As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 10, 1995
   -------------------------------------------------------------------------

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                   FORM 8-A


               FOR REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN CLASSES OF SECURITIES
                    PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR (g) OF THE
                        SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


                       AMERICAN REAL ESTATE PARTNERS, L.P.
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)



             Delaware                             13-3398766
     (State of Organization)        (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)

     90 South Bedford Road
     Mt. Kisco, New York                             10549   
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)           (Zip Code)


Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

                                            Name of Each Exchange on which
Title of Each Class to be so Registered     each Class is to be Registered
- ---------------------------------------     ------------------------------

5% Cumulative Pay-In-Kind Redeemable         New York Stock Exchange, Inc.
Preferred Units Representing Limited
Partner Interests


Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

                                     NONE

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                               Page 1 of 3 pages


Item 1.       Description of Registrant's
              Securities to be Registered
              ---------------------------

              The prospectus relating to the proposed public offering of up to
2,000,000 5% Cumulative Pay-In-Kind Redeemable Preferred Units representing
limited partner interests of American Real Estate Partners, L.P. (the
"Registrant"), contained in the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-3,
as amended (File No. 33-54767), under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
(the "Securities Act"), is incorporated herein by reference.  The final
prospectus (the "Prospectus") to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the
Securities Act shall be deemed to be incorporated herein by reference from the
date of filing thereof.  Reference is specifically made to the section of the
Prospectus captioned "Description of Securities - The Preferred Units."



Item 2.       Exhibits
              --------

              1.     Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of
                     Registrant, dated as of May 12, 1987 (the "Partnership
                     Agreement").(1)

              2.     Amendment No. 1 to the Partnership Agreement.(2)

_________________

(1)    Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to the Registrant's Annual
       Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1987.

(2)    Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to Pre-Effective Amendment 
       No. 3 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File 
       No. 33-54767), filed with the Commission on January 20, 1995.



                                         SIGNATURE

       Pursuant to the requirements of Section 12 of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be
signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereto duly authorized.


                                          AMERICAN REAL ESTATE PARTNERS, L.P.

                                          By: American Property Investors, Inc.
                                              General Partner



February 10, 1995                         By:    /s/ John P. Saldarelli
                                                 -----------------------------
                                                 John P. Saldarelli
                                                 Treasurer