Fox West Coast Theatres Corp. v. Paradise Theatre Building Corp.

After a jury found that certain producer-distributor-exhibitors had conspired together to monopolize and unreasonably restrain interstate commerce in the licensing of motion pictures to a theatre for exhibition in a specific area on a seven-day run during a limited period and assessed damages therefor, the verdict and judgment are assailed by the producers on the ground that there was no substantial evidence to support liability or the award of damages. The producers also question certain instructions given by the trial court to the jury.

Paradise Theatre Building Corporation, hereinafter referred to as “Paradise,” brought action against Fox West Coast Theatres Corporation, Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation and Loew’s, Incorporated, all of which are appellants, and also against Paramount, Warner’s and Universal, against none of which the jury returned a verdict. The complaint was based upon an alleged conspiracy resulting in the uniform refusal of all defendants to license motion pictures to Paradise on Los Angeles first run. The conspiracy among all defendants was alleged to have resulted also in a coordinated refusal to license a seven-day run in Inglewood and Westchester,…