UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              WASHINGTON, DC 20549

                                    FORM N-Q

                  QUARTERLY SCHEDULE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS OF
                    REGISTERED MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANY

                 Investment Company Act file number: 811-00041
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                    GENERAL AMERICAN INVESTORS COMPANY, INC.
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               (Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

           450 Lexington Avenue, Suite 3300, New York, NY 10017-3911
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               (Address of principal executive offices)(Zip code)

                           Eugene L. DeStaebler, Jr.
                    General American Investors Company, Inc.
                        450 Lexington Avenue, Suite 3300
                            New York, NY 10017-3911
                    (Name and address of agent for service)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  212-916-8400

Date of fiscal year end:  December 31

Date of reporting period:  March 31, 2005



Item 1.  SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS.

              STATEMENT OF INVESTMENTS March 31, 2005 (Unaudited)
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                           General American Investors


     Shares or                                                                                       Value
 Principal Amount   COMMON STOCKS                                                                   (note 1)
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BUILDING AND REAL ESTATE (3.9%)
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   1,100,000    CEMEX, S.A. de C.V. ADR                              (COST $29,121,764)           $39,875,000
                                                                                                  -----------

COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION SERVICES (6.9%)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     550,000    American Tower Corporation (a)                                                     10,026,500
     550,000    CIENA Corporation (a)                                                                 946,000
     900,000    Cisco Systems, Inc. (a)                                                            16,101,000
     150,000    Juniper Networks, Inc. (a)                                                          3,309,000
     500,000    Lamar Advertising Company Class A (a)                                              20,145,000
   4,600,000    Telecom Corporation of New Zealand Limited                                         19,826,000
                                                                                                   ----------
                                                                     (COST $67,633,399)            70,353,500
                                                                                                   ----------
COMPUTER SOFTWARE AND SYSTEMS (5.1%)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     300,000    EMC Corporation (a)                                                                 3,696,000
   1,525,000    Microsoft Corporation                                                              36,859,250
     623,000    NetIQ Corporation (a)                                                               7,120,890
     133,500    VeriSign, Inc. (a)                                                                  3,831,450
                                                                                                   ----------
                                                                     (COST $53,801,539)            51,507,590
                                                                                                   ----------
CONSUMER PRODUCTS AND SERVICES (3.6%)
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     350,000    Diageo plc                                                                         19,915,000
     275,000    Ethan Allen Interiors Inc.                                                          8,800,000
     150,000    PepsiCo, Inc.                                                                       7,954,500
                                                                                                   ----------
                                                                     (COST $28,303,579)            36,669,500
                                                                                                   ----------
ELECTRONICS (1.7%)
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     715,000    Molex Incorporated Class A                           (COST $15,450,691)            16,874,000
                                                                                                   ----------


ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL (INCLUDING SERVICES) (3.8%)
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   1,175,000    Republic Services, Inc.                              (COST $26,227,380)            39,339,000
                                                                                                   ----------

FINANCE AND INSURANCE (30.2%)
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   BANKING (9.7%)
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     368,000    Bank of America Corporation                                                        16,228,800
     600,000    Golden West Financial Corporation                                                  36,300,000
     310,000    M&T Bank Corporation                                                               31,638,600
     205,000    SunTrust Banks, Inc.                                                               14,774,350
                                                                                                   ----------
                                                                     (COST $21,564,370)            98,941,750
                                                                                                   ----------
   INSURANCE (19.2%)
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     380,000    American International Group, Inc.                                                 21,055,800
     500,000    Annuity and Life Re (Holdings), Ltd. (a)                                              470,000
     340,000    Arch Capital Group Ltd. (a)                                                        13,613,600
         300    Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Class A (a)                                                26,100,000
     625,000    Everest Re Group, Ltd.                                                             53,193,750
     400,000    MetLife, Inc.                                                                      15,640,000
     110,000    Montpelier Re Holdings Ltd.                                                         3,866,500
     475,000    PartnerRe Ltd.                                                                     30,685,000
     350,000    Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated                                         14,903,000
     249,500    Transatlantic Holdings, Inc.                                                       16,521,890
                                                                                                  -----------
                                                                     (COST $92,539,813)           196,049,540
                                                                                                  -----------
   OTHER (1.3%)
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     275,000    Annaly Mortgage Management, Inc.                                                    5,159,000
      95,194    Central Securities Corporation                                                      2,231,347
     775,000    MFA Mortgage Investments, Inc.                                                      5,897,750
                                                                                                   ----------
                                                                     (COST $12,196,714)            13,288,097
                                                                                                   ----------
                                                                    (COST $126,300,897)           308,279,387
                                                                                                  -----------


          STATEMENT OF INVESTMENTS March 31, 2005 (Unaudited) - continued
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                           General American Investors



