<PAGE>

                       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): OCTOBER 17, 2005

                          MERRILL LYNCH DEPOSITOR, INC.
                 (ON BEHALF OF PREFERREDPLUS TRUST SERIES GRC-1)
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

             DELAWARE             001-31587                    13-3891329
          (State or other       (Commission                (I. R. S. Employer
          jurisdiction of        File Number)              Identification No.)
          incorporation)

      WORLD FINANCIAL CENTER,                                     10080
        NEW YORK, NEW YORK                                     (Zip Code)
       (Address of principal
        executive offices)
                           --------------------------

       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (212) 449-1000

                      INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN REPORT


SECTION 1.        REGISTRANT'S BUSINESS AND OPERATIONS

                  Not applicable.

SECTION 2.        FINANCIAL INFORMATION

                  Not applicable.

SECTION 3.        SECURITIES AND TRADING MARKETS

                  Not applicable.

SECTION 4.        MATTERS RELATED TO ACCOUNTANTS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

                  Not applicable.

SECTION 5.        CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

                  Not applicable.

<PAGE>

SECTION 6.        [RESERVED]

SECTION 7.        REGULATION FD

                  Not applicable.

SECTION 8.        OTHER EVENTS

    ITEM 8.01     OTHER EVENTS

           99.1   Distribution to holders of the PreferredPLUS Trust
                  Certificates Series GRC-1 on October 17, 2005.

                           For information with respect to the
                  underlying securities held by PreferredPLUS Trust
                  Series GRC-1, please refer to Goodrich Corporation's
                  (Commission file number 001-00892) periodic reports,
                  including annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly
                  reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K,
                  and other information on file with the Securities and
                  Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). You can read and
                  copy these reports and other information at the
                  public reference facilities maintained by the SEC at
                  Room 1580, 100 F Street, NE, Washington, D.C. 20549.
                  You may obtain copies of this material for a fee by
                  writing to the SEC's Public Reference Section of the
                  SEC at 100 F Street, NE, Washington, D.C. 20549. You
                  may obtain information about the operation of the
                  Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at
                  1-800-SEC-0330. You can also access some of this
                  information electronically by means of the SEC's
                  website on the Internet at http://www.sec.gov, which
                  contains reports, proxy and information statements
                  and other information that the underlying securities
                  issuer has filed electronically with the SEC.

                           Although we have no reason to believe the
                  information concerning the underlying securities or
                  the underlying securities issuer contained in the
                  underlying securities issuer's Exchange Act reports
                  is not reliable, neither the depositor nor the
                  trustee participated in the preparation of such
                  documents or made any due diligence inquiry with
                  respect to the information provided therein. No
                  investigation with respect to the underlying
                  securities issuer (including, without limitation, no
                  investigation as to its financial condition or
                  creditworthiness) or of the underlying securities has
                  been made. You should obtain and evaluate the same
                  information concerning the underlying securities
                  issuer as you would obtain and evaluate if your
                  investment were directly in the underlying securities
                  or in other securities issued by the underlying
                  securities issuer. There can be no assurance that
                  events affecting the underlying securities or the
                  underlying securities issuer have not occurred or
                  have not yet been publicly disclosed which would
                  affect the accuracy or completeness of the publicly
                  available documents described above.


<PAGE>

SECTION 9.        FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

    ITEM 9.01     FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

           (a)    Financial statements of business acquired.

                  Not Applicable.

           (b)    Pro forma financial information.

                  Not Applicable.

           (c)    Exhibits.

                  99.1  Trustee's report in respect of the October 17, 2005
                        distribution to holders of the PreferredPLUS Trust
                        Certificates Series GRC-1.



<PAGE>

                                   SIGNATURES

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.


                                         MERRILL LYNCH DEPOSITOR, INC.

