<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001140361-08-012713
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20080514
<FILING-DATE>20080515
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20080515
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>ATLAS AMERICA INC
<CIK>0001279228
<ASSIGNED-SIC>4922
<IRS-NUMBER>510404430
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>WESTPOINTE CORPORATE CENTER ONE
<STREET2>1550 CORAOPOLIS HEIGHTS RD. 2ND. FLOOR
<CITY>MOONTOWNSHIP
<STATE>PA
<ZIP>15108
<PHONE>412-262-2830
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>WESTPOINTE CORPORATE CENTER ONE
<STREET2>1550 CORAOPOLIS HEIGHTS RD. 2ND. FLOOR
<CITY>MOONTOWNSHIP
<STATE>PA
<ZIP>15108
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>Arrendell Carlton M
<CIK>0001290816
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-32169
<FILM-NUMBER>08838514
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<PHONE>215-717-3346
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1845 WALNUT STREET, SUITE 1000
<CITY>PHILADELPHIA
<STATE>PA
<ZIP>19103
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc1.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-05-14</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001279228</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ATLAS AMERICA INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ATLS</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001290816</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Arrendell Carlton M</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1845 WALNUT STREET, 10TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PHILADELPHIA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>PA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>19103</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-05-14</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>203</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>3080</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The undersigned is a participant in the Atlas America, Inc. (the ?Company?) Stock Incentive Plan (the ?Plan?).  The undersigned received 203 deferred units under the Plan on May 14, 2008.  Each deferred unit, upon vesting, converts into one share of Company common stock.  The deferred units are receivable on account of the undersigned?s services as a non-employee director and without additional consideration.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Includes 1,266 deferred units issued pursuant to the Plan.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Lisa Washington, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-05-15</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
