Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
MURPHY JAMES R
   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
BENTLEY PHARMACEUTICALS INC [BNT] 		5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
__X__ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Chairman, President & CEO
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
BENTLEY PARK, 2 HOLLAND WAY		 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
06/02/2005
(Street)

EXETER, NH 03833		 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock, $.02 par value 06/02/2005   M   25,000 A $ 3.75 150,987 D  
Common Stock, $.02 par value 06/02/2005   M   200,000 A $ 2.89 350,987 D  
Common Stock, $.02 par value 06/02/2005   E   105,770 (1) D $ 10.985 245,217 D  
Common Stock, $.02 par value               700 I (2) By Sons
Common Stock, $.02 par value               8,849 I Company-sponsored 401(k) Plan

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)		 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)		 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)		 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Right to purchase $ 3.75 06/02/2005   M     25,000 06/12/1997(3) 06/12/2005 Common Stock, $.02 par value 25,000 $ 0 0 D  
Right to purchase $ 2.89 06/02/2005   M     200,000 06/12/1996(4) 04/19/2006 Common Stock, $.02 par value 200,000 $ 0 0 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
MURPHY JAMES R
BENTLEY PARK
2 HOLLAND WAY
EXETER, NH 03833		   X     Chairman, President & CEO  

Signatures

 James R. Murphy   06/06/2005
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Represents previously-owned shares tendered to the Company to pay the option exercise price for the above shares, and shares withheld by the Company (that were otherwise issuable upon exercise) to satisfy minimum federal tax withholding requirements in respect of the option exercises.
(2) Represents 700 shares of Common Stock held by certain of Mr. Murphy's sons, as to which Mr. Murphy disclaims beneficial ownership.
(3) Options were granted under the terms of the Company's 1991 Stock Option Plan.
(4) Options to purchase 600,000 shares of Common Stock were granted pursuant to terms approved by the Company's shareholders at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders on June 14, 1996. These options became excercisable in three equal installments on 6/12/1996, 12/10/1999 and 1/6/2000 at excercise prices of $2.89, $3.68 and $4.73, respectively.

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