"It's the hope that sustains the spirit of every GI: the dream of the day when he will finally return home. For three WWII veterans, the day has arrived. But for each man, the dream is about to become a nightmare."
Dana Andrews
as Fred Derry
Fredric March
as Al Stephenson
Harold Russell
as Homer Parrish
Teresa Wright
as Peggy Stephenson
Myrna Loy
as Milly Stephenson
Cathy O'Donnell
as Wilma Cameron
Virginia Mayo
as Marie Derry
Hoagy Carmichael
as Butch Engle
Gladys George
as Hortense Derry
Roman Bohnen
as Pat Derry
Ray Collins
as Mr. Milton
Minna Gombell
as Mrs. Parrish
Walter Baldwin
as Mr. Parrish
Steve Cochran
as Cliff Scully
Dorothy Adams
as Mrs. Cameron
Don Beddoe
as Mr. Cameron
Marlene Aames
as Luella Parrish
Charles Halton
as Prew
Ray Teal
as Mr. Mollett
Howland Chamberlain
as Thorpe
Dean White
as Novak
Erskine Sanford
as Bullard
Michael Hall
as Rob Stephenson
Victor Cutler
as Woody Merrill
Claire Du Brey
as Mrs. Talburt - Perfume Customer (uncredited)
Pat Flaherty
as Salvage Foreman (uncredited)
Jackie Jackson
as A Boy (uncredited)
William H. O'Brien
as Nightclub Waiter (uncredited)
Bert Stevens
as Man at Airport / Dinner Guest (uncredited)
Marion Gray
as Department Store Customer (uncredited)
Jimmy Ames
as Jackie (uncredited)
Carol Andrews
as Saleswoman (uncredited)
Mary Arden
as Miss Barbour (uncredited)
Gertrude Astor
as Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Edward Biby
as Bank Dinner Guest (uncredited)
Harry Cheshire
as Minister at Wedding (uncredited)
Sidney Clute
as Drugstore Clerk (uncredited)
Tom Coleman
as Waiter (uncredited)
Joyce Compton
as Hat Check Girl (uncredited)
James Conaty
as Dinner Guest (uncredited)
Heinie Conklin
as Customer (uncredited)
Bert Conway
as ATC Sergeant (uncredited)
Clancy Cooper
as Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Mady Correll
as Announcer (uncredited)
Roy Darmour
as Parking Lot Attendant (uncredited)
Hal K. Dawson
as Man at Airport (uncredited)
Lawrence Dobkin
as Bank Customer with Hat (uncredited)
Lester Dorr
as Bar Patron (uncredited)
Tom Dugan
as Doorman (uncredited)
Dick Earle
Edward Earle
as Steese - Bank (uncredited)
Blake Edwards
as Corporal at ATC Counter (uncredited)
Billy Engle
Ben Erway
as Lou Latham - Bank (uncredited)
Doris June Fesetta
as Camera Girl (uncredited)
Tennessee Ernie Ford
as Nightclub/Hillbilly Singer (uncredited)
Louise Franklin
as Ladies' Room Attendant (uncredited)
Harry Gillette
as Card Player at Lucia's (uncredited)
Dick Gordon
as Maitre d'Hotel (uncredited)
Herschel Graham
Earle Hodgins
as Diner Attendant at Lucia's (uncredited)
Stuart Holmes
Ray Hyke
as Gus - Salvage Worker (uncredited)
John Ince
as Ryan - Bank Guard (uncredited)
Teddy Infuhr
as Dexter - Brat in Drugstore (uncredited)
Georgia Kane
as Singer (uncredited)
Robert Karnes
as Technical Sergeant (uncredited)
Kenner G. Kemp
Donald Kerr
as Steve the Bartender (uncredited)
Gene Krupa
as Musician - Drum Solo (archive footage) (uncredited)
Ethelreda Leopold
as Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Alyn Lockwood
as Counter Girl (uncredited)
Wilbur Mack
Susan Mann
Thomas Martin
Michael Mauree
as Glamour Girl (uncredited)
Doreen McCann
as A Girl (uncredited)
Peggy McIntyre
as Girl at Soda Fountain - Mollett Scene (uncredited)
Russell Meeker
Chef Milani
as Giuseppe - Lucia's Restaurant Proprietor (uncredited)
Harold Miller
as Wealthy Man at Nightclub (uncredited)
Ernesto Molinari
as Card Player (uncredited)
William Newell
as Waiter at Bank Dinner (uncredited)
Georgie Nokes
as One of Homer's 'Kids' (uncredited)
Joe Palma
Leo Penn
as ATC Corporal (uncredited)
Caleb Peterson
as Black Soldier at Airfield (uncredited)
Norman Phillips Jr.
as Clarence 'Sticky' Merkle (uncredited)
Jack Rice
as Apartment Desk Clerk (uncredited)
Suzanne Ridgway
as Girl at Table with Cliff (uncredited)
Mickey Roth
as Boy at Soda Fountain - Mollett Scene (uncredited)
Loretta Russell
Ruth Sanderson
as Mrs. Garrett (uncredited)
Ralph Sanford
as George H. Gibbons (uncredited)
Noreen Sayles
as Girl (uncredited)
Stephen Soldi
John Tyrrell
as Angus - Butch's Waiter (uncredited)
Amelita Ward
Jan Wiley
as Perfume Saleswoman (uncredited)
Marek Windheim
as Waiter at Lucia's Restaurant (uncredited)
Catherine Wyler
Judy Wyler
William Wyler
as Drug Store customer (uncredited)
Director
MacKinlay Kantor
Novel
Robert E. Sherwood
Screenplay
Samuel Goldwyn
Producer
Hugo Friedhofer
Original Music Composer
Gregg Toland
Director of Photography
Daniel Mandell
Editor
Perry Ferguson
Art Direction
George Jenkins
Irene Sharaff
Costume Design
Julia Heron
Set Decoration
Jonathan C. Boyle
Assistant Director
Larry Gannon
Sound
Gordon Sawyer
Supervising Sound Editor
John P. Fulton
Special Effects
Harry Redmond Sr.
Bill McLellan
Gaffer
Richard DeWeese
Sound Recordist
Robert Stephanoff
Makeup Artist
Marie Clark
Hairstylist
Emil Newman
Music Director