Belasco, David, 1853-1931; Theater -- United States
In the third case Grace B. Hughes (otherwise known as Mary Montagu)
began an action, in the Circuit Court of the United States for the
Southern District of New York, February 3, 1904, against Belasco,
Maurice Campbell, and Henrietta Crosman. The action was brought to
restrain further representation of Belasco’s play of “Sweet Kitty
Bellairs,” on the ground that it was, in fact, an infringement of the
Plaintiff’s play of “Sweet Jasmine.” Motion for an injunction was argued
before Judge Lacombe, on March 18, 1904, and on March 26 it was denied,
Judge Lacombe holding that there was _no plagiarism_. The case was never
brought to trial, and it was stricken from the calendar, on March 3,
1913.
The fourth case (which is dealt with in detail, page 336, _et seq._) was
the action brought against Belasco and William C. De Mille by Abraham
Goldknopf, in February, 1912, in the United States District Court for
the Southern District of New York, praying for an injunction to restrain
the further representation of their play of “The Woman” on the ground
that it was, in fact, an infringement of Goldknopf’s play of “Tainted
Philanthropy.” Judge Holt, before whom the case was tried, held that
there was no infringement by Belasco and De Mille, _no plagiarism_, and
on March 3, 1913, final judgment was entered dismissing the Plaintiff’s
complaint, upon the merits.
In June, 1912, the fifth action against Belasco was brought by Amelia
Bachman and George L. McKay, seeking to restrain him from further
presentation of “The Case of Becky,” on the ground that it was, in fact,
a plagiarism of their play entitled “Etelle.” Trial of this action was
begun May 13, 1913, before Judge Julius M. Mayer, of the United States
District Court, and was concluded the next day. On July 9, 1913, Judge
Mayer rendered his decision, holding that there was _no plagiarism_ by
Belasco, and dismissed the Plaintiffs’ complaint, upon the merits.
The sixth case was an action begun on January 14, 1916, by Lila Longson,
to restrain Belasco, Winchell Smith, and Victor Mapes from further
presentation of their play of “The Boomerang,” upon the ground that it
was an infringement of her play of “The Choice.” The case was tried in
the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New
York, on September 19-21, and, at the close of the trial, Judge W. B.
Sheppard held that there was no infringement and dismissed the
complaint. Final judgment, dismissing the complaint upon the merits, was
entered September 25, 1916.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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