[WALTER WINCHELL; ROSE BIGMAN.] ERNEST L. CUNEO (1905-1988). A single-page typed letter signed by Cuneo, addressed to Walter Winchell's secretary, Rose Bigman (1910-1997), c/o the Damon Runyon Foundation (where Winchell kept an office), dated December 13, 1968. With blue ink comments/notations in Walter Winchell's hand. 10 1/2" x 7 1/4." Condition: Good; several fold creases, light corner/margin creasing. Cuneo is writing in regards to missing writing work payments from Winchell; in part: "It is a matter of extreme regret to me, as you can easily imagine, but I don't want to pay taxes on money I did not receive. Accordingly, I shall have to mark off $1200 as a bad debt." A postscript (referring to columnist/agent Irving Hoffman, who died December 9, 1968) reads: "I just heard the terrible news about Irving. The world will never be the same; he was one of God's own gentlemen." Winchell wrote notations in the margin to Bigman: "Did [Harry] Geist say to pay it?"; and "Jeezuz! He knows I don't make a Dime!" Cuneo was a former NFL player, lawyer, newspaperman, intelligence liaison, longtime friend of Winchell, and onetime FDR and Winchell communication go-between (Neil Gabler, in Winchell 1994:285). By the date of this letter, Cuneo and Winchell had not seen or spoken to each other since the 1964 Democratic Convention (Gabler 1994:541). PROVENANCE: THE HAROLD A. LAYER COLLECTION. From The Walter Winchell Files, Butterfield & Butterfield, 1990/91.