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Filed Pursuant to Rule 497(e)
Registration File No.: 33-81012
SUPPLEMENT TO THE PROSPECTUS OF
TCW/DW TOTAL RETURN TRUST
DATED SEPTEMBER 30, 1997
The first paragraph of the subsection entitled "Portfolio Management" in
the section of the Prospectus entitled "INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES"
is hereby replaced by the following:
The Fund's portfolio is actively managed by its Adviser with a view to
achieving the Fund's investment objective. James A. Tilton, Managing Director
of the Adviser and Thomas K. McKissick, a member of TCW's Equity Policy
Committee, are the primary portfolio managers of the Fund. Mr. Tilton has
been a portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception and has been a
portfolio manager with affiliates of TCW since 1980. Mr. McKissick has been a
portfolio manager of the Fund since October 1997 and has been employed by TCW
since 1985 first as an equity analyst and since 1990 as a portfolio manager
in TCW's Large Cap Equity Group.
November 11, 1997
