A Message From Chris Mann

Dear, Three's Company/"Come and Knock on Our Door" Supporters:

I want you all know that I am preparing to do interviews across the board regarding the hypocrisy behind NBC's upcoming "unauthorized" Three's Company movie. This letter explains as succinctly as possible exactly what, in my estimation and based upon available information, happened to me and my book, "Come and Knock on Our Door," in the making of this film.

I want Three's Company fans to know that one of their fellow 3's Co enthusiasts -- the author of the only book on Three's Company -- was ripped off, deceived, betrayed and backstabbed by one of the executive
producers of this movie.

Greg Gugliotta -- the only executive producer credited in the movie's main titles -- stole my book and participated in this NBC movie while he was contractually and legally obligated to sell a movie based on my book. He deceived me by pretending to sell a movie based on "Come and Knock on Our Door" while he was in fact stealing my property for this competing NBC project -- which itself was reliant on my materials. This "unauthorized" movie pulled material directly from my book weeks before I had signed a consulting agreement with its other executive producer, Stan Brooks and his company Once Upon a Time Films,
in September 2002. I signed that agreement (for a quite modest amount of money that seemed fair at the time) based primarily on Stan Brooks' good-faith promise that Greg was NOT and had NOT been involved in the movie and thus my material was not stolen for the movie. In signing that agreement, I never released Greg from his legal/financial responsibilities to me; in fact, I specifically excluded him from any release. I
have since learned from at least one reliable witness that Greg was, indeed, involved in this movie during this movie's development and production. Why else would he be the ONLY executive producer credited in this movie's main titles?

Due to Greg's illegal, unethical and unprofessional behavior, I was cut out of the film's development, production, and publicity and was robbed of proper authoritative credit and recognition in the movie as well as enormous professional opportunity -- as a teleplay writer and co-executive producer -- and money in the six figures.

I want Three's Company fans to know that this movie -- which its two executive producers hypocritically claim exposes the greed, manipulation, betrayals and backstabbings of Three's Company's executive producers -- is the product of the very same damaging (and in this case illegal) behavior by Greg Gugliotta. Please note that Greg is NOT an employee of NBC. He is a "supplier producer" who "options" authors' books and other owners' intellectual properties and is legally bound to try to sell the movie rights on the authors'/creators'/property owners' behalf to the networks. In my case, Greg and his company, Nitelite Entertainment, signed a contract with me in summer 2000 and exposed my book and a TV movie
treatment to all of the major networks in the several months following. He used my book to get NBC interested in this project as early as fall 2000. He and Stan Brooks used my book to rekindle NBC's keen interest in summer 2001. Working with NBC would have been a dream come true and huge opportunity for me.

Entertainment Weekly reported in March 2002 that NBC was adapting my book for this movie (a report that was not disputed publicly), but I was never paid any money or allowed any involvement in the movie until its filming was virtually completed in September 2002. I had a teleplay completed in 2001 that was based on my book and proposed an inspired and heartfelt reunion with John Ritter, Joyce DeWitt and Suzanne Somers -- all of whom interviewed at length for my book. Because of Greg's selfish, greedy and audacious attempts to cut me out of this project while  participating in this NBC movie himself, my teleplay was
never even considered -- even though, according to my sources, NBC ordered numerous major rewrites of this movie's teleplay over a period of several months.

I am seriously considering taking legal action against Greg due to all of the damages and losses he has caused me and continues to cost me. I have key witnesses and evidence that will prove my case against him and show the hypocrisy of this movie's executive producers.
 

I ask every Three's Company fan to know that the tell-all book I spent approximately 10 years researching and writing was stolen in the creation of this movie.  There would be no E! True Hollywood Story on Three's
Company -- which I pitched to E! upon publication of my book -- without "Come and Knock on Our Door" and my promotional efforts. The producer of that documentary, E!'s first THS exclusively about the
behind-the-scenes dramas on a TV show's set, has called the E! THS on 3's Co "two hours of ('Come and Knock on Our Door')." There also would be no TV movie without my book and the sixty-plus interviews I did with the show's stars, director, staff and producers for it. Much of the revealing material in my book had NEVER before been divulged publicly.

I do, however, want everyone who wants to watch this movie to watch it to support Joyce DeWitt and remember the love behind the show. Joyce has worked very, very hard to give this movie some integrity, and she has been supportive of me throughout her participation in this film. She is a remarkable woman and I understand her need to participate in this film to protect the legacy of the show. Besides that, she looks great and comes across marvelously on screen. She deserves nothing but positives for her work behind-the-scenes on this film. The young (and veteran) actors in the movie also deserve praise. I am glad that my book, the publicity/documentaries resulting from it and my efforts, and the negotiations for an NBC movie based on my book helped create this acting opportunity for these young, rising stars and their talents. I only regret that I was not allowed similar opportunities as the author of the book that led directly and undeniably to this film.

But please don't forget when you see this movie that someone who started out (at age 4 in 1977) as a fan of Three's Company -- just like all of you -- was sacrificed by the very executive producer who got his
name on this movie strictly because of me and my book. As most of you know, I honestly worked my butt off for years to bring the true story of the show to the public, ultimately through this TV movie. I trusted
Greg Gugliotta to honor my work, the Three's Company story and our agreement in exchange for his participation in this film. In return, I was robbed, manipulated and duped by the very snake who is receiving full credit and numerous other benefits in this movie and spin-off projects due to his association with me and mishandling of my property.

I truly thank all of the 3's Co fans out there for their support of me and the book throughout the years. I am so pleased that the book and resulting E! documetary inspired by and based on my book have brought
people enjoyment. Thank you all for your letter and e-mails and positive reviews on Amazon.com and other web sites. I hope those who choose to tune in to this "unauthorized" story truly enjoy the movie in the spirit
that Joyce has intended but do not forget the considerable pain this film has caused me and my loved ones.

Sincerely,
Chris Mann

 

RELATED Materials:

Behind the Camera: The Unofficial Story of ‘Three’s Company'" -- Press Release and all the information on the NBC movie, which we should all watch as Chris said, but keep in mind how much of an idiot Greg Gugliotta is.

Buy Chris's WONDERFUL and ONLY book on Three's Company, by clicking on the cover:

Come and Knock on Our Door
 

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