| | | | Part I |
| 1 | Alva | Smith | An American socialite. |
| | Mrs. | Harmon | Lydia Roosevelt's acquaintance. |
| | Armide | Smith | Alva's older sister. |
| | Lydia | Roosevelt | A relative of one of the charity group founders. |
| | Hadley | Berg | Lydia Roosevelt's friend. |
| | Julia | | Alva's youngest sister. |
| | Katie | | A little girl whose mother was found dead. |
| 2 | Consuelo | Yznaga | Alva's closest friend since their childhood. |
| | Mr. | Yznaga | Consuelo's father. |
| | Murray | Smith | Alva's father. |
| | William K. | Vanderbilt | Consuelo's acquaintance.aka: W.K. |
| | Theresa | Fair | American socialite. Aka: Tessie. |
| | Mrs. | Fair | Theresa Fair's mother. |
| | Cornelius | Vanderbilt | W.K.'s grandfather. A commodore. |
| | Cornelius J. | Vanderbilt | W.K.'s uncle. Aka: C J. |
| | Phoebe | Smith | Alva's mother. |
| | Lulu | | A seamstress. |
| | Jennie | Jerome | An American-born British socialite. |
| | Winston | Churchill | Former British Prime Minister. |
| | Minnie | Stevens | Alva's acquaintance. |
| | Eugenie | | The last Empress of the French. |
| | Napoleon III | | The first President of France. Aka: Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte. |
| | Jane | Austen | A novelist. |
| | Ulysses S. | Grant | 18th U.S. President. |
| | Mr. | Fair | Theresa Fair's father. |
| | Corneil | | W.K.'s older brother. |
| | Margaret | Shepard | W.K.'s oldest sister. |
| | Emily | Vanderbilt | W.K.'s younger sister. |
| | Madame | Denis | Alva's favorite teacher. |
| 3 | Billy | Vanderbilt | W.K.'s father. |
| | Elizabeth | Bennett | Fictional character in the novel Pride and Prejudice. |
| | Mr. | Darcy | One of the two central characters in Jane Austen's novel. |
| | Mr. | Rochester | A controversial but key character in Jane Eyre. |
| | Jenny | Smith | Alva's sister. |
| | Alice | Vanderbilt | Corneil's wife. |
| | George | Vanderbilt | W.K.'s brother. |
| | Florence | Vanderbilt | W.K.'s sister. |
| | Lila | | W.K.'s sister. |
| | Miss | Astor | Florence's friend. |
| | William | Shakespeare | An English poet. |
| | William | Blake | An English poet, painter, and printmaker. |
| | William | Wordsworth | An English Romantic poet. |
| | William T. | Sherman | An American soldier, businessman, educator and author. |
| | William Henry II | | Alice and Corneil's oldest son. Aka: Bill. |
| | Cornelius lll | | Alice and Corneil's younger boy. Aka: Neily. |
| | Neily | | Alice and Corneil's first born. |
| | Little Alice | | Alice's daughter. |
| | Queen Victoria | | Former Queen of the United Kingdom. |
| | | Washburn | A Reverend. |
| | Mrs. | Washburn | The Reverend's wife. |
| | Mrs. | Buchanan | A dressmaker. |
| | Cornelia | Roosevelt | Isaac Roosevelt's daughter. |
| | Isaac | Roosevelt | American merchant and Federalist politician. |
| | Alexander | Hamilton | One of the Founding Fathers of the United States. |
| | Nevile Martin | Gwynne | A British writer. |
| | Mary | | Lulu's daughter. |
| | Mrs. | Coleman | An agency owner. |
| 4 | William | Astor | Mrs. Astor's husband. |
| | Caroline S. | Astor | An American socialite. |
| | Ward | McAllister | An attorney. |
| | P.T. | Barnum | An American showman. |
| | Madame | Whitaker | Alva's neighbor in Paris. |
| 5 | Gordon | Bennett | A yacht's owner. |
| | Sarah | | Ward McAllister's wife. |
| | Madame | Restell | A notorious abortionist. |
| | Carrie | Astor | Caroline Astor's daughter. |
| | James Van | Alen | A widow. |
| | Mr. | Drew | A musical artist. |
| | Jason | Gould | American railroad executive. |
| | Mr. | Carnegie. | An impressive Scotsman. |
| | Mrs. | Shaffer | A housekeeper. |
| | Miss | Donovan | A young talented seamstress. |
| | Cook | | A maid. |
