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letterhead Marion Knoblauch Franc 5040 Marine Drive Chicago, Illinois 60640

19 January 1977

[in red pencil between date and salutation: (I wrote this before talking with you.) ]]

Dear Jack: Thanks for your recent letter alerting me to a possible visit from the "feller" who called you from New York about a documentary on the Writers' Project. There are two men involved, and they were here for three hours yesterday afternoon, along with a TV crew of three. The names of the two are Olaf Hansen and Wieland Schulz-Keil. Olaf teaches American Studies at Frankfurt University but is spending a year at Harvard. The documentary is already sold to West German TV and possibly may be sold to TV in the US, if they are lucky. It is not just on the Writers' Project but on all the cultural Projects and the New Deal in general, I believe. They interviewed Studs, of course, and MacDougall, and Nate, and me. Olga Davidson was here when they did me, and they talked with her but did not "do" her. They were interested in the"scandals " both of my Project books caused--not for their sensational value but as an inquiry into why these Government publications got into trouble. a strange sidelight: while I gathered that Curtis D. is still apoplectic about me and the favorable light Jerre's book put me into, as opposed to the way MacD. handled the civil liberties book episode, he gave them the impression that he was rather proud of the book! ? !

 The crew has gone on its way, to see people in Madison and Minnesota and then, I think, they'll be heading your way.  crossed out:  They forgot this nice appointment book, so I'm sending it to you to return to them.  handwritten note in left margin:  Please ask them where I should send it.  I think you'll enjoy talking with them.  They know a lot.
 Some people are beginning to wonder whether you could be a closet writer of some of those religious tracts you distribute with your correspondence.  Tell me it isn't so!
 I not only saw Jim Phelan on Kup's Show Sunday night, but he treated Olga, Nate, and me to an elegant brunch at the Continental Plaza earlier that day.  He was in town to tape numerous shows, and is making the PR rounds all over the country.  He's also making underlined:  scads of money.

Love, Marion P.S. Please also give Olaf & Wieland the enclosed.