<TABLE> <S> <C>

       
<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND> THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM 
WHITMAN CORPORATION'S CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS
ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<CIK> 0000049573
<NAME> WHITMAN CORPORATION
<MULTIPLIER> 1000

<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                          52,400
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                  135,100
<ALLOWANCES>                                     3,400
<INVENTORY>                                     69,900
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                               560,800<F1>
<PP&E>                                         878,200
<DEPRECIATION>                                 471,600
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               2,029,700<F2>
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                          490,000<F3>
<BONDS>                                        604,700
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                          0
<COMMON>                                       478,200
<OTHER-SE>                                      61,500
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                 2,029,700
<SALES>                                      1,557,500
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                             1,557,500
<CGS>                                          972,600
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                1,427,300<F4>
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                18,000
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              42,300<F5>
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                 69,900
<INCOME-TAX>                                    37,900
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                             15,800<F6>
<DISCONTINUED>                                (11,700)<F7>
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                     4,100
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     0.04<F8>
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     0.04<F9>
<FN>
<F1>
CURRENT ASSETS INCLUDE $270,500 OF NET CURRENT ASSETS OF COMPANIES HELD FOR
DISPOSITION.

<F2>
TOTAL ASSETS INCLUDE $663,700 OF NET ASSETS OF COMPANIES HELD FOR DISPOSITION,
INCLUDING $393,200 OF NET NON-CURRENT ASSETS, IN ADDITION TO THE NET CURRENT
ASSETS NOTED IN FOOTNOTE 1, ABOVE.

<F3>
CURRENT LIABILITES INCLUDE $282,500 OF SHORT-TERM DEBT, INCLUDING CURRENT
MATURITIES OF LONG-TERM DEBT.  THIS AMOUNT WAS REPAID IN JANUARY, 1998, USING
FUNDS RECEIVED FROM SUBSIDIARIES WHICH WERE SUBSEQUENTLY SPUN-OFF.

<F4>
TOTAL COSTS INCLUDE COST OF GOODS SOLD, S,G&A EXPENSES, AMORTIZATION EXPENSE
AND SPECIAL CHARGES OF $972,600, $389,700, $15,700, AND $49,300, RESPECTIVELY.
THE SPECIAL CHARGES OF $49,300 RECORDED IN 1997 RELATED TO THE SPIN-OFFS, THE
RESTRUCTURING OF GENERAL BOTTLERS' ORGANIZATION AND THE ELIMINATION OF A
SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE WHITMAN CORPORATE MANAGEMENT AND STAFF.

<F5>
INTEREST EXPENSE, NET, INCLUDES INTEREST EXPENSE, INTEREST INCOME FROM HUSSMANN
INTERNATIONAL, INC. ("HUSSMANN") AND MIDAS, INC.("MIDAS") AND OTHER INTEREST
INCOME OF $69,000, $23,100 AND $3,600, RESPECTIVELY.  INTEREST INCOME FROM
HUSSMANN AND MIDAS RELATED TO INTERCOMPANY LOANS AND ADVANCES.  THE RELATED
INTEREST EXPENSE RECORDED BY HUSSMANN AND MIDAS IS INCLUDED IN INCOME (LOSS)
FROM DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS.

<F6>
INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS IS REDUCED BY MINORITY INTEREST OF $16,200. 
THE EFFECT OF THE SPECIAL CHARGES ON INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS IN 1997,
AFTER INCOME TAXES AND MINORITY INTEREST, WAS $31,600.

<F7>
IN 1997, HUSSMANN AND MIDAS, WHICH WERE RECLASSIFIED TO DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS
IN DECEMBER, 1997, RECORDED SPECIAL CHARGES OF $56,300 AND $67,600,
RESPECTIVELY.  THE AFTER-TAX AFFECT OF THESE SPECIAL CHARGES WAS $93,400.  THE
LOSS FROM DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS WAS REPORTED NET OF INCOME TAX PROVISIONS OF
$39,100.

<F8>
BASIC EARNINGS (LOSS) PER SHARE:

CONTINUING OPERATIONS    $ 0.16
DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS   (0.12)
NET INCOME               $ 0.04

<F9>
DILUTED EARNINGS (LOSS) PER SHARE:

CONTINUING OPERATIONS    $ 0.15
DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS   (0.11)
NET INCOME               $ 0.04 
</FN>
        

</TABLE>