UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K


                                 CURRENT REPORT


                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934

         Date of Report                     March 27, 2003
         Date of earliest event reported    March 24, 2003


                                THE BEARD COMPANY
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

          Oklahoma                       0-12396              73-0970298
(State or other jurisdiction of  (Commission File Number)  (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)                            Identification Number)

Enterprise Plaza
5600 N. May Avenue
Suite 320
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma                                          73112
(Address of principal executive offices)                       (Zip Code)

                                       N/A
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)


                                THE BEARD COMPANY

                                    FORM 8-K


Item 5.  Other Events.

     Complete details  concerning the matter requiring the filing of this report
are set forth in the News  Release  attached  as  Exhibit  99  hereto,  which is
incorporated herein by reference.


Item 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(c)  The following  exhibits are filed with this Form 8-K and are  identified by
     the numbers indicated:

     Exhibit
       No.               Description
       ---               -----------

       99        Press Release dated March 26, 2003


                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                   THE BEARD COMPANY

                                   HERB MEE, JR.
                                   Herb Mee, Jr., President

Date:  March 27, 2003

                               INDEX TO EXHIBITS

Exhibit
Number    Description                               Method of Filing
- ------    -----------                               ----------------

99        Press Release dated March 26, 2003      Filed herewith electronically