Delta Gamma Force

Don’t expect the current film production, “New York Times,” to wind up with that title. Attorneys for a certain Gotham newspaper have sent strong letters to producers Jon Avnet and Jordan Kerner warning them about trademark infringement.

“What caused tremendous umbrage on my part,” Avnet says, “was them telling us that we ‘shouldn’t even think’ of using the title.” In responding--and agreeing to drop the title--Avnet suggested that a newspaper might be more sensitive to constitutional rights, “and allow me to at least reserve my right to think .”

The now-untitled film, due to wrap in late March for Paramount under director Leonard Nimoy, was written by Norman Steinberg and David Frankel--son of Max Frankel, executive editor of the New York Times.

Based on a Bob Greene nonfiction piece in Esquire, the comedy has Gene Wilder in the Big Apple to speak at a convention of the national sorority, Delta Gamma. While there, he gets involved with two of the group’s “Love Goddesses”--one current (Mary Stuart Masterson) and one from the past (Farrah Fawcett).

Delta Gamma has allowed use of its name.

“They’re cooperating fully,” Avnet says. “They should--it’s going to increase their membership tremendously.”