Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1939

Hart v. United Artists Corp.

Hart v. United Artists Corp.
Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York · Decided November 17, 1939 · Untermyer
258 A.D. 785; 15 N.Y.S.2d 822
Hart v. United Artists Corp.

Opinion of the Court

■ Judgment affirmed, with costs. No opinion.

Present — Martin, P. J., O’Malley, Townley, Glennon and Untermyer, JJ.; Glennon and Untermyer, JJ., dissent; dissenting opinion by Untermyer, J.

Dissenting Opinion

Untermyer, J. (dissenting).

The burden was upon the plaintiffs to establish not only a breach by the defendant of its contract but also the amount of the damage caused thereby. The verdict of the jury for $190,484.91 appears to have been calculated upon the theory that the defendant in every case “ block-booked ” the plaintiff’s picture and that, had this not been done, the quota figure could have been realized. The plaintiff, however, was only able to establish “ block-booking ” in a few instances and within a limited territory, all of which combined would have amounted to an aggregate price of $31,504.35, in which the plaintiff would have been entitled to share to the extent of sixty-five per cent. The plaintiff’s damage, therefore, resulting from all the breaches of contract of which proof was offered at the trial, would only have amounted to a fraction of the amount of the verdict.

The judgment should be reversed and a new trial granted, with costs to the appellant to abide the event.

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