<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001140361-08-020242
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20080824
<FILING-DATE>20080826
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20080826
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>SPOLAN HARMON
<CIK>0001228772
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-32169
<FILM-NUMBER>081039724
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<PHONE>215 665 4676
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>OOZEN O CONNOR
<STREET2>1900 MARKET ST 4TH FL
<CITY>PHILADELPHIA
<STATE>PA
<ZIP>19103
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<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>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc1.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-08-24</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001228772</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SPOLAN HARMON</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>2008-08-24</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>397</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1579</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 &quot;Company&quot;) Stock Incentive Plan (the &quot;Plan&quot;).  The undersigned received 397 deferred units under the Plan on August 24, 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 service as a non-employee director and without additional consideration.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Includes 1,331 deferred units issued pursuant to the Plan.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Lisa Washington, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-08-26</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
