Exhibitors Herald (Apr-Jun 1920)

June 5, 1920 EXHIBITORS HERALD 33 Marcus Loew to Control Stanley ? (Special to Exhibitors Herald) PHILADELPHIA, May 25.— The Marcus Loew company is negotiating for the purchase of the control of the Stanley Booking company, according to private information disclosed here. It is understood that in event the deal is closed the Loew company plans to extend the scope and operation of the Stanley company. Total Admission Tax Increases A Million Over March Year Ago (Special to Exhibitors Herald) WASHINGTON, May 25 — A total of ■7,085423.74 was collected during March as admission taxes, according to a report of the commissioner of internal revenue, an increase of S1.S9S, 245.41 over the collections of March. 1919, and bringing the total collections for the first three quarters of the current fiscal year to $54,489,499.82. Total collections from all sources during the month were $313,631,862.90, bringing the collections for the ninemonth period to §3,933,495.754.27. Included in the month's collections were $565,854.47 from leased and licensed films: $21,906.49 from the seating tax. and the following general collections of interest to the industry": Freight shipments. $9,547,078.61; express packages. $1,665,750.62; personal transportation. $6,701,061.50: seats, berths and staterooms, $491,673.70; telegraph and longdistance telephone messages. $2,224.540.66. Appoint Lou Baum Division Manager (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK, May 25.— Lou Baum. manager of the Universal Cincinnati exchange, has been appointed division manager of the Chicago and Northwest territory for Universal. Baum has been in charge of the Cincinnati office for the past eighteen months and built up the exchange from a money losing proposition to a highly profitable subsidiary. Cleve Adams will succeed him at Cincinnati. Organizes Company To Work in Italy ( Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK. May 25— Havhannes H. Zilelian, president of the Armenia Film Company of Bovisa Milano. Italy, is in New York forming a company of American players to take back to Italy within thirty "days to make foreign pictures with American players. Baker and Meyer Sail (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK. May 25.— Tarkington Baker and Frank Meyer sailed today for Bombay. India, in the interest of Famous Players-Lasky Corporation. They expect to be in the Far East for six months. Cohen Statement Brings New Hope of Exhibitors Uniting Two Organizations Meeting in Cleveland June 8-11 Now Have One Great Cause in Common — Brandt Seeks to Effect Compromise Announcement by Sydney S. Cohen, chairman of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America, that he considers the threatened monopoly of theatres by producers as the great question before the exhibitors assembling in Cleveland June 8. 9. 10 and 11. is generally regarded as paving the way for a national organization of exhibitors which will include all factions. Despite personal differences of their leaders, the Independent Motion Picture Exhibitors of America and the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America now have one p;reat cause in common — the driving from the exhibitcrial field of the producer. All other questions are to be subordinated. Petty differences, it is believed, can be overcome so that the exhibitors will be able to present a united front against the danger which they believe threatens their very existence. Prominent exhibitors, who in the past have held aloof from all organizations, have declared their intention of going to Cleveland in an effort to break down all existing suspicions, jealousies and differences and bring into one great body the scores of efficient exhibitor-leaders, who for years have permitted minor disagreements to result in dissension. Rembusch Defines Attitude In Statement to Exhibitors Frank J. Rembusch, speaking as the official head of the Independent Motion Picture Exhibitors of America, this week issued the following statement : '"The Independent Motion Picture Exhibitors of America was organized at Chicago, April 27th. into a permanent national exhibitors' body for the single purpose of insisting that producers get out of the theatre business. We are calling a nation wide meeting of all exhibitors in America to hear the report of our directors at the Cleveland mass meeting opening June 8th. under our auspices, and with our officers in charge. "'The first order of business will be report of the committee which had a conference with producers and we hope and request that every exhibitor in America be present. I have selected Hotel Cleveland for our meeting place, but will change the location if more suitable to all concerned. "Mr. Black may decide to call a meeting in Cleveland of the old national league for the same week. The more conventions, the better, because it means more exhibitors at Cleveland. I hope that the two national bodies now existing and the newly proposed organization may blend into one association, but if this is not possible. I wish we may agree to work together along the same lines.'' Sydney S. Cohen Emphasizes Danger of Producer Monopoly Sydney S. Cohen in his most recent statement to the exhibitors lays special stress on the importance of the same question. In part, his appeal is as follows : "'The motion picture theatre owners of the country are keenly alive to the danger threatening them from the producer-exhibitor. They will under no circumstances and by no manoeuvres whatever be diverted from organ