Fred Allen

as Sam "Slick" Brown (segment "The Ransom of Red Chief")

Anne Baxter

as Joanna Goodwin (segment "The Last Leaf")

Jeanne Crain

as Della (segment "The Gift of the Magi")

Farley Granger

as Jim (segment "The Gift of the Magi")

Charles Laughton

as Soapy (segment "The Cop and the Anthem")

Oscar Levant

as William Smith (segment "The Ransom of Red Chief")

Marilyn Monroe

as Streetwalker (segment "The Cop and the Anthem")

Jean Peters

as Susan Goodwin (segment "The Last Leaf")

Gregory Ratoff

as Behrman (segment "The Last Leaf")

Dale Robertson

as Barney Woods (segment "The Clarion Call")

David Wayne

as Horace (segment "The Cop and the Anthem")

Richard Widmark

as Johnny Kernan (segment "The Clarion Call")

Joyce Mackenzie

as

Lee Aaker

as J.B. Dorset (segment "The Ransom of Red Chief")

Richard Rober

as Chief of Detectives (segment "The Clarion Call")

Fred Kelsey

as Mr. Schultz (segment "The Gift of the Magi")

Richard Garrick

as Doctor (segment "The Last Leaf")

John Steinbeck

as Narrator

Kathleen Freeman

as Mrs. Dorset (segment "The Ransom of Red Chief") (uncredited)

Irving Bacon

as Ebeneezer Dorset (segment "The Ransom of Red Chief") (uncredited)

William Vedder

as Judge (segment "The Cop and the Anthem") (uncredited)

Will Wright

as Hotel Desk Clerk (segment "The Clarion Call") (uncredited)

Thomas Browne Henry

as Café Manager (segment "The Cop and the Anthem") (uncredited)

Steven Geray

as Boris Radolf (segment "The Last Leaf") (uncredited)

Warren Stevens

as Druggist (segment "The Last Leaf") (uncredited)

Robert Easton

as Yokel (segment "The Ransom of Red Chief") (uncredited)

Carl Betz

as Jimmy Valentine (segment "Prologue") (uncredited)

Herb Vigran

as Poker Player (segment "The Clarion Call") (uncredited)

Harry Hayden

as A.J. Crump (segment "The Gift of the Magi") (uncredited)

Fritz Feld

as Maurice (segment "The Gift of the Magi") (uncredited)

Sig Ruman

as Menkie (segment "The Gift of the Magi") (uncredited)

Frank Jaquet

as Butcher (segment "The Gift of the Magi") (uncredited)

House Peters

as Dave Bascom (segment "The Clarion Call") (uncredited)

Bert Stevens

as Street Extra/Roominghouse Extra/Office Worker at Crump's

Marjorie Holliday

as Cashier (segment "The Cop and the Anthem") (uncredited)

Pat Flaherty

as Irish Cop (Prologue) (uncredited)

Robert Foulk

as Cop (segment "The Cop and the Anthem") (uncredited)

Everett Glass

as Desk Clerk (segment "The Clarion Call") (uncredited)

Norman Leavitt

as Yokel (segment "The Ransom of Red Chief") (uncredited)

Jack Mather

as Cop (segment "The Cop and the Anthem") (uncredited)

Frank Mills

as Man Being Booked (segment "The Clarion Call") (uncredited)

Martha Wentworth

as Mrs. O'Brien (segment "The Last Leaf") (uncredited)

Ava Norring

as Girl (segment "The Clarion Call") (uncredited)

Gloria Gordon

as Ellie Mae (segment "The Ransom of Red Chief") (uncredited)

A. Cameron Grant

as Poker Player (segment "The Clarion Call") (uncredited)

Tom Greenway

as Cop (segment "The Cop and the Anthem") (uncredited)

Thomas Browne Henry

as Manager (segment "The Cop and the Anthem") (uncredited)

Bert Hicks

as Sheldon Sidney (segment "The Last Leaf") (uncredited)

Jimmie Horan

as Bookkeeper (segment "The Gift of the Magi") (uncredited)

Richard Hylton

as Bill (segment "The Gift of the Magi") (uncredited)

Richard Karlan

as Headwaiter (segment "The Cop and the Anthem") (uncredited)

Don Kohler

as Secretary (segment "The Last Leaf") (uncredited)

Ann Kunde

as Yokel (segment "The Ransom of Red Chief") (uncredited)

Nick Lekaj

as Owner (segment "The Cop and the Anthem") (uncredited)

David McMahon

as Cop (segment "The Clarion Call") (uncredited)

Tyler McVey

as O. Henry (Prologue) (uncredited)

Alfred Mizner

as Storekeeper (segment "The Ransom of Red Chief") (uncredited)

William J. O'Brien

as Hotel Clerk (segment "The Clarion Call") (uncredited)

Stuart Randall

as Detective (segment "The Clarion Call") (uncredited)

Henry Slate

as Poker Player (segment "The Clarion Call") (uncredited)

Bert Stevens

as Street Extra / Roominghouse Extra / Office Worker (uncredited)

Harry Tenbrook

as Bar Customer (segment "The Clarion Call") (uncredited)

Beverly Thompson

as Girl (segment "The Last Leaf") (uncredited)

Philip Tonge

as Umbrella Man (segment "The Cop and the Anthem") (uncredited)

Phil Tully

as Guard (Prologue) (uncredited)

Ernö Verebes

as Waiter (segment "The Cop and the Anthem") (uncredited)

Ruth Warren

as Neighbor (segment "The Last Leaf") (uncredited)

Billy Wayne

as Bystander (segment "The Cop and the Anthem") (uncredited)

Will Wright

as Manager (segment "The Clarion Call") (uncredited)

May Wynn

as Mother (Prologue) (uncredited)

Richard Allan

as Pete (segment "The Gift of the Magi") (uncredited)

Phil Arnold

as Convict (Prologue) (uncredited)

Warner Baxter

as Cisco Kid ((Prologue) (archive footage)) (uncredited)

Carl Betz

as Jimmie Valentine (Prologue) (uncredited)

Harry Carter

as Cop in Park (segment "The Cop and the Anthem") (uncredited)

Robert Cherry

as Yokel (segment "The Ransom of Red Chief") (uncredited)

Abe Dinovitch

as Barney (segment "The Clarion Call") (uncredited)

James Flavin

as Cop (segment "The Cop and the Anthem") (uncredited)