<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000899243-21-002325.txt : 20210119
<SEC-HEADER>0000899243-21-002325.hdr.sgml : 20210119
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20210119122814
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000899243-21-002325
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	5
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20201231
FILED AS OF DATE:		20210119
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20210119

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			STEERS ROBERT HAMILTON
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001181438

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		5
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	811-07154
		FILM NUMBER:		21534784

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O COHEN & STEERS, INC.
		STREET 2:		280 PARK AVENUE
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10017

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			COHEN & STEERS TOTAL RETURN REALTY FUND INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000891290
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	UNKNOWN SIC - 0000 [0000]
		IRS NUMBER:				133680664
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			MD
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		280 PARK AVENUE
		STREET 2:		10TH FLOOR
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10017
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2128323232

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		280 PARK AVENUE
		STREET 2:		10TH FLOOR
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10017

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	COHEN & STEERS OPPORTUNITY TRUST INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19930714
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>5
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc5.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 5 SUBMISSION
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>5</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2020-12-31</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <form3HoldingsReported>0</form3HoldingsReported>

    <form4TransactionsReported>1</form4TransactionsReported>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000891290</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>COHEN &amp; STEERS TOTAL RETURN REALTY FUND INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>RFI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001181438</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>STEERS ROBERT HAMILTON</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>280 PARK AVENUE, 10TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10017</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chairman</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2020-04-21</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>W</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2752</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2752</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Hamilton-Steers 2017 FB Robert H. Steers</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2020-09-21</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2752</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>12.243</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Hamilton-Steers 2017 FB Robert H. Steers</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Held by the Hamilton-Steers 2017 Trust FB Robert H. Steers, of which the reporting person is a beneficiary and trustee.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Represents the weighted average sale price. The lowest price at which shares were sold was $12.23 and the highest price at which shares were sold was $12.27. The reporting person undertakes to provide upon request to the staff of the Securities Exchange Commission, the issuer or its stockholders, full information regarding the total number of shares sold at each separate price within the ranges set forth in this footnote.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Dana A. DeVivo, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2021-01-19</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
