Company Town

Film: Samuel Goldwyn Co. said it has acquired the rights to the 400-title Rank Films library, including such classics as David Lean’s “Oliver Twist,” Laurence Olivier’s “Hamlet” and Alfred Hitchcock’s “The 39 Steps.” Terms were not disclosed. Goldwyn acquired the North American theatrical, video, television and cable rights to the library from Rank Film Distributors Ltd. The acquisition creates a 900-title library for Goldwyn, the largest such library in North America, according to the company. Goldwyn President Meyer Gottlieb said he expects that acquiring the library could account for 5% of the company’s revenue in fiscal 1997 and boost earnings even more. Rank is the largest independent film distributor in Britain. Other movies in the Rank Films library include “Great Expectations,” “Henry V” and “A Night to Remember.”

* TV: Comsat Corp. and Prime Sports Network are forming a joint venture to develop sports and entertainment opportunities.