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 #:
000584
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 21, 2023
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2434 Edward Auger, Recross Examination. Q. Do you find that when you have film of the same age made by the different producers, that the exhibitors show a preference for the pictures made by one producer over the pictures made by another producer? A. Yes, sir. Q. Do you try to gratify their preferences? A. By all means. Q. And in making your orders, are you governed largely by the preferences of your exhibitors? A. Absolutely. Q. How long have you been in the motion picture business? A. Since 1904. Q. In 1904, and up to 1907, did the age of motion pictures govern the price to the exhibitors, as it does now? A. It was entirely different in those days in Canada, where I was. Q. You were in Canada at that time? A. Yes, sir. Q. When did you come to the United States? A. In December, 1912. Q. Since you have been in the United States, have you found that the age of motion pictures has governed their price? A. Yes, sir. Q. Are you familiar with the practice among the unlicensed exchanges with respect to price, and whether or not it is governed by the age? A. I cannot say. Recross examination by Mr. Grosvenor: Q. Mr. Auger, how many copies are you taking today of each production by the Biograph Company? A. Of the Monday release, just one copy; two copies of the Thursday release, and one copy of the Saturday release. Q. Now, take the Edison Company; how many copies are you taking? A. We take one print of each and every one of their releases, with the exception of the "Who Will Marry Mary" series, of which we buy two prints. They are released, I believe, once every month. Q. And of the Vitagraph? A. One print of every release. Q. Of Selig? A. One print of every release. Q. Essanay? A. One print of every release. Q. Pathe?' A. Three prints of the Pathe Weekly, released on Monday, and one print of every other release. Q. And of Lubin? A. One print of every release.