Theatre Inv. Co. v. Commissioner

119 F.2d 477, 27 A.F.T.R. (P-H) 147, 1941 U.S. App. LEXIS 3766
Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit·Decided May 2, 1941·No. No. 9586·Published·Cited by 4 cases

Opinion

MATHEWS, Circuit Judge.

Petitioner, Theatre Investment Company, a Washington corporation, seeks reversal [478] of a decision óf the Board of Tax Appeals redetermining claimed deficiencies in respect of petitioner’s income and excess profits taxes for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1936.

On and prior to December 5, 1935, petitioner owned all the stock of North Fourth Development Company, a Washington corporation (hereafter called North Fourth), and all the stock of General Amusement. Company, a Washington corporation (hereafter called General). The cost of the' North Fourth stock to petitioner was $10,-672.53. Prior to December 5, 1935, petitioner made loans aggregating $36,272.41, of which $7,981.60 was loaned to North Fourth and $28,290.81 was loaned to North Fourth or to General. No part of either loan was ever repaid. On December 5, 1935, petitioner-, for a consideration of $62,-871.22, sold the North Fourth stock to Dave Miller and released North Fourth from all indebtedness then due or owing by it to petitioner. Of the $62,871.22 received from Miller, petitioner paid Joseph J. Gottstein $4,733.42 and retained the balance.

For the purpose of determining petitioner’s net gain from the sale of the North Fourth stock, the Board used as a basis1 the cost of the stock ($10,672.53), plus the loan of $7,981.60 — a total of $18,654.13. Petitioner contends that the proper basis was the sum last mentioned, plus the loan of $28,290.81, plus the $4,733.42 paid to Gottstein — a total of $51,678.36. The contention is based on two asserted facts: (1) That the loan of $28,290.81 was made to North Fourth and was due and owing by North Fourth to petitioner on December 5, 1935; and (2) that Gottstein had an interest in the stock which entitled him to the $4,733.42.

The Board did not find that the loan of $28,290.81 was made to North Fourth. Instead the Board found it was made to General. The findings2 state; “General * * * was incorporated March 1, 1933. * * * It operated the Roxy Theatre in Seattle, Washington. This theatre operated at a loss from the beginning. * * * North Fourth was not earning sufficient profits to finance General, and it became necessary to finance it from some other source. This was done largely from loans or advances made by petitioner, some of which were paid directly to General and some paid to petitioner’s subsidiary, North Fourth, and passed on by North Fourth to General3. * * * It is obvious from the evidence that all the loans or advancements here in question were made by petitioner either directly to General or indirectly to North Fourth to be passed on to General. * * * Obviously the book records of petitioner do not evidence the real facts. * * * The record does not disclose why petitioner caused its advances to General to appear as loans from North Fourth to General, but the record is clear that petitioner intended to advance the money to General and in fact did just that thing.”

Nor did the Board find that North Fourth ever obligated itself, or ever became obligated, to pay the loan of $28,290.81. The Board found that North Fourth’s trustees (directors) passed a resolution admitting that North Fourth was so obligated, but the Board also found; “Petitioner owned all the stock of [North Fourth and General] and absolutely controlled them. * * * North Fourth had no interest in General and derived no benefit from the loans. All its acts in the matter4 were directed and controlled by petitioner.” Thus, in effect, the Board found that the admission contained in the resolution was untrue.

The Board did not find that Gottstein had any interest in the North Fourth stock. The Board found that on March 18, 1933, J. von Herberg wrote Gottstein a letter stating that “It is understood that I, the [479] undersigned J. von Herberg, hold in trust for you [Gottstein] a 20% interest in [North Fourth],” but the Board also found: “There is no evidence in the record of any corporate authorization of this trusteeship, and no corporate records to indicate that petitioner was engaged in a joint adventure with Gottstein or had transferred to von Herberg a 20 per cent interest in North Fourth for the benefit of Gottstein. * * * As owner of all the stock of North Fourth, petitioner received the consideration therefor, presumably in its own right, and the respondent [the Commissioner of Internal Revenue] has so determined. The burden is on petitioner to show that the respondent erred. * * * This burden it has failed to meet and the action of the respondent is sustained as to this issue.” Thus, in effect, the Board found that Gottstein had no interest in the stock.

All findings hereinabove referred to are supported by substantial evidence and hence are conclusive. Phillips v. Commissioner, 283 U.S. 589, 599, 600, 51 S.Ct. 608, 75 L.Ed. 1289; Burnet v. Leininger, 285 U.S. 136, 138, 52 S.Ct. 345, 76 L.Ed. 665; Helvering v. Rankin, 295 U.S. 123, 131, 55 S.Ct. 732, 79 L.Ed. 1343; General Utilities & Operating Co. v. Helvering, 296 U.S. 200, 206, 56 S.Ct. 185, 80 L.Ed. 154; Hulburd v. Commissioner, 296 U.S. 300, 306, 56 S.Ct. 197, 80 L.Ed. 242; Elmhurst Cemetery Co. v. Commissioner, 300 U.S. 37, 40, 57 S.Ct. 324, 81 L.Ed. 491; Helvering v. National Grocery Co., 304 U.S. 282, 294, 58 S.Ct. 932, 82 L.Ed. 1346; Colorado National Bank v. Commissioner, 305 U.S. 23, 26, 59 S.Ct. 48, 83 L.Ed. 20; Helvering v. F. & R. Lazarus & Co., 308 U.S. 252, 255, 60 S.Ct. 209, 84 L.Ed. 226.

Upon the facts as found, the Board properly concluded that the basis for determining petitioner’s net gain from the sale of its North Fourth stock should not include the loan of $28,290.81 or the $4,733.42 paid to Gottstein.

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Theatre Inv. Co. v. Commissioner, 119 F.2d 477, 27 A.F.T.R. (P-H) 147, 1941 U.S. App. LEXIS 3766 (9th Cir. 1941).

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