made $1 billion on the recent collapse of the British pound, made more money in fifteen minutes than the average American family made all year in 1992.

A manager of more than $7 billion in mutual fund assets, Soros was Wall Street's highest earner last year, taking home $650 million to finish on top of Financial World magazine's annual survey of the 100 highest paid people on Wall Street.

By comparison, the median US family made about $19,000 last year, according to the magazine's July 6 issue.

Michael Steinhardt, another fund manager, came in second with $250 million, while Cleveland-based real estate investor Alfred Lerner was third with $139 million.

To qualify for this year's list, earners had to make at least $6 million -- 20 percent more than last year. This year's median income of the top 100 was $10 million, about $1 million more than in 1991.

Soros, 62, invests much of his and his funds' assets in currencies and exotic securities known as derivatives. He earned more than $400 million in capital gains by seldom holding positions more than a few days.

His best performing fund was the Quantum Fund, up 68.1 percent after charging a 1 percent management fee and taking out 15 percent of appreciation.

Soros' share of his firm's incentive fees added $200 million while management fees -- which he awards to himself -- amounted to another $50 million.

Others who made Financial World's top ten earners are: Julian Robertson Jr. of Tiger Management, $120 million; Soros' triggerman Stanley Druckenmiller, $110 million; Bruce Kovner of Caxton Corp., $100 million; Paul Tudor Jones II of Tudor Investment, $85 million; Louis Bacon of Moore Capital Management, $35 million; and Henry Kravis and George Roberts, both of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, at $33 million apiece.

* * * ENT A musical comedy based on the life of the late British tycoon/crook Robert Maxwell could be scuttled as surely as the flamboyant publishing tycoon sank beneath the waves in 1991, producers say.

The show, planned for London later this year, will feature songs such as `I am the Very Model of a Modern Megalomaniac' to the tunes of 19th century comic opera composer Arthur Sullivan.

But although it's no crime to libel the dead, Maxwell's son Kevin believes the irreverent musical could prejudice his forthcoming trial on charges of fraud and theft.

Czech-born Maxwell's empire collapsed shortly after his mysterious death at sea off his yacht in November 1991. Investigators discovered he had looted some 400 million pounds ($600 million) from pension funds and company assets.

The musical, littered with jokes about the larger-than-life businessman, promises to leave no stone unturned in its lampooning of the man known as "the bouncing Czech.'' But producer Evan Steadman insists there will be no contempt of court as far as Kevin Maxwell is concerned.