Ethel Waters as Petunia Jackson

Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson as Joseph 'Little Joe' Jackson

Lena Horne as Georgia Brown

Louis Armstrong as The Trumpeter

Rex Ingram as Lucius / Lucifer Jr.

Kenneth Spencer as The General / Rev. Greene

John 'Bubbles' Sublett as Domino Johnson

Oscar Polk as The Deacon / Fleetfoot

Mantan Moreland as First Idea Man

Willie Best as Second Idea Man

Fletcher Rivers as Third Idea Man

Leon James Poke as Fourth Idea Man

Bill Bailey as Bill

Ford Washington Lee as Messenger Boy

Butterfly McQueen as Lily

Ruby Dandridge as Mrs. Kelso

Nick Stewart as Dude

Ernest Whitman as Jim Henry

Jules Adger as Specialty Dancer in Hell Sequence (uncredited)

Doris Ake as Dancer / Jim Henry Paradise Patron (uncredited)

Juliette Ball as Jim Henry's Paradise Patron (uncredited)

Lennie Bluett as Dancer / Jim Henry's Paradise Patron (uncredited)

Bernard Bradley as Specialty Dancer in Hell Sequence (uncredited)

Daisy Bufford as Dancer / Jim Henry's Paradise Patron (uncredited)

Jas. Burch as Specialty Dancer in Hell Sequence (uncredited)

Curry Lee Calmes as Specialty Dancer in Hell Sequence (uncredited)

Rita Christiani as Specialty Dancer in Hell Sequence / Jitterbugger (uncredited)

Vivian Dandridge as Dancer / Jim Henry's Paradise Patron (uncredited)

June Decuire as Specialty Dancer in Hell Sequence (uncredited)

Dorothea Durham as Dancer / Jim Henry's Paradise Patron (uncredited)

Duke Ellington as Duke Ellington (uncredited)

Byron Ellis as Specialty Dancer in Hell Sequence (uncredited)

Joel Fluellen as Mr. Kelso / Jim Henry's Paradise Patron (uncredited)

Louise Franklin as Dancer / Jim Henry's Paradise Patron (uncredited)

William Gillespie as Soloist in 'Little Black Sheep' (uncredited)

Suzette Harbin as Dancer / Jim Henry's Paradise Patron (uncredited)

Avanelle Harris as Dancer / Jim Henry's Paradise Patron (uncredited)

Kathleen Hartsfield as Dancer at Jim Henry's Paradise (uncredited)

Maggie Hathaway as Dancer / Jim Henry's Paradise Patron (uncredited)

Cleo Herndon as Dancer / Jim Henry's Paradise Patron (uncredited)

Lawaune Ingram as Specialty Dancer in Hell Sequence (uncredited)

Bobby Johnson as Specialty Dancer in Hell Sequence (uncredited)

Glenn Leedy as Boy in Church (uncredited)

Meade 'Lux' Lewis as Whistling Solo in 'Take a Chance on Love' (uncredited)

Juanita Moore as Nightclub Patron / Churchgoer (uncredited)

Tommie Moore as Dancer / Jim Henry's Paradise Patron (uncredited)

Jieno Moxzer as Specialty Dancer in Hell Sequence (uncredited)

Florence O'Brien as Dancer / Jim Henry's Paradise Patron (uncredited)

Neva Peoples as Dancer / Jim Henry Patron (uncredited)

Amanda Randolph as Churchgoer (uncredited)

Louise Ritchie as Specialty Dancer in Hell Sequence (uncredited)

Henry Phace Roberts as Dancer / Jim Henry's Paradise Patron (uncredited)

Carmencita Romero as Dancer / Jim Henry's Paradise Patron (uncredited)

Clinton Rosemond as Doctor (uncredited)

Archie Savage as Dancer / Jim Henry's Paradise Patron (uncredited)

Edward C. Short as Soloist in 'Little Black Sheep' (uncredited)

Johnny Thomas as Dancer / Jim Henry's Paradise Patron (uncredited)

Ernestine Wade as Churchgoer (uncredited)

Arthur Walker as Soloist in 'Little Black Sheep' (uncredited)

Artie Young as Specialty Dancer in Hell Sequence (uncredited)

Juano Hernández as Neighbor (uncredited)