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 (1912-1913)

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:
1912-1913
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 7
Leaf #:
000391
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:
June 27, 2024
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Motion Picture Patents Co. and Eastman Kodak Co. 369 IX WITNESS WHEREOF the parties hereto have caused this agreement to be executed by their officers duly authorized to perform these arts, the day and year first above written. Attest: Alice K. Whitney, Asst. Secretary. (SEAL, i Witnesses to signature of Geo. Eastman Frank M. Crouch, Jack L. Inham. EASTMAN KODAK CO., By ( reo. Hast man, Treas. MOTION PICTURE PATENTS COMPANY, By Frank L. Dyer, President. Attest : George F. Scull, Secretary. (SEAL.) SCHEDULE A. 1. AGREEMENT made this first day of January, 1909, by and between MOTION PICTURE PATENTS COMPANY, a cor poration organized and existing under the laws of the State of New Jersey and having an office at Jersey City, in said State, party of the first part (hereinafter referred to as the PATENTS COM PANY); the EDISON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, a cor poration organized atid existing under the laws of the State of New Jersey, and having an office at Orange, in said State, party of the second pari (hereinafter referred to as the EDISON COMPANY), and the EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY, a corporation organized and existing tinder the laws of the State of New York and having a place of business at the City of Rochester, in said State, party of the third part (hereinafter referred to as the EASTMAN COMPANY), WITNESSETH: 2. WHEREAS, the Patents Company represents that it is organized to own. deal in and grant licenses under let tors patent pertaining to the motion picture art, and that ii is the owner of all