U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 24F-2
Annual Notice of Securities Sold
Pursuant to Rule 24f-2

Read instructions at end of Form before preparing Form.
Please print or type.


  1.  Name and address of issuer:
      Separate Account Four of The Manufacturers Life   
      Insurance Company of America 
      200 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario M4W 1E5

  2.  Name of each series or class of funds for which   
      this notice is filed:
      Flexible Premium Variable Life Insurance Policies

  3.  Investment Company Act File Number: 811-5130

      Securities Act File Number: 33-13774

  4.  Last day of fiscal year for which this notice is
      filed:
               December 31, 1996

  5.  Check box if this notice is being filed more than 
      180 days after the close of the issuer's fiscal   
      year for purposes of reporting securities sold    
      after the close of the fiscal year but before     
      termination of the issuer's 24f-2 declaration:
                                                        
               N/A     
  6.  Date of termination of issuer's declaration under 
      rule 24f-2(a)(1), if applicable (see instruction  
      A.6):
                                                        
               N/A
  7.  Number and amount of securities of the same class 
      or series which had been registered under the     
      Securities Act of 1933 other than pursuant to
      rule 24f-2 in a prior fiscal year, but which      
      remained unsold at the beginning of the fiscal    
      year:
                                                        
               None

  8.  Number and amount of securities registered during 
      the fiscal year other than pursuant to rule 
      24f-2:
                                                        
               None
  9.  Number and aggregate sale price of securities     
      sold during the fiscal year:
               $39,389,300  

 10.  Number and aggregate sale price of securities     
      sold during the fiscal year in reliance upon      
      registration pursuant to rule 24f-2:

               $39,389,300

 11.  Number and aggregate sale price of securities     
      issued during the fiscal year in connection with
      dividend reinvestment plans, if applicable (see
      instructions B.7):
               None

 12.  Calculation of registration fee:

   (i)   Aggregate sale price of securities sold during
         the fiscal year in reliance on rule 24f-2
         (from Item 10):                              
               $39,389,300

  (ii)   Aggregate price of shares issued in connection
         with dividend reinvestment plans (from
         Item 11, if applicable):
               + 0

 (iii)   Aggregate price of shares redeemed or
         repurchased during the fiscal year 
         (if applicable) 
               -17,646,414 

  (iv)   Aggregate price of shares redeemed or repur-
         chased and previously applied as a reduction
         to filing fees pursuant to rule 24e-2 
         (if applicable):                               
               0

   (v)   Net aggregate price of securities sold and
         issued during the fiscal year in reliance
         on rule 24f-2 [line (i), plus line (ii),
         less line (iii), plus line (iv)](if 
         applicable)
               21,742,886 

  (vi)   Multiplier prescribed by Section 6(b) of the
         the Securities Act of 1933 or other applicable
         law or regulation (see Instruction C.6):       
               X  1/3300

 (vii)   Fee due [line (i) or line (v) multiplied
         By line (vi)]                               
               $   6,588.75
               ============

Instruction: Issuers should complete lines (ii), (iii),
(iv), and (v) only if the form is being filed within 60
days after the close of the issuers' fiscal year.  See
Instruction C.3.


  13.  Check box if fees are being remitted to the      
       Commission's lockbox depository as described in  
       section 3a of the Commission's Rules Of Informal 
       and other Procedures (17 CFR 202.3a).
                                                        
               [X]

       Date of mailing or wire transfer of filing fees  
       to the Commission's lockbox depository:

               February 20, 1997



SIGNATURES

This report has been signed below by the following
persons on behalf of the issuer and in the capacities
and on the dates indicated.

By (Signature and Title)* 

/s/ Douglas Myers                         

Douglas Myers, Vice President                 


Date:   February 19, 1997


* Please print the name and title of the signing
officer below the signature.


February 20, 1997


Board of Directors
The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company
  of America
200 Bloor Street, East
Toronto, Ontario M4W 1E5

Gentlemen:

You have requested my opinion for use in conjunction
with a Rule 24f-2 Notice for Separate Account Four of
The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of America
(the "Separate Account") to be filed in respect of
Flexible Premium Variable Life Insurance Policies (the
"Policies") sold for the fiscal year ended December 31,
1996, pursuant to the registration statement filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") under
the Securities Act of 1933 (File No. 33-13774).

In its Post-Effective Amendment No. 15 filed September
15, 1994 to its Registration Statement, the Separate
Account elected to register an indefinite amount of
Policies pursuant to the provisions of SEC Rule 24f-2.

I have reviewed the amended Registration Statement of
the Separate Account and such other documents, records
and certification of facts by a company officer as I
have deemed necessary.  On the basis of the foregoing,
it is my opinion that the Policies sold for the fiscal
year ended December 31, 1996, registration of which the
Rule 24f-2 Notice makes definite in amount, were
legally issued and are legal and binding obligations of
The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of America
enforceable in accordance with their terms.

I consent to your filing this opinion as an Exhibit to
the Rule 24f-2 Notice referred to above, to the
Registration Statement of the Separate Account and to
any applicable statement filed under the Securities
Laws of the United States.

Very truly yours,

/s/Betsy A. Seel 

Betsy A. Seel
Senior Counsel