Fred Allen

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

Anne Baxter

Joanna Goodwin (segment "The Last Leaf")

Jeanne Crain

Della (segment "The Gift of the Magi")

Farley Granger

Jim (segment "The Gift of the Magi")

Charles Laughton

Soapy (segment "The Cop and the Anthem")

Oscar Levant

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

Marilyn Monroe

Streetwalker (segment "The Cop and the Anthem")

Jean Peters

Susan Goodwin (segment "The Last Leaf")

Gregory Ratoff

Behrman (segment "The Last Leaf")

Dale Robertson

Barney Woods (segment "The Clarion Call")

David Wayne

Horace (segment "The Cop and the Anthem")

Richard Widmark

Johnny Kernan (segment "The Clarion Call")

Joyce Mackenzie

Lee Aaker

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

Richard Rober

Chief of Detectives (segment "The Clarion Call")

Fred Kelsey

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

Richard Garrick

Doctor (segment "The Last Leaf")

John Steinbeck

Narrator

Kathleen Freeman

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

Irving Bacon

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

Will Wright

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

Thomas Browne Henry

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

Steven Geray

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

Warren Stevens

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

Robert Easton

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

Carl Betz

Jimmy Valentine (segment "Prologue") (uncredited)

Herb Vigran

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

Harry Hayden

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

Fritz Feld

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

Sig Ruman

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

Frank Jaquet

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

House Peters

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

Bert Stevens

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

Pat Flaherty

Irish Cop (Prologue) (uncredited)

Robert Foulk

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

Everett Glass

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

Jack Mather

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

Frank Mills

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

Martha Wentworth

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

Gloria Gordon

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

Thomas Browne Henry

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

Richard Hylton

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

Richard Karlan

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

David McMahon

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

Tyler McVey

O. Henry (Prologue) (uncredited)

Stuart Randall

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

Henry Slate

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

Bert Stevens

Street Extra / Roominghouse Extra / Office Worker (uncredited)

Harry Tenbrook

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

Philip Tonge

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

Ernö Verebes

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

Ruth Warren

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

Billy Wayne

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

Will Wright

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

May Wynn

Mother (Prologue) (uncredited)

Richard Allan

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

Phil Arnold

Convict (Prologue) (uncredited)

Warner Baxter

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

Carl Betz

Jimmie Valentine (Prologue) (uncredited)

Harry Carter

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

James Flavin

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