Robert Altman Director, Writer, Producer Paul Newman William F. 'Buffalo Bill' Cody Actor Burt Lancaster The Legend Maker , Ned Buntline Actor Joel Grey Nate Salisbury (Cody's partner) Actor Harvey Keitel Ed Goodman Actor Kevin McCarthy Maj. John M. Burke (general press agent) Actor Mike Kaplan The Treasurer , Jules Keen Actor Bert Remsen Crutch Actor Geraldine Chaplin Annie Oakley Actor John Considine Frank Butler Actor Frank Kaquitts Sitting Bull Actor Will Sampson The Interpreter , William Halsey Actor Robert Do 'Qui Oswald Dart Actor Denver Pyle McLaughlin (man who delivers Sitting Bull) Actor Pat McCormick The President of the United States , Grover Cleveland Actor Shelley Duvall The First Lady , Mrs. Cleveland Actor Evelyn Lear Nina Cavalini (singer) Actor Bonnie Leaders Margaret (Bill's woman [opera singer]) Actor Noelle Rogers The Lyric-Coloratura , Lucille DuCharme Actor Fred Larsen The King of the Cowboys , Buck Taylor Actor Arthur Kopit Writer Alan Rudolph Writer David Susskind Executive Producer Dino De Laurentiis Executive Producer Robert Eggenweiler Associate Producer Jac Cashin Associate Producer Scott Bushnell Associate Producer Paul Lohmann Cinematographer Peter Appleton Film Editing Dennis M. Hill Film Editing Richard Baskin Original Music Anthony Masters Production Design, Production Manager Jack Maxsted Art Director Dennis J. Parrish Set Decoration Anthony Powell Costume Design