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 #:
000537
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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William C. Brandon, Direct Examination. 2387 branch of the General Film Company? A. About 320. Q. In the number 620 which you have named, have you included theatres that are served by other branches of the General Film Company? A. No, sir. Q. Do you know how many are served by the Mutual in that territory? A. Approximately 175. Q. And how many by the Universal? A. Approximately 125. Q. Do you know about the percentage of business done by the special feature companies? What it would amount to in volume in that territory? A. I should say about ten per cent. Q. How many motion picture theatres are there in the City of Atlanta, if you know, Mr. Brandon? A. Twelve. Q. Of that number, how many are served by the General Film Company? A. Six, regularly. Q. What do you mean by six, regularly? A. With entire service. Q. And do you know what the situation is in Jacksonville, Florida? A. You mean the number of theatres? Q. Yes. A. About ten. I am not positive. Q. And how many are served by the General Film Company? A. Five. Q. Macon, Georgia? A. Three. Three houses. Q. And how many are served by the General? A. Two. Q. And Savannah, Georgia? What is the situation there? A. Savannah has about eight houses. Q. And how many are served by the General Film Company? A. Two. Q. What other large cities are there in your territory? A. Knoxville, Nashville, Chattanooga, Birmingham. Q. With respect to each of those cities, will you give the number of theatres, and the number served by the General Film Company? A. May I refer to my record? Q. You may. A. Which one first, please? Q. Knoxville. A. Knoxville has three houses, two of which we have. Q. Proceed with the others? A. Nashville has six houses, four of which we have. Chattanooga has eight houses, four of which we have. Birmingham has about twelve or fourteen houses, of which we have five.