<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 B000000 10/31/99
000 C000000 0000355416
000 D000000 N 000 E000000 NC 000 F000000 Y 000 G000000 N 000 H000000 N 000
I000000 3.0 000 J000000 A
001 A000000 STRONG TOTAL RETURN FUND, INC.
001 B000000 811-3254
001 C000000 4145777366
002 A000000 P.O. BOX 2936
002 B000000 MILWAUKEE
002 C000000 WI
002 D010000 53201
002 D020000 2936
003 000000 N
004 000000 N
005 000000 N
006 000000 N
007 A000000 N
007 B000000 0
007 C010100 1
007 C010200 2
007 C010300 3
007 C010400 4
007 C010500 5
007 C010600 6
007 C010700 7
007 C010800 8
007 C010900 9
007 C011000 10
008 A000001 STRONG CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, INC.
008 B000001 A
008 C000001 801-10724
008 D010001 MILWAUKEE
008 D020001 WI
008 D030001 53201
008 D040001 2936
011 A000001 STRONG INVESTMENTS, INC.
011 B000001 8-10724
011 C010001 MILWAUKEE
011 C020001 WI
011 C030001 53201
011 C040001 2936
012 A000001 STRONG CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, INC.
012 B000001 84-1599
012 C010001 MILWAUKEE
012 C020001 WI
012 C030001 53201
<PAGE> PAGE 2
012 C040001 2936
013 A000001 PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP
013 B010001 MILWAUKEE
013 B020001 WI
013 B030001 53202
014 A000001 STRONG INVESTMENTS, INC.
014 B000001 8-32608
014 A000002 W.H. REAVES & COMPANY, INC.
014 B000002 8-22142
015 A000001 FIRSTAR BANK MILWAUKEE, N.A.
015 B000001 C
015 C010001 MILWAUKEE
015 C020001 WI
015 C030001 53202
015 E010001 X
015 A000002 BROWN BROTHERS HARRIMAN & CO.
015 B000002 S
015 C010002 BOSTON
015 C020002 MA
015 C030002 02109
015 E040002 X
018 000000 Y
019 A000000 Y
019 B000000 54
019 C000000 STRONGFUND
020 A000001 GOLDMAN, SACHS & COMPANY
020 C000001 736
020 A000002 BEAR STEARNS & COMPANY, INC
020 C000002 727
020 A000003 MORGAN STANLEY, DEAN WITTER & COMPANY
020 C000003 553
020 A000004 SALOMON SMITH BARNEY, INC.
020 C000004 523
020 A000005 MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH, INC.
020 C000005 416
020 A000006 STANDARD & POOR'S SECURITIES, INC.
020 C000006 355
020 A000007 LEHMAN BROTHERS, INC.
020 C000007 353
020 A000008 INSTINET CORPORATION
020 C000008 285
020 A000009 BROWN BROTHERS HARRIMAN & COMPANY
020 C000009 256
020 A000010 PAINEWEBBER, INC.
020 C000010 247
021 000000 7675
022 A000001 ABN AMRO, INC.
022 C000001 8204777
022 D000001 548
022 A000002 BARCLAYS CAPITAL, INC.
022 C000002 5272477
<PAGE> PAGE 3
022 D000002 0
022 A000003 GOLDMAN, SACHS & COMPANY
022 C000003 1530946
022 D000003 193418
022 A000004 SALOMON SMITH BARNEY, INC.
022 C000004 175022
022 D000004 164825
022 A000005 MORGAN STANLEY, DEAN WITTER & COMPANY
022 C000005 177885
022 D000005 118711
022 A000006 CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON CORPORATION
022 C000006 73992
022 D000006 76745
022 A000007 BEAR STEARNS & COMPANY, INC.
022 C000007 53290
022 D000007 46258
022 A000008 MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH, INC.
022 C000008 44773
022 D000008 41497
022 A000009 ELAN INVESTMENT SERVICES, INC.
022 C000009 37525
022 D000009 48619
022 A000010 WARBURG, DILLON & READ LLC
022 C000010 50905
022 D000010 34131
023 C000000 15886730
023 D000000 900136
024 000000 Y
025 A000001 GOLDMAN, SACHS, & COMPANY
025 C000001 E
025 D000001 8165
025 A000002 MORGAN STANLEY, DEAN WITTER & COMPANY
025 C000002 E
025 D000002 6067
025 D000003 0
025 D000004 0
025 D000005 0
025 D000006 0
025 D000007 0
025 D000008 0
026 A000000 N
026 B000000 Y
026 C000000 Y
026 D000000 Y
026 E000000 N
026 F000000 N
026 G010000 N
026 G020000 N
026 H000000 N
027 000000 Y
028 A010000 17440
<PAGE> PAGE 4
028 A020000 0
028 A030000 0
028 A040000 16160
028 B010000 13896
028 B020000 0
028 B030000 0
028 B040000 18537
028 C010000 14024
028 C020000 0
028 C030000 0
028 C040000 11570
028 D010000 9808
028 D020000 0
028 D030000 0
028 D040000 8853
028 E010000 10390
028 E020000 0
028 E030000 0
028 E040000 13721
028 F010000 12738
028 F020000 0
028 F030000 0
028 F040000 10148
028 G010000 78296
028 G020000 0
028 G030000 0
028 G040000 78989
028 H000000 0
029 000000 N
030 A000000 0
030 B000000 0.00
030 C000000 0.00
031 A000000 0
031 B000000 0
032 000000 0
033 000000 0
034 000000 N
035 000000 0
036 B000000 0
037 000000 N
038 000000 0
039 000000 Y
040 000000 N
041 000000 N
042 A000000 0
042 B000000 0
042 C000000 0
042 D000000 0
042 E000000 0
042 F000000 0
042 G000000 0
<PAGE> PAGE 5
042 H000000 0
043 000000 0
