Gerardo, an aspiring actor, trying unsuccessfully to cross over from comedy to tragedy, is involved, due to his ability to mimic dialects of Italy, in a scam concocted by Lallo against a rich cloth-merchant.
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
 Vittorio GassmanGerardo Latini | Gerardo Latini |
 Anna Maria FerreroAnnalisa Rauseo | Annalisa Rauseo |
 Fosco GiachettiGeneral Benito Mesci | General Benito Mesci |
 Luigi PaveseL'industriale | L'industriale |
 Dorian GrayElena | Elena |
 Mario CarotenutoLallo Cortina | Lallo Cortina |
 Alberto BonucciGloria Patri | Gloria Patri |
 Nando BrunoRestaurant Owner | Restaurant Owner |
 Linda SiniLaura | Laura |
 Peppino De FilippoChinotto | Chinotto |
 FanfullaSor Annibale | Sor Annibale |
 Mario ScacciaIl gioielliere | Il gioielliere |
 Armando BandiniIl ragioniere | Il ragioniere |
| SSalvatore CafieroNot listed | Not listed |
| PPiera AricoNot listed | Not listed |
 Aldo Bufi LandiNot listed | Not listed |
 Enrico GloriNot listed | Not listed |
 Mario FreraNot listed | Not listed |
| GGiuseppe TransocchiWedding Guest (uncredited) | Wedding Guest (uncredited) |