DISNEY EARNINGS UP; COMPANY ANNOUNCES 3-FOR-1 STOCK SPLIT

          The Walt Disney Co. reported Wednesday that earnings
     rose 22% in its fiscal 2Q ended March 31 "as theme-park and
     ESPN operations more than offset lower creative content
     segment results and film write-downs," according to Jeffrey
     Daniels of the HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.  For the quarter, Disney
     earned $384M, or $0.55 a diluted share, up 22% from pro-
     forma net of $316M, or $0.46 a share, in the year-earlier
     period.  The latest quarter included a gain of $24M from the
     sale of its interest in Scandanavian Broadcasting System SA. 
     (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 4/23).  In N.Y., Bruce Orwall reports
     that Disney also announced a 3-for-1 stock split for
     shareholders of record May 1.  The split, to be effected by
     means of a special dividend, will "probably be completed in
     July" (Bruce Orwall, WALL STREET JOURNAL, 4/23).