Date: October 26, 2005                   By:    /s/ Zvi Gillon
                                                ------------------------------
                                         Name:  Zvi Gillon
                                         Title: Vice President








<PAGE>

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


99.1     Trustee's report in respect of the October 17, 2005 distribution to
         holders of the PreferredPLUS Trust Certificates Series GRC-1.
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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): OCTOBER 17, 2005

                          MERRILL LYNCH DEPOSITOR, INC.
                 (ON BEHALF OF PREFERREDPLUS TRUST SERIES GRC-1)
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

             DELAWARE             001-31587                    13-3891329
          (State or other       (Commission                (I. R. S. Employer
          jurisdiction of        File Number)              Identification No.)
          incorporation)

      WORLD FINANCIAL CENTER,                                     10080
        NEW YORK, NEW YORK                                     (Zip Code)
       (Address of principal
        executive offices)
                           --------------------------

       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (212) 449-1000

                      INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN REPORT

SECTION 1.        REGISTRANT'S BUSINESS AND OPERATIONS

                  Not applicable.

SECTION 2.        FINANCIAL INFORMATION

                  Not applicable.

SECTION 3.        SECURITIES AND TRADING MARKETS

                  Not applicable.

SECTION 4.        MATTERS RELATED TO ACCOUNTANTS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

                  Not applicable.

SECTION 5.        CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

                  Not applicable.
SECTION 6.        [RESERVED]

SECTION 7.        REGULATION FD

                  Not applicable.

SECTION 8.        OTHER EVENTS

    ITEM 8.01     OTHER EVENTS

           99.1   Distribution to holders of the PreferredPLUS Trust
                  Certificates Series GRC-1 on October 17, 2005.

                           For information with respect to the
                  underlying securities held by PreferredPLUS Trust
                  Series GRC-1, please refer to Goodrich Corporation's
                  (Commission file number 001-00892) periodic reports,
                  including annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly
                  reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K,
                  and other information on file with the Securities and
                  Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). You can read and
                  copy these reports and other information at the
                  public reference facilities maintained by the SEC at
                  Room 1580, 100 F Street, NE, Washington, D.C. 20549.
                  You may obtain copies of this material for a fee by
                  writing to the SEC's Public Reference Section of the
                  SEC at 100 F Street, NE, Washington, D.C. 20549. You
                  may obtain information about the operation of the
                  Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at
                  1-800-SEC-0330. You can also access some of this
                  information electronically by means of the SEC's
                  website on the Internet at http://www.sec.gov, which
                  contains reports, proxy and information statements
                  and other information that the underlying securities
                  issuer has filed electronically with the SEC.

                           Although we have no reason to believe the
                  information concerning the underlying securities or
                  the underlying securities issuer contained in the
                  underlying securities issuer's Exchange Act reports
                  is not reliable, neither the depositor nor the
                  trustee participated in the preparation of such
                  documents or made any due diligence inquiry with
                  respect to the information provided therein. No
                  investigation with respect to the underlying
                  securities issuer (including, without limitation, no
                  investigation as to its financial condition or
                  creditworthiness) or of the underlying securities has
                  been made. You should obtain and evaluate the same
                  information concerning the underlying securities
                  issuer as you would obtain and evaluate if your
                  investment were directly in the underlying securities
                  or in other securities issued by the underlying
                  securities issuer. There can be no assurance that
                  events affecting the underlying securities or the
                  underlying securities issuer have not occurred or
                  have not yet been publicly disclosed which would
                  affect the accuracy or completeness of the publicly
                  available documents described above.
SECTION 9.        FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

    ITEM 9.01     FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

           (a)    Financial statements of business acquired.

                  Not Applicable.

           (b)    Pro forma financial information.

                  Not Applicable.

           (c)    Exhibits.

                  99.1  Trustee's report in respect of the October 17, 2005
                        distribution to holders of the PreferredPLUS Trust
                        Certificates Series GRC-1.
SIGNATURES

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.

                                         MERRILL LYNCH DEPOSITOR, INC.

Date: October 26, 2005                   By:    /s/ Zvi Gillon
                                                ------------------------------
                                         Name:  Zvi Gillon
                                         Title: Vice President
EXHIBIT INDEX

99.1     Trustee's report in respect of the October 17, 2005 distribution to
         holders of the PreferredPLUS Trust Certificates Series GRC-1.