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)

Page scan 000235 from 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 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 #:
000235
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 12, 2024
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Glenn A. Cross, Direct Examination. 2685 Q. For this week, you have bought from the Exclusive Service Department of the General Film Company, twelve reels? A. That is our regular service every week for that house. Q. How many independent reels have you bought this week for that theatre? A. Well, I cannot tell you, this week. Q. Have you bought any? A. Well, I left there. I don't know what he has — the manager attends to that. •For this week, I could not tell you. Q. But you do know that for this week he is using twelve reels from the General Film Company? A. Yes, sir; that is a standing order every week. Q. Isn't it a fact that that theatre of 1,087 seats is really a licensed theatre? A. No, sir, it is not. We are paying some weeks more for the outside service than we are paying for the licensed service; for instance, two weeks ago our film service there in one week was $300.00. We paid for the Exclusive Service, $100.00 a week. We paid that week $200.00 for outside service — outside service. Q. It was a special feature, wasn't it? A. Yes, sir. Q. What is the feature? A. Well, we had "The Last Days of Pompeii," and we had "Kid Canfield, the Reformed Gambler." I think those were the two in that particular week. Our film service in that house will run $200.00 to $210.0.0 per week. The $100.00 regular is for the 12 reels. The balance we use in picking up outside features. GLENN A. CROSS, the next witness produced on behalf of the defendants, being first duly sworn by the Examiner, deposes as follows: / Direct examination by Mr. Kingsley : Q. Where do you live, Mr. Cross? A. Rattle Creek, Michigan. Q. How long have you been living in Rattle Creek? A. I have been in business for myself about four years, and was manager of a theatre there about two years and a half previous to that. Q. Have you been in the motion picture exhibition business in Rattle Creek? A. Yes, sir.