Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-02-20
ROW OF movie" MEN
Is NO FILM FRAME-UP
Litigation Indicates Finish
Fight Between Philadelphia
and New York Promoters

Indications of finish fight between
Philadelphia and New York moving pic
ture promoters are forcshadpwed i'm two
suits brought against the Stanley Book
ing Company and other movie concerns
under the Federal antitrust laws m the
United States District Cour.
The Greater Philadelphia Amusement
Company, owner Of the nixon Theatre
and other theatres. brought suit today
against the Stanley Booking Corpora
tion, Stanley V. Mastbaum and the Fox
Film Company, of New York. 1t is al
legged that the Fox Film Company and
the Metro Pictures Exchange Of Penn
sylvania entered into a conspiracy with
the Stanley corporation to drive out or
business exhibitors who will not con-
tract with the Stanley Company.
on Saturday the Some Amusement
Company, owners of the Locust Theatre.
Fifty-secoud and Locust street. filed suit
against the Metro and Stanley COM
panics and Mr.. Mastbaum.
Last December. It Is alleged. the stan
ley Corporation became affiliated with
various picture producing companies and
sent out notices to exhibitors, II is al
legged, that unless they booked their pic
lures through the Stanley Company they
would be driven out Of business
The Greater Philadelphia Amusement
Company. It is stated. refused to con-
tract with the Stanley Company for the
hooking of its picture shows under the
terms demanded and in consequence. il
is alleged, the Fox company cancelled,
on December ~ last, contract it had
made with the theatre owners the month
before for the furnishing of Fox come
dies for a period Of "A year
The reason for the cancellation OF
this contract. the bill sets forth was
given by George Dembow, Philadelphia
sales manager for the Fox Film Cor
poration. to Fred G. Nixon-Nirdlinger
at the Bellcvue-Stratford on December
I3 last Mr. Nirdinger and william
Freebooter own about so per cent of the
capital stock of the Amusement COM
pany, The explanation alleged 10 have
been given by Dembow was that the
Fox Film Corporation nae entered into
an alliance with NIastbaum and the
Stanley Booking Corporation In a fight
to put the Nirdiinger- -FreihOfer theatres
out Of business
This attitude of beliigerency was
taken, IL is alleged, because the amuse-
ment company refused TO join the book
ing plan Of the Stanley Corporation
The bill states that the explanation
given by Dembow was confirmed by an
official Of the Fox Film company In
response to letter written by Mr. Nird-
liuger to ascertain the reason for the
cancellation Of the contract.
The Stanley Corporation. IT is al.
legged. * putting its threat to drive the
amusement company out Of business
into execution. by inducing various film
producers and exchanges to cancel their
contracts with the plaintiffs theatres
for the furnishing Of films
The two suits by the amusement cor.
poratlon recall the successful action
by the Government against the movie"
trust Of "a few years ago when Judge
Dickinson, Of the Federal Court, ordered
the combination headed by the Motion
Picture Patents Company to desist
from continuing in practices that CAV,
iJ'almpst absolute control of the motion.
picture field