Television will never be the same.
When veteran anchorman Howard Beale is forced to retire his 25-year post because of his age, he announces to viewers that he will kill himself during his farewell broadcast. Network executives rethink their decision when his fanatical tirade results in a spike in ratings.
Faye Dunaway Diana Christensen
William Holden Max Schumacher
Peter Finch Howard Beale
Robert Duvall Frank Hackett
Ned Beatty Arthur Jensen
Beatrice Straight Louise Schumacher
Wesley Addy Nelson Chaney
Arthur Burghardt Great Ahmed Kahn
Bill Burrows TV Director
John Carpenter George Bosch
Jordan Charney Harry Hunter
Kathy Cronkite Mary Ann Gifford
Ed Crowley Joe Donnelly
Jerome Dempsey Walter C. Amundsen
Conchata Ferrell Barbara Schlesinger
Gene Gross Milton K. Steinman
Stanley Grover Jack Snowden
Cindy Grover Caroline Schumacher
Darryl Hickman Bill Herron
Mitchell Jason Arthur Zangwill
Paul Jenkins TV Stage Manager
Ken Kercheval Merrill Grant
Kenneth Kimmins Associate Producer
Lynn Klugman TV Production Assistant
Carolyn Krigbaum Max's Secretary
Zane Lasky Audio Man
Michael Lipton Tommy Pellegrino
Michael Lombard Willie Stein
Pirie MacDonald Herb Thackeray
Russ Petranto TV Associate Director
Bernard Pollock Lou
Roy Poole Sam Haywood
William Prince Edward George Ruddy
Sasha von Scherler Helen Miggs
Lane Smith Robert McDonough
Ted Sorel Giannini
Fred Stuthman Mosaic Figure
Cameron Thomas TV Technical Director
Marlene Warfield Laureen Hobbs
Lydia Wilen Hunter's Secretary
Lee Richardson Narrator (voice)
Lance Henriksen Network Lawyer at Khan's Place (uncredited)
Robert P. Cohen Window Person (uncredited)
Andrew Duncan Agent (uncredited)
Todd Everett Reporter (uncredited)
John Gabriel TV Anchor Reporting Beale's Suicide Threat (uncredited)
Raymond Martino Window Person (uncredited)
John Pashley Cameraman (uncredited)
Michael Tucker Man at Desk (uncredited)
John Chancellor Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Walter Cronkite Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Betty Ford Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Gerald Ford Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Howard K. Smith Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
David Susskind Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Faye DunawayDiana Christensen
- William HoldenMax Schumacher
- Peter FinchHoward Beale
- Robert DuvallFrank Hackett
- Ned BeattyArthur Jensen
- Beatrice StraightLouise Schumacher
- Wesley AddyNelson Chaney
- Arthur BurghardtGreat Ahmed Kahn
- Bill BurrowsTV Director
- John CarpenterGeorge Bosch
- Jordan CharneyHarry Hunter
- Kathy CronkiteMary Ann Gifford
- Ed CrowleyJoe Donnelly
- Jerome DempseyWalter C. Amundsen
- Conchata FerrellBarbara Schlesinger
- Gene GrossMilton K. Steinman
- Stanley GroverJack Snowden
- Cindy GroverCaroline Schumacher
- Darryl HickmanBill Herron
- Mitchell JasonArthur Zangwill
- Paul JenkinsTV Stage Manager
- Ken KerchevalMerrill Grant
- Kenneth KimminsAssociate Producer
- Lynn KlugmanTV Production Assistant
- Carolyn KrigbaumMax's Secretary
- Zane LaskyAudio Man
- Michael LiptonTommy Pellegrino
- Michael LombardWillie Stein
- Pirie MacDonaldHerb Thackeray
- Russ PetrantoTV Associate Director
- Bernard PollockLou
- Roy PooleSam Haywood
- William PrinceEdward George Ruddy
- Sasha von ScherlerHelen Miggs
- Lane SmithRobert McDonough
- Ted SorelGiannini
- Fred StuthmanMosaic Figure
- Cameron ThomasTV Technical Director
- Marlene WarfieldLaureen Hobbs
- Lydia WilenHunter's Secretary
- Lee RichardsonNarrator (voice)
- Lance HenriksenNetwork Lawyer at Khan's Place (uncredited)
- Robert P. CohenWindow Person (uncredited)
- Andrew DuncanAgent (uncredited)
- Todd EverettReporter (uncredited)
- John GabrielTV Anchor Reporting Beale's Suicide Threat (uncredited)
- Raymond MartinoWindow Person (uncredited)
- John PashleyCameraman (uncredited)
- Michael TuckerMan at Desk (uncredited)
- John ChancellorSelf (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Walter CronkiteSelf (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Betty FordSelf (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Gerald FordSelf (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Howard K. SmithSelf (archive footage) (uncredited)
- David SusskindSelf (archive footage) (uncredited)