Luchino Visconti	...	(Director)
Cesare Zavattini, Suso Cecchi D'Amico	...	(Writer)
Anna Magnani	...	Maddalena Cecconi
Walter Chiari	...	Alberto Annovazzi
Tina Apicella	...	Maria Cecconi
Gastone Renzelli	...	Spartaco Cecconi
Tecla Scarano	...	Tilde Spernanzoni
Lola Braccini	...	Photographer's Wife
Arturo Bragaglia	...	Photographer
Nora Ricci	...	Laundry Worker
Vittorina Benvenuti	...
Linda Sini	...	Mimmetta
Teresa Battaggi	...	Snob Mother
Gisella Monaldi	...	Door-keeper
Amalia Pellegrini	...
Luciana Ricci	...
Giuseppina Arena	...
Liliana Mancini	...	Iris (as Iris)
Alessandro Blasetti	...	Himself
Vittorio Glori	...	Himself
Mario Chiari	...	Himself
Luigi Filippo D'Amico	...	Himself (as Filippo Mercati)
George Tapparelli	...	Himself (as Geo Tapparelli)
Scuola di Ballo del Teatro dell'Opera	...	Le bambine
Orchestra Sinfonica della Radiotelevisione Italiana	...	Themselves - Orchestra (as del Coro e dell'Orchestra della R.A.I.)
Luciano Caruso	...	(uncredited)
Coro della Radiotelevisione Italiana	...	Themselves - Coro (as del Coro e dell'Orchestra della R.A.I.)
Michele Di Giulio	...	(uncredited)
Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della Rai	...	Themselves - Orchestra (as del Coro e dell'Orchestra della R.A.I.)
Mario Donatone	...	(uncredited)
Pietro Fumelli	...	(uncredited)
Lilly Marchi	...	(uncredited)
Franco Ferrara	...	Il direttore d'orchestra della R.A.I. (uncredited)
Anna Nighel	...	(uncredited)
Lina Rossoni	...	(uncredited)
Corrado Mantoni	...	Announcer (uncredited)
Sonia Marinelli	...	Young Girl (uncredited)
Guido Martufi	...	Young Boy at Hair-Dresser's Shop (uncredited)
Vittorio Musy Glori	...	Himself (uncredited)
Franco Mannino	...	Composer
Piero Portalupi	...	Cinematographer
Paul Ronald	...	Cinematographer
Mario Serandrei	...	Editor
Gianni Polidori	...	Production Designer
Piero Tosi	...	Custome Designer
Paolo Moffa	...	Production Manager
Alberto De Rossi	...	Makeup Artist
Orlando Orsini	...	Production Supervisor
Francesco Rosi	...	Assistant Director
Franco Zeffirelli	...	Assistant Director
Ovidio Del Grande	...	sound
Idelmo Simonelli	...	Camera Operator
Italo Tomassi	...	construction department head (uncredited)
Oberdan Troiani	...	Camera Operator

Summary: Film director Blasetti is looking for a little girl for his new movie. Along with other mothers, Maddelena takes her daugther to Cinecittà, hoping she'll be selected and become a star. She is ready to sacrifice anything for little Maria, even if her husband would prefer they save their little money for the rent, instead of paying teachers, hairdressers or bribes for her illusions.