Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1921-09-29
ATTACK FIRM As
FILM MONOPOLY
Federal Trade Board Declares
Famous PIayers-Lasky cOrpO-
ration Violates Trust Laws.
ACCUSES II or CONSPIRACY


Washington. The Famous Players
T.asky Corporation. the worlds largest
movie concern, and owner Of 100 thea
tiers In the United States and Canada.
was charged with, unfaIr competition
under the Clayton act. IN formal COM
plant issued BY the Federal Trade
Commission. The complaint was d.
rected against the corporation and
eleven other respondents.
The commission. tracing the history
OF the corporation from It's start as
small enterprise with small cap.
itai. set forth that now "as result
81 conapiracies and affiliations made
In pursuance of said combinations and
consplracles~ Il has eliminated cornpe-
Etition by buying up the businesses Of
IT'S competitors, nna-now has d nonop.
oily over the entire motion picture in.
dnstry
The commission alleged that 81 cents
OUT n every dollnr paid into movie
theaiers throughout the United States
Is paid TO see attractions under the
name of Paramount md Paramount.
Aircraft pictures. disrributed BY the
Famous PlayersIasky Corporation
II was seld IL the complaint that
there ara approximately 1900 movie
exhibitors IN The United States, and
that nbouf 20,00O0Oc persons every
day spend approximately sa0O0.O0O IL
cash 90 see motion picture exhibitions.
This was mentioned BY the commits
Sion III III charge that the Famous
Players. i.asisy Corporation. Ia rs con
troll ~ the majority " movie prodne
Inc companies. distributes mpre Than
5000 films each week 10 exhibitors IN
the United States and foreign eoun
tries.
The commission cites ri some length
tho corporations activity ia New York.
who're II IL alleged 10 maintain pFac-
sIcaiIy q monopoly. The complaint de-
cIaSed 10 'fnrthernnce Of the con
spifacy charged, thnts
''rhs FsmDus fiayers.i.asky corpe-
ration acquired the New York 1heater
building. containing the Criterion. the
New YORK Theater and the New YORK
Roof. Or 4 cost u 81. 10000 that re
snsndeBts acquired the ftivoII ard
RlaIto In the same district of New
York city. ~ well hs the property GA
which the Putnam Building II located.
where It Is proposed il the near future
70 erect 4 thirty story building 70 cuss
ss.ta0.O00 and to contain motion pie.
ture thcnier@
Tho complaint also set forth that The
corporation acquired the stock Of
Charles Frohman. Incorporated, which
Il was alleged. leases the Empire Thes.
ter. and has al interest IN the Lyceatn
Theatcr.
II was charged that the policy Of the
corporation Was 20 acquire and ami
ATE win ii producers. distributors ard
exhibitors, aa 4 result 81 which pie
lures 6f independent producers are
kept ont ~ showing III theaters IN
many large cities. and that continue.
tion of such policy viii eventually
eliminate ail independents III the prmc,
tices ARE continued.
Continuing It's recital Of the dan
gers IL the corporations alleged un.
fair competition, the complaint fur.
Their stated
Thus. ~ the theatefs owned, CON,
fFolied n operated ~ the Famous
piayers.lasky Corporation are perina.
nentiy closed 70 ali competitors the
productions ~ many prominent artists
who nre MT alIillatcd with The Famnas
Players IHsky Corporation are denied
showing ~ their pictures IN the
siFsi run downtown theatefs IN Ne~
York clsy. where shrue ~ The ave flFat
run ihealere are owned by iiie Famous
i'inyersI.nshy Corporation. and nhow
Paramount a,ld Paramount Artcrafi
pictures exclusively, atsA the remaining
two nrsi run thenters are ewned Or
controlled ~ Competing producers wh0
likewise exhibit their own productions
exclusively