SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION 
                       WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 
  
  
                              FORM 8-K 
                           CURRENT REPORT 
  
  
               Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the 
                  Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
  
  
                             June 15, 1998
                   ---------------------------------
                   (Date of earliest event reported) 
  
                                       
                          Unitrode Corporation
         ------------------------------------------------------
         (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter) 
  
  
       Maryland                 1-5609                  04-2271186
    --------------       ---------------------     -------------------
      (State of          (Commission File No.)        (IRS Employer
    Incorporation)                                 Identification No.)
  
  
          7 Continental Boulevard, Merrimack, New Hampshire 03054
      --------------------------------------------------------------
       (Address of principal executive offices, including zip code) 
  
                                       
                             (603) 424-2410
       -------------------------------------------------------------
            (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
  
                                       
                                  N/A
       -------------------------------------------------------------
       (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
  

  
  
 ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS. 
  
           On June 15, 1998, Unitrode Corporation ("Unitrode") issued a
 press release announcing that the Board of Directors of Unitrode has
 withdrawn its recommendation to the Unitrode stockholders that such
 stockholders vote in favor of the proposal described in the Joint Proxy
 Statement - Prospectus previously filed with the SEC on May 28, 1998 and
 sent to the Unitrode stockholders to approve the issuance by Unitrode of up
 to 11,419,672 shares of common stock, par value $.01 per share, of Unitrode
 in connection with the proposed merger of Merrimack Corporation, a Delaware
 corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of Unitrode ("Sub"), with and
 into BENCHMARQ Microelectronics, Inc. ("BENCHMARQ") pursuant to an
 Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of March 2, 1998 (the "Merger
 Agreement"), by and among Unitrode, Sub and BENCHMARQ.   
  
           A copy of such press release is filed as an exhibit to this
 Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference. 
  
 ITEM 7(c)   EXHIBITS. 
  
               99.1  Press Release dated June 15, 1998. 



                                 SIGNATURE 
  
  
           Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
 by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized. 
  

                               UNITRODE CORPORATION 
  
  
                               By: /s/ Allan R. Campbell
                                  -------------------------------
                                  Allan R. Campbell 
                                  Senior Vice President, General 
                                     Counsel and Secretary 
  
  
  
 Dated:  June 15, 1998 
  

  
  
                               EXHIBIT INDEX 
  
 Exhibit No.              Description 
 -----------              -----------
   99.1                   Press Release dated June 15, 1998
[{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "secsgml_size_bytes": 3555}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "UNITRODE CORP", "cik": "0000101911", "assigned-sic": "3674", "irs-number": "042271186", "state-of-incorporation": "MD", "fiscal-year-end": "0131"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "001-05609", "film-number": "98648110"}, "business-address": {"street1": "7 CONTINENTAL BLVD", "city": "MERRIMACK", "state": "NH", "zip": "03054", "phone": "6034242410"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "7 CONTINENTAL BLVD", "city": "MERRIMACK", "state": "NH", "zip": "03054"}}
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION 
                       WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 
  
  
                              FORM 8-K 
                           CURRENT REPORT 
  
  
               Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the 
                  Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
  
  
                             June 15, 1998
                   ---------------------------------
                   (Date of earliest event reported) 
  
                                       
                          Unitrode Corporation
         ------------------------------------------------------
         (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter) 
  
  
       Maryland                 1-5609                  04-2271186
    --------------       ---------------------     -------------------
      (State of          (Commission File No.)        (IRS Employer
    Incorporation)                                 Identification No.)
  
  
          7 Continental Boulevard, Merrimack, New Hampshire 03054
      --------------------------------------------------------------
       (Address of principal executive offices, including zip code) 
  
                                       
                             (603) 424-2410
       -------------------------------------------------------------
            (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
  
                                       
                                  N/A
       -------------------------------------------------------------
       (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
  

  
  
 ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS. 
  
           On June 15, 1998, Unitrode Corporation ("Unitrode") issued a
 press release announcing that the Board of Directors of Unitrode has
 withdrawn its recommendation to the Unitrode stockholders that such
 stockholders vote in favor of the proposal described in the Joint Proxy
 Statement - Prospectus previously filed with the SEC on May 28, 1998 and
 sent to the Unitrode stockholders to approve the issuance by Unitrode of up
 to 11,419,672 shares of common stock, par value $.01 per share, of Unitrode
 in connection with the proposed merger of Merrimack Corporation, a Delaware
 corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of Unitrode ("Sub"), with and
 into BENCHMARQ Microelectronics, Inc. ("BENCHMARQ") pursuant to an
 Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of March 2, 1998 (the "Merger
 Agreement"), by and among Unitrode, Sub and BENCHMARQ.   
  
           A copy of such press release is filed as an exhibit to this
 Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference. 
  
 ITEM 7(c)   EXHIBITS. 
  
               99.1  Press Release dated June 15, 1998. 

                                 SIGNATURE 
  
  
           Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
 by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized. 
  

                               UNITRODE CORPORATION 
  
  
                               By: /s/ Allan R. Campbell
                                  -------------------------------
                                  Allan R. Campbell 
                                  Senior Vice President, General 
                                     Counsel and Secretary 
  
  
  
 Dated:  June 15, 1998 
  

  
  
                               EXHIBIT INDEX 
  
 Exhibit No.              Description 
 -----------              -----------
   99.1                   Press Release dated June 15, 1998