     Shares or                                                                                       Value
 Principal Amount COMMON STOCKS (continued)                                                         (note 1)
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HEALTH CARE  (10.9%)
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  PHARMACEUTICALS (8.7%)
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                             
     340,000    Alkermes, Inc. (a)                                                                 $3,529,200
     200,000    Biogen Idec Inc. (a)                                                                6,902,000
     300,000    Bristol-Myers Squibb Company                                                        7,638,000
     275,000    Cytokinetics, Incorporated (a)                                                      1,804,000
     270,000    Genaera Corporation (a)                                                               615,600
     400,000    Genentech, Inc. (a)                                                                22,644,000
     455,000    MedImmune, Inc. (a)                                                                10,833,550
     120,000    Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (a)                                                1,010,400
   1,275,000    Pfizer Inc                                                                         33,494,250
                                                                                                   ----------
                                                                     (COST $75,007,951)            88,471,000
                                                                                                   ----------
   MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS AND DEVICES (2.2%)
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     450,000    Medtronic, Inc.                                      (COST $10,483,716)            22,927,500
                                                                                                   ----------
                                                                     (COST $85,491,667)           111,398,500
                                                                                                  -----------
MISCELLANEOUS (1.8%)
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                Other (b)                                            (COST $17,213,077)            17,900,910
                                                                                                   ----------
 OIL & NATURAL GAS (INCLUDING SERVICES) (26.5%)
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     665,000    Apache Corporation                                                                 40,717,950
   1,600,000    Devon Energy Corporation                                                           76,400,000
     600,000    EOG Resources, Inc.                                                                29,244,000
     525,000    Halliburton Company                                                                22,706,250
     650,000    Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.                                                         16,263,000
     330,000    Total S.A. ADR                                                                     38,685,900
     750,000    Unocal Corporation                                                                 46,267,500
                                                                                                  -----------
                                                                    (COST $173,682,466)           270,284,600
                                                                                                  -----------
RETAIL TRADE (19.6%)
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     700,000    Costco Wholesale Corporation                                                       30,926,000
   1,920,000    The Home Depot, Inc. (c)                                                           73,420,800
   2,500,000    The TJX Companies, Inc.                                                            61,575,000
     675,000    Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.                                                              33,824,250
                                                                                                  -----------
                                                                     (COST $68,036,225)           199,746,050
                                                                                                  -----------
SEMICONDUCTORS (0.8%)
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     491,500    Brooks Automation, Inc. (a)                                                         7,460,970
     197,000    EMCORE Corporation (a)                                                                663,890
                                                                                                   ----------
                                                                      (COST $9,890,144)             8,124,860
                                                                                                   ----------
SPECIAL HOLDINGS (a) (d) (NOTE 2) (0.0%)
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     144,000    Silicon Genesis Corporation                                                             7,200
     546,000    Standard MEMS, Inc. Series A Convertible Preferred                                         -
                                                                                                    ---------
                                                                      (COST $6,009,720)                 7,200 (e)
                                                                                                    ---------
   TOTAL COMMON STOCKS (114.8%)                                     (COST $707,162,548)         1,170,360,097
                                                                                                -------------

                  CORPORATE NOTE
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COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION SERVICES  (0.1%)
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    $678,000     American Tower Corporation 9 3/8% due 2/1/09           (COST $711,652)               712,747
                                                                                                    ---------
 
 


         STATEMENT OF INVESTMENTS March 31, 2005 (Unaudited) - continued
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                           General American Investors


     Principal                                                                                       Value
      Amount    SHORT-TERM SECURITIES AND OTHER ASSETS                                              (note 1)
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 $12,500,000    American Express Credit Corporation notes due 4/5-5/16/05; 2.62%-2.77%            $12,462,653
  11,000,000    American General Finance Corporation notes due 4/11-4/18/05; 2.63%-2.68%           10,967,075
  11,000,000    General Electric Capital Corporation notes due 4/25-5/9/05; 2.70%-2.76%            10,966,310
   6,000,000    Prudential Funding, LLC note due 5/2/05; 2.74%                                      5,984,017
   7,834,211    SSgA Prime Money Market Fund                                                        7,834,211
                                                                                                  -----------
                TOTAL SHORT-TERM SECURITIES (4.7%)                   (COST $48,214,266)            48,214,266
                                                                                                -------------
TOTAL INVESTMENTS (f) (119.6%)                                      (COST $756,088,466)         1,219,287,110
    Cash, receivables and other assets less liabilities (0.0%)                                        273,186
                                                                                                -------------
                                                                                                1,219,560,296
                                                                                                -------------
PREFERRED STOCK (-19.6%)                                                                         (200,000,000)
                                                                                                -------------
NET ASSETS APPLICABLE TO COMMON STOCK (100%)                                                   $1,019,560,296
                                                                                               ==============


