Quincy Drew and Jason O’Rourke, a pair of friends and con men—the former white, the latter a Northern-born free Black man— travel from town to town in the pre–Civil War American West. In their scam, Quincy sells Jason into slavery, frees him, and the two move on to the next town of suckers . . . until a con gone wrong leads Jason into real danger.
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
 James GarnerQuincy Drew | Quincy Drew |
 Louis Gossett Jr.Jason O'Rourke | Jason O'Rourke |
 Susan ClarkGinger | Ginger |
 Brenda SykesNaomi | Naomi |
 Ed AsnerPlunkett | Plunkett |
 Andrew DugganHoward Calloway | Howard Calloway |
 Henry JonesSam Cutler | Sam Cutler |
 Neva PattersonMrs. Claggart | Mrs. Claggart |
 Parley BaerMr. Claggart | Mr. Claggart |
 George TyneHenry P.Bonner | Henry P.Bonner |
 Royal DanoJohn Brown | John Brown |
 J. Pat O'MalleyWilliam | William |
 Joel FluellenUncle Abram | Uncle Abram |
 Napoleon WhitingNed | Ned |
 Juanita MooreViney | Viney |
 Bob SteeleBidder (uncredited) | Bidder (uncredited) |
 Dort ClarkPennypacker | Pennypacker |
 Robert FoulkSheriff | Sheriff |
 Athena LordeMargaret | Margaret |
 George D. WallaceAuctioneer | Auctioneer |
 James McCallionStanfil | Stanfil |
| TTracy BogartLizabeth | Lizabeth |
 Mary RingsEmaline | Emaline |
 Jason Wingreen2nd Speaker | 2nd Speaker |
| BBill TerrellThe Songhais | The Songhais |
 Richard FarnsworthMan in Saloon fight (uncredited) | Man in Saloon fight (uncredited) |
 Claude StroudFred (uncredited) | Fred (uncredited) |