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 #:
000234
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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2684 Edward M. Smith, Cross Examination. Q. What were the independent pictures that yon showed last in the Orpheum? A. What were they? Q. Yes. A. Well, we are showing them right along. We have independent service, and the feature service, the Exclusive Service of the General Film Company, at this time. Q. What pictures are you showing there today that are independent? A. I could not tell you, sir. I have not been there for several days. Q. Which company are you buying them from? A. Let's see — for the Orpheum we are using special features outside like — we have had Warner's, and some of the World's Special Film Company's, and States Rights. Q. You do not show in that theatre, the Universal or the Mutual? A. Not at this time. We have. We did during the Summer, and did until recently. We have only had the Exclusive Service in there since about the middle of December. Before that, we had the Mutual program. Q. You mean only since the middle of December have you had the licensed pictures? A. No, the Exclusive Service. The Licensed Exclusive service. Q. Then before that you only showed the independent pictures? A. We were showing the Mutual Program during the Summer, yes, sir. Q. Now, what today, are you showing in that theatre, do you know? A. I don't know. W7e have the Exclusive Service, and other pictures besides. Q. You cannot name any independent pictures you are showing there today? A. No, sir. Q. That theatre is practically a licensed theatre, isn't it? A. Well, we buy the twelve reels a week. Exclusive Service. Q. From the General Film Company? A. Yes, sir. Q. Flow much do you buy from the independents today for that theatre? A. Some weeks four, some weeks eight reels, as the case may be. Q. But you are buying right along twelve reels per week from the Exclusive Department of the General Film Company? A. Yes, sir. Q. And then for this week, you have about twelve — ■ A. No, 1 did not say for this week. Various weeks; we have from four to eight reels of special features outside that we put in that house.