. Q. And where do you get your information as to that number of theatres? A. We are able to tell, of course, from our own record, how many we are serving; also, the Western Film Exchange caused to be published in one of the daily papers in Milwaukee, a list of the theatres furnished by the Milwaukee branch of the Mutual Film Company, known as the Western Film Exchange. The number served by the Universal people, we are able to tell that from our own records that we keep of the number of theatres in the State, the service that they are using. Q. Do you keep a card index system? A. Yes, sir, we do. Q. Does that give the name of the location of every motion picture theatre in your territory? A. Yes, sir. Q. And is that kept up to date? A. As far as possible, through our traveling representatives. We have a man in the office who makes trips out, and secures data for us in connection with visiting our trade and soliciting new business. Q. Does he report to you the new theatres that are in process of construction? A. Yes, sir. Q. Does he report to you theatres that are supplied by your competitors? A. Yes, sir. Q. And in that way you are prepared to say that the number of motion picture theatres in that territory is about 290? A. That is reasonably correct. Q. Of that number, how many are supplied by the General Film Company from the Milwaukee office? A. One hundred thirty-five. Q. Do you know whether the figures 290 that you give as