<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 A000000 04/30/97
000 C000000 0000005506
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0
000 J000000 A
001 A000000 AMERICAN MUTUAL FUND, INC.
001 B000000 811-572
001 C000000 2134869200
002 A000000 333 SOUTH HOPE STREET
002 B000000 LOS ANGELES
002 C000000 CA
002 D010000 90071
002 D020000 1443
003 000000 N
004 000000 N
005 000000 N
006 000000 N
007 A000000 N
007 B000000 0
007 C010100 1
007 C010200 2
007 C010300 3
007 C010400 4
007 C010500 5
007 C010600 6
007 C010700 7
007 C010800 8
007 C010900 9
007 C011000 10
008 A000001 CAPITAL RESEARCH AND MANAGEMENT COMPANY
008 B000001 A
008 C000001 801-8055
008 D010001 LOS ANGELES
008 D020001 CA
008 D030001 90071
011 A000001 AMERICAN FUNDS DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
011 B000001 8-17168
011 C010001 LOS ANGELES
011 C020001 CA
011 C030001 90071
012 A000001 AMERICAN FUNDS SERVICE COMPANY
012 B000001 84-00316
012 C010001 BREA
012 C020001 CA
012 C030001 92821
013 A000001 DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP
013 B010001 LOS ANGELES
<PAGE> PAGE 2
013 B020001 CA
013 B030001 90017
013 B040001 2472
015 A000001 THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK
015 B000001 C
015 C010001 NEW YORK
015 C020001 NY
015 C030001 10081
015 E010001 X
018 000000 Y
019 A000000 Y
019 B000000 38
019 C000000 CRMCFNDGRP
020 A000001 UBS SECURITIES LCC
020 B000001 13-3873456
020 C000001 142
020 A000002 SMITH BARNEY
020 B000002 13-1912900
020 C000002 105
020 A000003 HSBC JAMES CAPEL INC.
020 B000003 52-1348224
020 C000003 82
020 A000004 PAINEWEBBER INC.
020 B000004 13-2638166
020 C000004 79
020 A000005 SALOMON BROTHERS INC.
020 B000005 13-3082694
020 C000005 75
020 A000006 EDWARDS (A.G.) & SONS, INC.
020 B000006 43-0895447
020 C000006 58
020 A000007 MORGAN (J.P.) SECURITIES INC.
020 B000007 13-3224016
020 C000007 54
020 A000008 CS FIRST BOSTON CORP.
020 B000008 13-5659485
020 C000008 52
020 A000009 MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INC.
020 B000009 13-5674085
020 C000009 52
020 A000010 MONTGOMERY SECURITIES
020 B000010 94-1701676
020 C000010 50
021 000000 1504
022 A000001 GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.
022 B000001 13-5108880
022 C000001 1271264
022 D000001 19764
022 A000002 LEHMAN COMMERCIAL PAPER INC.
022 B000002 13-2501865
022 C000002 405375
<PAGE> PAGE 3
022 D000002 0
022 A000003 MORGAN STANLEY & CO. INC.
022 B000003 13-2655998
022 C000003 378075
022 D000003 6083
022 A000004 FIRST CHICAGO CAPITAL MARKETS, INC.
022 B000004 36-3595942
022 C000004 327303
022 D000004 7275
022 A000005 GENERAL ELECTRIC CAPITAL SERVICES, INC.
022 B000005 06-1109503
022 C000005 266101
022 D000005 0
022 A000006 FORD MOTOR CREDIT CO.
022 B000006 38-1612444
022 C000006 257051
022 D000006 0
022 A000007 AMERICAN EXPRESS CREDIT CORP.
022 B000007 11-1988350
022 C000007 243834
022 D000007 0
022 A000008 MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INC.
022 B000008 13-5674085
022 C000008 224553
022 D000008 16751
022 A000009 SANWA SECURITIES (USA) CO., L.P.
022 B000009 13-3046258
022 C000009 237984
022 D000009 0
022 A000010 LEHMAN BROTHERS INC.
022 B000010 13-2518466
022 C000010 212516
022 D000010 11955
023 C000000 4682763
023 D000000 95958
024 000000 N
025 A000001 DELETE
025 D000001 0
025 A000002 DELETE
025 D000002 0
025 A000003 DELETE
025 D000003 0
025 A000004 DELETE
025 D000004 0
025 A000005 DELETE
025 D000005 0
025 D000006 0
025 D000007 0
025 D000008 0
026 A000000 Y
026 B000000 Y
<PAGE> PAGE 4
026 C000000 N
026 D000000 Y
026 E000000 N
026 F000000 N
026 G010000 N
026 G020000 N
