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 #:
000655
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:
June 27, 2024
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Motion Picture Patents Co. and George Klkixi:. 633 include the right to dispose of, in the "territory aforesaid," any cameras embodying any invention covered by said reissued Letters Patent No. 13,3^9 and Letters Patent Xos. 629,063 and 707,934; and, in the event of the Licensee's permanent discontinuance of business or retirement therefrom for a period of six consecutive months, the license hereby granted shall be immediately terminated. 6. The Licensor, for itself, its successors, assigns and legal representatives, hereby releases, acquits and discharges the Licensee from any and all claims, demands and liability for profits and damage's, because of any infringement by the Licensee of any or all of the aforesaid United States Letters Patent Nos. 578,185, 580,74!). 586,953, 588,916, 629,063, 673,329, 673,992, 707,931, 722,382 744,251, 770.1)37. 771,280, 785,205 and 785,237, and reissued Letters Patent Xos. 13,329 and 12,192, or use by the Licensee of the inventions, or any of them, covered by said Letters Patent or either of them prior to the date hereof. 7. The Licensee hereby recognizes and admits the validity of said reissued Letters Patent No. 13,329, and the validity of said reissued Letters Patent No, 12,192 and Letters Patent Nos. 578,185, 580,719, 580,953, 588,916, 629,063, 673,329, 673,992, 707,934, 722,382, 741,251, 770,937, 771,280, 785,205, and 785,237, and agrees not to contest or question the same during the continuance of this agreement. 8. The Licensee further covenants and agrees that the Licensee will, within fifteen (15) days after the twentieth (20) day of each month after the license hereby granted takes effect, and during its continuance, submit a statement in writing, signed by the Licensee1, and sworn to if requested by tin1 Licensor, showing the total number of running feet of positive motion pictures sold and leased by the Licensee for use in the territory aforesaid" and sold and leased by the Licensee in or for use in Canada, as well as the total number of running feet of negative motion pictures used by it in the "territory aforesaid" in the production of positive motion pictures sold or leased by the Licensee, during the period from the twentieth (20) day of the preceding calendar month to the twentieth (20) day of the month for which such statement is submitted, and will at the same time pay to the Licensor the royalties due on said amounts of motion pictures according to the minimum rate of royalty hereinafter provided for, and nil), after each year ending