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
  
   Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): February 18, 1998
  
                       AMERICAN GENERAL CORPORATION
            (Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)
  
  
  
                                  Texas
              (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
  
      1-7981                                      74-0483432 
 (Commission File No.)                           (IRS employer  
                                              identification no.) 
  
 2929 Allen Parkway, Houston, Texas                  77019 
 (Address of principal executive offices)          (zip code) 
  
  
 Registrant's telephone number, including area code (713) 522-1111

  
  
  
  
 ITEM 5.   OTHER EVENTS. 
  
           On February 18, 1998, American General Corporation (the
 "Company") issued a press release announcing the closing date and
 exchange ratio in connection with the merger of  Astro Acquisition
 Corp., an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, with and
 into Western National Corporation (the "Merger").
       
  
 ITEM 7.   FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION  
           AND EXHIBITS. 
  
           (c)  Exhibits. The following Exhibit is filed as part of this
                          Report: 
  
                (1)       Press Release issued by American General
                          Corporation and Western National Corporation on
                          February 18, 1998 regarding the announcement of
                          the closing date and the exchange ratio with
                          respect to the Merger. [TEXT BOX CONTENTS: 1]

                                SIGNATURE
  
          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, the Company has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
  
  
                                       AMERICAN GENERAL CORPORATION 
  
  
  
                                       By: /s/ Nicholas R. Rasmussen 
                                           Name:  Nicholas R. Rasmussen 
                                           Title: Senior Vice President
                                                  Corporate Development 
  
  
  
 Dated:  February 19, 1998
 

                              EXHIBIT INDEX
  
  
  
 Exhibit 
 No.                           Description
                                  
 1          Press Release issued by American General Corporation and
            Western National Corporation on February 18, 1998 regarding
            the announcement of the closing date and the exchange ratio
            with respect to the Merger.
[{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "description": "8-K", "secsgml_size_bytes": 2976}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "AMERICAN GENERAL CORP /TX/", "cik": "0000005103", "assigned-sic": "6311", "irs-number": "740483432", "state-of-incorporation": "TX", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "001-07981", "film-number": "98545574"}, "business-address": {"street1": "2929 ALLEN PKWY", "city": "HOUSTON", "state": "TX", "zip": "77019", "phone": "7135221111"}}
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
  
   Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): February 18, 1998
  
                       AMERICAN GENERAL CORPORATION
            (Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)
  
  
  
                                  Texas
              (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
  
      1-7981                                      74-0483432 
 (Commission File No.)                           (IRS employer  
                                              identification no.) 
  
 2929 Allen Parkway, Houston, Texas                  77019 
 (Address of principal executive offices)          (zip code) 
  
  
 Registrant's telephone number, including area code (713) 522-1111

  
  
  
  
 ITEM 5.   OTHER EVENTS. 
  
           On February 18, 1998, American General Corporation (the
 "Company") issued a press release announcing the closing date and
 exchange ratio in connection with the merger of  Astro Acquisition
 Corp., an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, with and
 into Western National Corporation (the "Merger").
       
  
 ITEM 7.   FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION  
           AND EXHIBITS. 
  
           (c)  Exhibits. The following Exhibit is filed as part of this
                          Report: 
  
                (1)       Press Release issued by American General
                          Corporation and Western National Corporation on
                          February 18, 1998 regarding the announcement of
                          the closing date and the exchange ratio with
                          respect to the Merger. [TEXT BOX CONTENTS: 1]

                                SIGNATURE
  
          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, the Company has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
  
  
                                       AMERICAN GENERAL CORPORATION 
  
  
  
                                       By: /s/ Nicholas R. Rasmussen 
                                           Name:  Nicholas R. Rasmussen 
                                           Title: Senior Vice President
                                                  Corporate Development 
  
  
  
 Dated:  February 19, 1998
 

                              EXHIBIT INDEX
  
  
  
 Exhibit 
 No.                           Description
                                  
 1          Press Release issued by American General Corporation and
            Western National Corporation on February 18, 1998 regarding
            the announcement of the closing date and the exchange ratio
            with respect to the Merger.