 (a) Non-income producing security.
 (b) Securities which have been held for less than one year.
 (c) 1,000,000 shares held by custodian in a segregated custodian account as collateral for open short positions.
 (d) Restricted security.
 (e) Fair value of each holding in the opinion of the directors.
 (f) At March 31, 2005: (1) the cost of investments for Federal income tax purposes was the same as the cost for financial reporting
     purposes, (2) aggregate gross unrealized appreciation was $510,849,253, (3) aggregate gross unrealized depreciation was
     $47,650,609, and (4) net unrealized appreciation was $463,198,644.


(see notes to financial statements)

                  NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Unaudited)
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                           General American Investors


General American Investors Company,  Inc. (the "Company"),  established in 1927,
is  registered  under  the  Investment  Company  Act of  1940  as a  closed-end,
diversified  management  investment  company.  It is  internally  managed by its
officers under the direction of the Board of Directors.

                              1. SECURITY VALUATION

Securities  traded on a  national  securities  exchange  are  valued at the last
reported sales price on the last business day of the period. Securities reported
on the NASDAQ national  market are valued at the official  closing price on that
day.  Listed and NASDAQ  securities  for which no sales are reported on that day
and other  securities  traded in the  over-the-counter  market are valued at the
last bid price on the valuation  date.  Securities  traded  primarily in foreign
markets are generally  valued at the preceding  closing price of such securities
on their  respective  exchanges  or markets.  If, after the close of the foreign
market, conditions change significantly, the price of certain foreign securities
may be adjusted  to reflect  fair value as of the time of the  valuation  of the
portfolio.  Corporate  discount  notes  are  valued  at  amortized  cost,  which
approximates market value.  Special holdings  (restricted  securities) and other
securities  for which  quotations  are not readily  available are valued at fair
value  determined in good faith pursuant to procedures  established by and under
the general supervision of the Board of Directors.



                            2. RESTRICTED SECURITIES


                                                            DATE                         VALUE
                                                          ACQUIRED         COST        (NOTE 1)
                                                        -----------    -----------   -----------
                                                                             
Silicon Genesis Corporation                                2/16/01      $3,006,720       7,200
Standard MEMS, Inc. Series A Convertible Preferred        12/17/99       3,003,000           -
                                                                       -----------    --------
Total                                                                   $6,009,720      $7,200
                                                                       ===========    =========


ITEM 2.  CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES.

Conclusions of principal officers concerning controls and procedures

(a) As of April 13, 2005, an evaluation was performed  under the  supervision
and with  the  participation  of the  officers  of  General  American  Investors
Company, Inc. (the "Registrant"), including the principal executive officer
("PEO") and principal financial officer ("PFO"), of the effectiveness of the 
Registrant's disclosure  controls and  procedures.  Based on that evaluation,  
the Registrant's officers, including the PEO and PFO, concluded that, as of
April 13, 2005, the Registrant's disclosure controls and procedures were 
reasonably designed so as to ensure: (1) that information required to be 
disclosed by the Registrant on Form N-Q is recorded, processed, summarized and 
reported within the time periods specified by the rules and forms of the 
Securities and Exchange Commission; and (2) that material information relating
to the Registrant is made known to the PEO and PFO as appropriate to allow
timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

(b) There have been no significant changes in the Registrant's  internal control
over  financial  reporting  (as defined in Rule  30a-3(d)  under the  Investment
Company Act of 1940 (17 CFR 270.30a-3(d))  that occurred during the Registrant's
last fiscal quarter that has  materially affected,  or is  reasonably  likely to
materially affect, the Registrant's  internal control over financial  reporting.


ITEM 3. EXHIBITS.

       The certifications of the principal  executive  officer  and  principal
       financial officer pursuant to Rule 30a-2(a)under the Investment Company
       Act of 1940 are attached hereto as Exhibit 99 CERT.


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the
Investment Company Act of 1940, the registrant has duly caused this report to
be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

General American Investors Company, Inc.

By:  /s/ Eugene L. DeStaebler, Jr.
         Eugene L. DeStaebler, Jr.
         Vice-President, Administration

Date:  April 29, 2005

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the
Investment Company Act of 1940, this report has been signed below by the
following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the
dates indicated.

By:  /s/ Spencer Davidson
         Spencer Davidson
         President and Chief Executive Officer
         (Principal Executive Officer)

Date:  April 29, 2005

By:  /s/ Eugene L. DeStaebler, Jr.
         Eugene L. DeStaebler, Jr.
         Vice-President, Administration
         (Principal Financial Officer)

Date:  April 29, 2005