The Film Daily (1918)

X^BBADSTREET of FILHDOM mm jkmoomm Authority VOL. VI. No. 83. Tuesday, December 31, 1918 Price 5 Cents Cohen Quits Affiliated Differences Over Policies He Says Force Him From Directorate. Sydney S. Cohen, president of the New York State League of Exhibitors and one of the organizers of Affiliated has tendered his resignation as chairman of the Board of Directors of that organization. The resignation was forwarded to those directors associated with him in the original formation of the corporation. In a lengthy letter Mr. Cohen points out that the reason for his resignation is that he differs with them over matters of policy. He says in part that the changes in the plans of the organization "completely nullify the original purposes of the corporaton movement as formulated at the first meeting." Mr. Cohen insists that he is still deeply interested in the idea of cooperative booking, and says it is the biggest thought which has come into the industry within the past year, if carried out for the purpose of helping the exhibitor. Affiliated's Version. Charles C. Pcttijohn, general counsel for Affiliated who returned from Indianapolis yesterday gave out the following statement in regard to the Cohen resignation. "I have no comment to make. I would suggest, that you ask his former brother director in New York, John Mannheimer, for a statement.' Mr. Mannheimer when questioned said : "Mr. Cohen is out of Affiliated since September. At a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Affiliated held in Chicago at the time of the A. E. A convention, Tra Mosher, was designated bv the directors to request Mr. Cohen's resignation for reasons Mr. Cohen should have mentioned in his alleged resignation. "At that meeting the directors honored me with the duties that thereto" fore were conferred upon Mr. Cohen. Since that time, I have been attempting to fulfill this trust by actually being on the Kb. Mr. Co'ren has not been in touch with Affiliated affairs since that eventful day and therefore is not in touch with Affiliated and its accomplishments to comment upon results obtained to date." PROSPERITY "The dominant and cheery note in the story of general conditions today is the calm and collected manner in which the business world views the uncertain future which lies before us." Thus the general business situation is summed up in a report to the Chamber of Commerce of the United States by its Committee on Statistics and Standards. Off For Coast. Hiram Abrams and Ben Schulberg are to leave for the Coast on Wednesday. Corbett to Do A Serial. James J. Corbett recently signed up by Universal will leave for Universal City so as to arrive there January 6. He will start at once on a serial which will be released in two reel episodes a week for eighteen weeks. The name and supporting cast have not been announced. Rivoli Films Gets Count Tolstoi. Count Tolstoi, son of the famous novelist has been put under a two year contract by S. Fox of the Rivoli Films for production of all of his works. The Count is at present on a lecture tour and in the course of a few weeks production will be started on his first book, title of wh:ch is unannounced. It will be made under the personal direction of A. J. Blume, who has just finished the "The Question" starring James K. Hackett, Irving dimming and Ormi Hawley for the Rivoli company. Big Contracts Signed Australasian Gets Territorial Rights For First National and Select Product. One of the largest contracts for export entered upon for sometime has just bee i consummated whereby Australasian Films, Ltd., with main offices in Syndey, secures the rights for Australia and New Zealand of the Select product for 1919 and the First National films for five years beginning the coming year. Millard Johnson, Australian's local representative engineered the deal. His company thus once more enters affiliation with the First National. Blanket Licenses Again Exporters Can Now Ship Film in Large Quantities Under One Permit. Blanket licenses covering shipments of film have again been issued by the War Trade Board at Washington. The letter from the Board is dated Decern her 17, number 3332 and 3333. Following the policy of the Government to remove restrictions on foreign trade as rapidly as possible comes this ruling which permits exporters to ship their film abroad on what is practically a pre-war basis. The new order applies to the Allied countries. The ban is still on as applies to Norway, Sweden, Denmark, European Holland, Switzerland, and Mexico. . Blanket licenses permit the exporter to apply for shipment of, for example 500,000 feet of film, not in one shipment but in as many as he desires. The saving of time is obvious. Likewise, film posters no longer require a license. Erroneous information was given out by the War Trade Board last week, that films can be shipped under special license R. A. C. 63. Films are still on the conservation list and as such must go through the regular procedure. Posters, however, can be shipped to the Allied countries without a license. Bryson With Universal. Minneapolis. — James V. Bryson, who two years ago resigned as manager of the Laemmle Film Service with which he had been connected for nine years returned to his former job Monday as exchange manager for Universal. "Salome" Ready for Regular Release. Wi'liam Fox announces that "Salome" is now ready for regular release through the Fox distributing system. The picture was first played as a Special and 25 road shows toured the country at special prices. Universalites Going West. Dorothy Phillips ano: Allen Holubar leave for Universal City January 3. Joe Brandt, assistant treasurer of Universal will start out January 6 on a trip that will take him direct to Universal City. From there on the return trip he will visit all the leading newspaper editors exchanges and exhibitors.