Burt Lancaster
Gen. James Mattoon Scott

Kirk Douglas
Col. Martin "Jiggs" Casey

Fredric March
President Jordan Lyman

Ava Gardner
Eleanor Holbrook

Edmond O'Brien
Sen. Raymond Clark

Martin Balsam
Paul Girard

Andrew Duggan
Col. William "Mud" Henderson

Hugh Marlowe
Harold McPherson

Whit Bissell
Sen. Frederick Prentice

Helen Kleeb
Esther Townsend

George Macready
Christopher Todd

Richard Anderson
Col. Murdock

Bart Burns
Secret Service White House Chief Art Corwin

John Alban
Party Guest (uncredited)

Monya Andre
Party Guest (uncredited)

Malcolm Atterbury
Horace the White House Physician (uncredited)

Walter Bacon
Reporter (uncredited)

Sam Bagley
Reporter (uncredited)

Al Bain
Reporter (uncredited)

Bill Baldwin
Announcer (voice) (uncredited)