Page 29 - RICHERT VS. SORKIN THEFT OF THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT AND THE WEST WING

Ms. Sally Burmestcr August 30, 1995
In dosing I note tLat &c hiuolplc. of thc WGAb spem of eredit dcter'inatiou is ttar rbe lrritiag credir sfrourJ#" utrc and accorare s'.,encnt of authorship". I*t tbc credit a*tuttorrr-th.ofo;r.t"'ti"i. a"erra.nJr-*rc1y based
oa rcading the swipt b front of thc' t3*_iro+rs-**ranot t" *G"aa or prc. deermincd by an anifrcial minimur "h"ducrbi; fi-fr.dif ; 6 oirJ-ornfi O-
ffi.ffi w"u!d be a gross =ad fundamcn'at ;r tls cEf;J:, ori gnidnng "rt"p!f,*rtcr.
Very mtyyolr$
HAD THIS LETTER BEEN SEEN BY THE ARBITRATION COMMITTEE, WILLIAM RICHERT AND KYLE MORRIS WOULD ALMOST CERTAINLY HAVE BEEN AWARDED 'CREATED BY' CREDIT AS SORKIN CLEARLY HEARD THE STORY FROM PRODUCER/STAR ROBERT REDFORD AS HE SAYS SO HIMSELF -- WRITING 'ANOTHER' STORY ABOUT A WIDOWED PRESIDENT IS THE SAME AS CONTINUING THE ORIGINAL STORY, ESPECIALLY SINCE SORKIN WORKED FROM RICHER'TS MOST RECENT SCRIPTS.
THIS LETTER WAS DISCOVERED TO HAVE BEEN WITHHELD FROM THE WGA COMMITTEES BY CARL GOTTLIEB.
In fact, if Richert's scripts had been read by the Participating Writer Investigators, William Richert might have been awarded screenplay credit above Sorkin's
credit.
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