Eisner Surgery Raises Questions About Role : Entertainment: The Disney chairman’s quadruple bypass operation could force him to name a No. 2 person.

With Walt Disney Co. Chairman Michael D. Eisner recovering from emergency quadruple bypass surgery, there was growing concern inside and outside the company on Sunday that he will be forced to appoint a second in command.

Eisner has been filling in as president and chief operating officer of the entertainment conglomerate since April, when Frank Wells died in a helicopter crash. In interviews, Eisner has repeatedly said he plans to retain Wells’ titles indefinitely. But analysts say his illness could force a reappraisal.

“He’s obviously under more stress than ever because of the death of Frank Wells,” said entertainment analyst Harold Vogel, of Merrill Lynch in New York. “He (Eisner) carries a very big burden and he needs someone to help him out, especially during the convalescence period.”

Privately, people close to the board agreed that Eisner’s surgery will intensify discussions about the need to replace Wells, a lawyer who played a key role in developing Disney’s business strategy. The directors have not scheduled a meeting, but they are being kept apprised of Eisner’s condition. The company also sent memos to its thousands of staffers around the world Sunday.

A Disney spokesman said Eisner, 52, was in stable condition and resting comfortably, one day after undergoing the three-hour bypass procedure at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. He will remain in the hospital for several days, but sources said he could return to work within a matter of weeks.

One report had Eisner checking Disney’s weekend box office returns from his hospital bed on Sunday. Sources confirmed that he was awake and joking with visitors, with one adding: “He’s doing great. He’s going to pull out of this very fast.”

Disney has been guarded about discussing events leading up to Eisner’s emergency surgery. But sources say he started feeling ill on Friday, while attending a Sun Valley, Ida., investment conference sponsored by Allen & Co. Eisner left the conference unexpectedly after lunch, but sources said that did not immediately arouse suspicion because the entertainment portion of the conference had just ended, and many of his colleagues also departed then. Eisner returned home to Bel Air and underwent the bypass operation Saturday.

With Eisner expected to make a full recovery, sources do not foresee Disney’s stock being affected when the market opens Monday morning. But his illness has focused a critical eye on Disney’s senior management structure.

Hollywood last confronted such an issue when MCA Chairman Lew R. Wasserman was hospitalized in 1987. But analysts point out that MCA, unlike Disney, was viewed as a possible takeover target.

Still, Merrill Lynch’s Vogel said that “there’s a real need” now for someone to help Eisner run the company, as Disney confronts fundamental strategic issues--such as whether to acquire or align itself with a major television network.

Eisner assigned many of Wells’ duties to his top lieutenants last April. But he has not been viewed as eager to share his power base so far, even though Disney is known for having one of the industry’s best management teams. Said one source close to the board: “This is not a contest between the board and Michael. I think each is trying to find out who the best person is for Wells’ job. Unfortunately, this puts a little more pressure on that decision.”

Studio Chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg is widely seen as the most obvious candidate for a larger corporate role. But Eisner recently told The Times that he most values Katzenberg at the studio. Relations between the two executives, who have worked together for 20 years, have been described as cool. Both attended the Allen & Co. conference last week, but they were seldom seen together.

One source of tension is said to be an internal debate over whether to pursue the acquisition of a broadcast network, now that CBS is in play. Katzenberg is said to be lobbying for the deal, while Eisner, who in the past has not favored major acquisitions, is said to be ambivalent or opposed.

Team Disney, as it’s called internally, is celebrating its 10th year together. In that time, the Burbank-based company has enjoyed phenomenal success in building on the company’s strengths in feature animation, merchandising and theme parks. Its latest animated movie, “The Lion King,” is its most successful ever--passing the $170-million mark at the box office over the weekend.

But Eisner has also come under strain recently as the company seeks permission to build a controversial historic theme park outside Washington and works to revive the troubled Euro Disney park outside Paris.

Some have suggested that even Eisner, known as one of the entertainment industry’s most driven executives, despite his happy-go-lucky demeanor in Disney promotions, may have taken on more than he can handle.

But another well-placed source said Eisner should never be underestimated, even with his most recent setback.

“Michael’s got a pretty good point of view about what he wants to do with this company over the coming years,” the source said.