LINDA EVANS BIO

The Outtakes items by Peter H. Brown and James Pinkston on Oct. 25 and the subsequent letter from Patrick Curtis about my forthcoming biography of Linda Evans (St. Martin’s Press) have just reached me.

I am somewhat disturbed by Curtis’ allegation that I did little original research for this project. In fact, I interviewed dozens of people who know and have worked with Evans.

For several weeks, I was negotiating with her business manager to interview Evans herself, although she ultimately decided--as is her privilege--not to cooperate.

Also, Curtis will know that I endeavored to speak to him via his British literary agent, and several messages were left on his answer machine.

About 6,000 books have been sold since publication--a very good figure indeed for this kind of biography in the United Kingdom--not 4,000 as Curtis suggested (that would also have been a very respectable figure in a country where books break even at about the 1,000 mark).

Nothing I have said in the book detracts from my view that Linda Evans is both a very charming lady and probably the only female star to be created by the television age.

MICHAEL FREEDLAND

Hertfordshire, England