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 (1914)

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:
1914
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 5
Leaf #:
000131
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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James B. Clark, Direct Examination. 2581 Q. What is the largest seating capacity of any one of them? A. The Rowland Theatre has about 1,200, but that is a vaudeville theatre, not a straight moving picture theatre. Q. Part vaudeville, and part moving pictures? A. Yes, sir. Q. Are there any other theatres which have a larger seating capacity than 300, and less than 1,200? A. Among mine? Q. Yes. A. Yes, sir, the Arsenal Theatre has seven hundred and twenty-four. Q. In addition to the purchase of theatres, and interest in theatres, have you since gone into any other business? A. Yes, sir. Q. What other business? A. Film exchange. Q. When did you go into the film exchange business subsequent to October, 1910? A. I can't give you the exact date. Q. Can you give it to us approximately? A. I bought an interest in the Independent Film Exchange, about two years ago. Q. Where is it located? A. On Ferry Street, in Pitts burgh. Q. Did you buy an interest in any other exchange? A Yes, sir, the Pittsburgh Photo-Play Company. Q. Where is the Pittsburgh Photo-Play Company situ ated? A. On Ferry Street too. Q. Is it situated at the same number Ferry Street? A No, sir, next door. Q. Are you interested in any other exchange at the pres ent time? A. The Famous Players Film Company. Q. Are those three exchanges in which you are at pres ent interested as an owner independent, or licensed ex changes? A. Independent. Q. From what sources do these exchanges secure their supply of motion pictures? A. The Independent Film Exchange secures their films from the Universal Film Manufacturing Company. Do you want the others? Q. I will ask you about them. How many reels of film per month does the Independent Film Exchange take from the manufacturers you have named? A. They take twentyone reels per week. Q. And does this make a complete program for your customers? A. Yes. Q. How many reels per week does the Pittsburgh Photo