026 H000000 N
027 000000 Y
028 A010000 51006
028 A020000 0
028 A030000 0
028 A040000 77706
028 B010000 77276
028 B020000 483332
028 B030000 0
028 B040000 85930
028 C010000 80433
028 C020000 0
028 C030000 0
028 C040000 94557
028 D010000 74555
028 D020000 0
028 D030000 0
028 D040000 87636
028 E010000 88135
028 E020000 0
028 E030000 0
028 E040000 101580
028 F010000 88402
028 F020000 53289
028 F030000 0
028 F040000 88051
028 G010000 459807
028 G020000 536621
028 G030000 0
028 G040000 535460
028 H000000 212843
029 000000 Y
030 A000000 9151
030 B000000 5.75
030 C000000 0.00
031 A000000 1543
031 B000000 0
032 000000 7608
033 000000 0
034 000000 Y
035 000000 22
036 A000000 Y
036 B000000 0
037 000000 N
038 000000 0
<PAGE> PAGE 5
039 000000 N
040 000000 Y
041 000000 Y
042 A000000 0
042 B000000 0
042 C000000 0
042 D000000 100
042 E000000 0
042 F000000 0
042 G000000 0
042 H000000 0
043 000000 8498
044 000000 0
045 000000 Y
046 000000 N
047 000000 Y
048 000000 0.000
048 A010000 1000000
048 A020000 0.384
048 B010000 1000000
048 B020000 0.330
048 C010000 1000000
048 C020000 0.294
048 D010000 2000000
048 D020000 0.270
048 E010000 3000000
048 E020000 0.252
048 F010000 0
048 F020000 0.000
048 G010000 0
048 G020000 0.000
048 H010000 0
048 H020000 0.000
048 I010000 0
048 I020000 0.000
048 J010000 0
048 J020000 0.000
048 K010000 8000000
048 K020000 0.240
049 000000 N
050 000000 N
051 000000 N
052 000000 N
053 A000000 Y
054 A000000 Y
054 B000000 Y
054 C000000 Y
054 D000000 N
054 E000000 N
054 F000000 N
054 G000000 N
<PAGE> PAGE 6
054 H000000 Y
054 I000000 N
054 J000000 Y
054 K000000 N
054 L000000 Y
054 M000000 Y
054 N000000 N
054 O000000 Y
055 A000000 N
055 B000000 N
056 000000 Y
057 000000 N
058 A000000 N
059 000000 Y
060 A000000 Y
060 B000000 Y
061 000000 250
062 A000000 N
062 B000000 0.0
062 C000000 0.0
062 D000000 0.0
062 E000000 0.0
062 F000000 0.0
062 G000000 0.0
062 H000000 0.0
062 I000000 0.0
062 J000000 0.0
062 K000000 0.0
062 L000000 0.0
062 M000000 0.0
062 N000000 0.0
062 O000000 0.0
062 P000000 0.0
062 Q000000 0.0
062 R000000 0.0
063 A000000 0
063 B000000 0.0
066 A000000 Y
066 E000000 Y
067 000000 N
068 A000000 N
068 B000000 N
069 000000 N
070 A010000 N
070 A020000 N
070 B010000 N
070 B020000 N
070 C010000 N
070 C020000 N
070 D010000 N
070 D020000 N
<PAGE> PAGE 7
070 E010000 N
070 E020000 N
070 F010000 N
070 F020000 N
070 G010000 N
070 G020000 N
070 H010000 N
070 H020000 N
070 I010000 N
070 I020000 N
070 J010000 Y
070 J020000 Y
070 K010000 N
070 K020000 N
070 L010000 Y
070 L020000 Y
070 M010000 N
070 M020000 N
070 N010000 Y
070 N020000 N
070 O010000 N
070 O020000 N
070 P010000 Y
070 P020000 Y
070 Q010000 N
070 Q020000 N
070 R010000 N
070 R020000 N
071 A000000 589859
071 B000000 986717
071 C000000 6520160
071 D000000 9
072 A000000 6
072 B000000 57741
072 C000000 87432
072 D000000 0
072 E000000 0
072 F000000 11739
072 G000000 0
072 H000000 0
072 I000000 2224
072 J000000 89
072 K000000 491
072 L000000 260
072 M000000 98
072 N000000 309
072 O000000 113
072 P000000 0
072 Q000000 0
072 R000000 44
072 S000000 9
<PAGE> PAGE 8
072 T000000 8499
072 U000000 0
072 V000000 0
072 W000000 80
072 X000000 23955
072 Y000000 0
072 Z000000 121218
072AA000000 374096
072BB000000 0
072CC010000 181490
072CC020000 0
072DD010000 122808
072DD020000 0
072EE000000 468837
073 A010000 0.4100
073 A020000 0.0000
073 B000000 1.6100
073 C000000 0.0000
074 A000000 371
074 B000000 0
074 C000000 1800735
074 D000000 258214
074 E000000 0
074 F000000 6168387
074 G000000 0
074 H000000 0
074 I000000 0
074 J000000 66160
074 K000000 0
074 L000000 26384
074 M000000 0
074 N000000 8320251
