<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2007-07-05</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000039135</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>FRIENDLY ICE CREAM CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>FRN</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001334430</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BIGLARI, SARDAR</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O THE LION FUND L.P.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>9311 SAN PEDRO AVENUE, SUITE 1440</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SAN ANTONIO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>78216</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001334429</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BIGLARI CAPITAL CORP.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>9311 SAN PEDRO AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 1440</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SAN ANTONIO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>78216</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>See Explanation of Responses</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001334426</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>LION FUND, L.P.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>9311 SAN PEDRO AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 1440</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SAN ANTONIO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>78216</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>See Explanation of Responses</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000930686</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>WESTERN SIZZLIN CORP</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>317 KIMBALL AVENUE NW</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ROANOKE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>VA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>24016</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>See Explanation of Responses</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.01 par value</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-07-05</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>130214</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>15.3000</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>520856</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By The Lion Fund L.P.</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.01 par value</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-07-05</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>106263</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>15.3000</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>425055</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Western Sizzlin Corp.</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">This Form 4 is filed jointly by The Lion Fund L.P. (&quot;Lion Fund&quot;), Western Sizzlin Corp. (&quot;WSC&quot;), Biglari Capital Corp. (&quot;BCC&quot;) and Sardar Biglari  (collectively, the &quot;Reporting Persons&quot;).  Mr. Biglari is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of BCC and the Chairman of the Board of WSC.  BCC is the general partner to the Lion Fund.  The Reporting Persons, together with Philip Cooley, are members of a Section 13(d) group with respect to securities of the Issuer, which beneficially owns an aggregate of 946,011 shares, consisting of 520,856 shares owned directly by the Lion Fund, 425,055 shares owned directly by WSC and 100 shares owned directly by Philip Cooley.  Each of the Reporting Persons disclaims beneficial ownership of these securities except to the extent of his or its pecuniary interest therein, and this report shall not be deemed to be an admission that any Reporting Person is the beneficial owner of these securities for purposes of Section 16 or for any other purpose.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Shares owned directly by the Lion Fund.  BCC, as the general partner of the Lion Fund, may be deemed to beneficially own the shares owned by the Lion Fund.  Mr. Biglari, as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of BCC, may be deemed to beneficially own the shares owned by the Lion Fund.  Each of Mr. Biglari and BCC disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares owned by the Lion Fund except to the extent of his or its pecuniary interest therein.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Shares owned directly by WSC.  Mr. Biglari, as the Chairman of the Board of WSC, may be deemed to beneficially own the shares owned by WSC.  Mr. Biglari disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares owned by WSC except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: /s/ Sardar Biglari</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-07-09</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: Biglari Capital Corp., By: /s/ Sardar Biglari, Chief Executive Officer</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-07-09</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: The Lion Fund L.P., By: Biglari Capital Corp., its General Partner, By: /s/ Sardar Biglari, Chief Executive Officer</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-07-09</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: Western Sizzlin Corp., By: /s/ Sardar Biglari, as Attorney-In-Fact for Western Sizzlin Corp.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-07-09</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