044 000000 0
045 000000 Y
046 000000 N
047 000000 Y
048 000000 0.000
048 A010000 35000
048 A020000 0.850
048 B010000 99999999
048 B020000 0.800
048 C010000 0
048 C020000 0.000
048 D010000 0
048 D020000 0.000
048 E010000 0
048 E020000 0.000
048 F010000 0
048 F020000 0.000
048 G010000 0
048 G020000 0.000
048 H010000 0
048 H020000 0.000
048 I010000 0
048 I020000 0.000
048 J010000 0
048 J020000 0.000
048 K010000 0
048 K020000 0.000
049 000000 N
050 000000 N
051 000000 N
052 000000 N
053 A000000 N
054 A000000 Y
054 B000000 Y
054 C000000 Y
054 D000000 N
054 E000000 N
054 F000000 N
054 G000000 N
054 H000000 Y
054 I000000 N
054 J000000 Y
054 K000000 N
054 L000000 Y
054 M000000 Y
054 N000000 N
054 O000000 N
055 A000000 N
055 B000000 N
<PAGE> PAGE 6
056 000000 Y
057 000000 N
058 A000000 N
059 000000 Y
060 A000000 Y
060 B000000 Y
061 000000 250
062 A000000 N
062 B000000 0.0
062 C000000 0.0
062 D000000 0.0
062 E000000 0.0
062 F000000 0.0
062 G000000 0.0
062 H000000 0.0
062 I000000 0.0
062 J000000 0.0
062 K000000 0.0
062 L000000 0.0
062 M000000 0.0
062 N000000 0.0
062 O000000 0.0
062 P000000 0.0
062 Q000000 0.0
062 R000000 0.0
063 A000000 0
063 B000000 0.0
066 A000000 Y
066 B000000 N
066 C000000 N
066 D000000 N
066 E000000 Y
066 F000000 N
066 G000000 N
067 000000 N
068 A000000 N
068 B000000 N
069 000000 N
070 A010000 Y
070 A020000 Y
070 B010000 Y
070 B020000 Y
070 C010000 Y
070 C020000 N
070 D010000 Y
070 D020000 N
070 E010000 Y
070 E020000 N
070 F010000 Y
070 F020000 Y
070 G010000 Y
<PAGE> PAGE 7
070 G020000 N
070 H010000 Y
070 H020000 N
070 I010000 N
070 I020000 N
070 J010000 Y
070 J020000 Y
070 K010000 Y
070 K020000 Y
070 L010000 Y
070 L020000 Y
070 M010000 Y
070 M020000 N
070 N010000 Y
070 N020000 N
070 O010000 Y
070 O020000 N
070 P010000 Y
070 P020000 N
070 Q010000 N
070 Q020000 N
070 R010000 Y
070 R020000 Y
071 A000000 4270990
071 B000000 4233193
071 C000000 1052354
071 D000000 402
072 A000000 12
072 B000000 3014
072 C000000 7212
072 D000000 0
072 E000000 0
072 F000000 8908
072 G000000 0
072 H000000 0
072 I000000 1543
072 J000000 80
072 K000000 0
072 L000000 359
072 M000000 10
072 N000000 36
072 O000000 0
072 P000000 0
072 Q000000 0
072 R000000 44
072 S000000 2
072 T000000 0
072 U000000 0
072 V000000 0
072 W000000 36
072 X000000 11018
<PAGE> PAGE 8
072 Y000000 0
072 Z000000 -792
072AA000000 424511
072BB000000 189656
072CC010000 144582
072CC020000 0
072DD010000 195
072DD020000 0
072EE000000 11003
073 A010000 0.0066
073 A020000 0.0000
073 B000000 0.3756
073 C000000 0.0000
074 A000000 0
074 B000000 65400
074 C000000 4925
074 D000000 14648
074 E000000 0
074 F000000 1214722
074 G000000 0
074 H000000 0
074 I000000 0
074 J000000 18545
074 K000000 0
074 L000000 485
074 M000000 113
074 N000000 1318838
074 O000000 59870
074 P000000 27
074 Q000000 0
074 R010000 0
074 R020000 0
074 R030000 5647
074 R040000 70
074 S000000 0
074 T000000 1253224
074 U010000 30186
074 U020000 0
074 V010000 41.52
074 V020000 0.00
074 W000000 0.0000
074 X000000 58993
074 Y000000 0
075 A000000 0
075 B000000 1106764
076 000000 0.00
077 A000000 Y
077 B000000 Y
078 000000 N
080 A000000 NATIONAL UNION FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY
080 B000000 GREAT AMERICAN INSURANCE COMPANIES
<PAGE> PAGE 9
080 C000000 125000
081 A000000 Y
081 B000000 53
082 A000000 Y
082 B000000 100
083 B000000 0
084 B000000 0
085 A000000 Y
085 B000000 N
086 A010000 0
086 A020000 0
086 B010000 0
086 B020000 0
086 C010000 0
086 C020000 0
086 D010000 0
086 D020000 0
086 E010000 0
086 E020000 0
086 F010000 0
086 F020000 0
SIGNATURE John Widmer
TITLE TREASURER
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000355416
<NAME> Strong Total Return Fund, Inc.
<MULTIPLIER> 1000
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> Year
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> Oct-31-1999
<PERIOD-START> Nov-01-1998
<PERIOD-END> Oct-31-1999
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 994594
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 1299695
<RECEIVABLES> 19030
<ASSETS-OTHER> 113
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 1318838
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 59870
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 5744
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 65614
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 726416
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 30186