074 O000000 6155
074 P000000 1981
074 Q000000 0
074 R010000 0
074 R020000 0
074 R030000 0
074 R040000 6912
074 S000000 0
074 T000000 8305203
074 U010000 310447
074 U020000 0
074 V010000 26.75
074 V020000 0.00
074 W000000 0.0000
074 X000000 325062
074 Y000000 0
075 A000000 0
075 B000000 8121822
076 000000 0.00
<PAGE> PAGE 9
077 A000000 Y
077 B000000 Y
077 C000000 N
077 D000000 N
077 E000000 N
077 F000000 N
077 G000000 N
077 H000000 N
077 I000000 N
077 J000000 N
077 K000000 N
077 L000000 N
077 M000000 N
077 N000000 N
077 O000000 N
077 P000000 N
077 Q010000 N
077 Q020000 N
077 Q030000 N
078 000000 N
080 A000000 NATIONAL UNION FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY
080 B000000 CHUBB CUSTOM INSURANCE COMPANY
080 C000000 60000
081 A000000 Y
081 B000000 50
082 A000000 Y
082 B000000 100
083 A000000 N
083 B000000 0
084 A000000 N
084 B000000 0
085 A000000 Y
085 B000000 N
086 A010000 0
086 A020000 0
086 B010000 0
086 B020000 0
086 C010000 0
086 C020000 0
086 D010000 0
086 D020000 0
086 E010000 0
086 E020000 0
086 F010000 0
086 F020000 0
SIGNATURE VINCENT P. CORTI
TITLE SECRETARY
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<MULTIPLIER> 1000
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> OCT-31-1996
<PERIOD-START> NOV-1-1996
<PERIOD-END> APR-30-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 5,946,591
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 8,227,336
<RECEIVABLES> 92,544
<ASSETS-OTHER> 371
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 8,320,251
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 6,155
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 8,893
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 15,048
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 5,309,123
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 310,446,549
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 292,312,818
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 43,148
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 361,740
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 2,280,745
<NET-ASSETS> 8,305,203
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 87,432
<INTEREST-INCOME> 57,741
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 23,955
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 121,218
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 374,096
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 181,490
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 676,804
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 122,808
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 468,837
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 17,350,872
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 20,148,185
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 20,931,044
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 546,127
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 44,738
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 456,481
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 11,739
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 23,955
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 8,121,822
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 26.54
<PER-SHARE-NII> .40
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 1.83
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> .41
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 1.61
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 26.75
<EXPENSE-RATIO> .003
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
