<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-99.906CERT
<SEQUENCE>3
<FILENAME>dex99906cert.txt
<DESCRIPTION>CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 906
<TEXT>
<PAGE>


   Certification Pursuant to Rule 30a-2(b) under the 1940 Act and Section 906
                            of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act

I, Daniel T. Geraci, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Zweig Total
Return Fund, Inc. (the "Registrant"), certify that:

        1.      The Form N-CSR of the Registrant (the "Report") fully complies
                with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
                Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; and

        2.      The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all
                material respects, the financial condition and results of
                operations of the Registrant.

Date: September 1, 2005                    /s/ Daniel T. Geraci
                                           -------------------------------------
                                           Daniel T. Geraci, President and Chief
                                           Executive Officer
                                           (principal executive officer)

I, Nancy G. Curtiss, Treasurer of The Zweig Total Return Fund, Inc. (the
"Registrant"), certify that:

        1.      The Form N-CSR of the Registrant (the "Report") fully complies
                with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
                Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; and

        2.      The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all
                material respects, the financial condition and results of
                operations of the Registrant.

Date: September 2, 2005                    /s/ Nancy G. Curtiss
                                           -------------------------------------
                                           Nancy G. Curtiss, Treasurer
                                           (principal financial officer)
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