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 29645
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 220315
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 306493
<NET-ASSETS> 1253224
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 7212
<INTEREST-INCOME> 3014
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> (11018)
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> (792)
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 234855
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 144582
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 378645
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (195)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> (11,003)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 5973
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (5746)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 314
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 390576
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> (30)
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> (2549)
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 8908
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 11018
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 1114201
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 29.10
<PER-SHARE-NII> (0.03)
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 12.84
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (0.01)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> (0.38)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0.00
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 41.52
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 1.0
</TABLE>
To the Shareholders and Board of Directors of
Strong Total Return Fund, Inc.
In planning and performing our audit of the financial statements of Strong Total
Return Fund, Inc. (the "Fund") for the year ended October 31, 1999, we
considered its internal control, including control activities for safeguarding
securities, in order to determine our auditing procedures for the purpose of
expressing our opinion on the financial statements and to comply with the
requirements of Form N-SAR, not to provide assurance on internal control.
The management of the Fund is responsible for establishing and maintaining
internal control. In fulfilling this responsibility, estimates and judgments by
management are required to assess the expected benefits and related costs of
controls. Generally, controls that are relevant to an audit pertain to the
entity's objective of preparing financial statements for external purposes that
are fairly presented in conformity with generally accepted accounting
principles. Those controls include the safeguarding of assets against
unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition.
Because of inherent limitations in internal control, error or fraud may occur
and not be detected. Also, projection of any evaluation of internal control to
future periods is subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate
because of changes in conditions or that the effectiveness of their design and
operation may deteriorate.
Our consideration of internal control would not necessarily disclose all matters
in internal control that might be material weaknesses under standards
established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. A
material weakness is a condition in which the design or operation of one or more
of the internal control components does not reduce to a relatively low level the
risk that misstatements caused by error or fraud in amounts that would be
material in relation to the financial statements being audited may occur and not
be detected within a timely period by employees in the normal course of
performing their assigned functions. However, we noted no matters involving
internal control and its operation, including controls over safeguarding
securities, that we consider to be material weaknesses as defined above as of
October 31, 1999.
This report is intended solely for the information and use of management, the
Board of Directors of the Fund and the Securities and Exchange Commission and is
not intended to be and should not be used by anyone other than these specified
parties.
PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
December 6, 1999