| | Ranhofer | | A Chef . |
| | Matthew | Rock | A tailor. |
| | Martha | Washington | Former First Lady of the United States. |
| | Mrs. | Cooper | One of Caroline Astor's friends. |
| | Mrs. | Dresser | One of Caroline Astor's friends. |
| 6 | Mrs. | Vanderbilt | W.K.'s mother. |
| | Bridget | | A housemaid. |
| | Maxwell | | William's valet. |
| | Catherine ll | | Empress of Russia known as Catherine the Great. |
| | George | Montagu | 8th Duke of Manchester. Known as Viscount Mandeville. |
| | Clementine | Churchill | Winston Churchill's wife. Aka: Lady Churchill. |
| | Oliver | Belmont | W.K.'s friend. |
| | Matthew | Perry | American naval officer. |
| 8 | Frederick | | W.K.'s brother. Aka: Fred. |
| | Frank | | The Commodore Vanderbilt's second wife. |
| | Mrs. | Tufts | The Commodore's friend. |
| | Dr. | Deems | Commodore's friend. |
| | Dr. | Linsly | The Commodore's physician. |
| | Jane | | One of the Vanderbilt's relatives. |
| | Gertrude | | Alice and Corneil's newest child. |
| | Mrs. | Keillor | A baker. |
| | Sophia | | Gertrude's great-grandmother. |
| | Cornelius | Jeremiah | Mr. McAllister's old friend. |
| | Annalisa | Beekman | President of a Society for the Betterment of Working Children, |
| | Mabel | Crane | A new member of the society. |
| 9 | Consuelo | Vanderbilt | Alva and W.K.'s daughter. |
| | William | Montagu | George and Consuelo's son. Aka: Kim. |
| 10 | Ellen | | One of the nurses. |
| | Bryn | | One of the nurses. |
| | Fernando | | Lady C.'s brother. |
| | August | | Oliver's brother. |
| | Richard | Hunt | An architect. |
| | | | Part II |
| 1 | Calvert | Vaux | American architect. |
| | Frederick | Law Olmsted | The father of American landscape architecture. |
| | Alexander T. | Stewart | American entrepreneur. |
| | Mrs. | Stewart | Alexander Stewart's wife. |
| | John D. | Rockefeller | An American business magnate and
philanthropist. |
| | Catherine | de Medici | Queen consort of France. |
| | Alice Eleanor | | Lady C's daughter. |
| | Jacqueline | | Alice Eleanor Louise's twin sister. |
| | Catherine | Hunt | Richard Hunt's wife. |
| 2 | Albert | | Prince of Wales, Queen Victoria's eldest son. Aka: Bertie. |
| | Emily | Bronte | English novelist and poet. |
| | Jules | Allard | One of the most notable interior decorators. |
| | Willie | | Alva's son. |
| | King Henry VIII | | Former King of England. |
| | King Francis I | | King of France. |
| | Queen Claude | | Queen of France. |
| | Anne | Boleyn | Queen of England. |
| | Muhammad | | Religious leader. |
| 3 | Sallie | Whiting | Miss Astor's good friend. |
| | Edith | Jones | Mary Mason Jones' niece. |
| | Mary | Mason Jones | An aficionado of French architecture. |
| | Oliver | Hazard Perry | Oliver Belmont's great-uncle. |
| | Dr. George | Terry | Uncle C.J.'s friend. |
| 4 | Abraham | Lincoln | 16th U.S. President. |
| | Orme | Wilson | Miss Astor's fiance. |
| | Emily | Astor | Mrs. Astor's older daughter. |
| | Eric | | Alva's footman. |
| 5 | Mr. | Klunder | A florist. |
| | Elisabeth | de Rothschild | A baroness. A member by marriage of the Rothschild family. |
| | Mohammed VI | | The King of Morocco. |
| | Katharine | | Duchess of Kent. |
| | Marie Louise | Vassey | Ward's acquaintance. |
| | Caitlyn | | Lady C's maid. |
| | Alexandre | Cabanel | A French painter. |
| | Marie Claire | de Cro y | Duchess of Havre. |
| | Anthony | van Dyck | A Flemish Baroque artist. |
| | Jose | de Madrazo | A Spanish painter and engraver. |
| | Marguerite | de Valois | Queen of Navarre. |
| | Louis XVI | | King of France. |
| | Joseph B. | de La Mole | A French nobleman. |
| | Mr. | Edison | Electrical wiring expert. |
| 6 | Cardinal | Richelieu | A French clergyman and statesman. |
| | Cimabue | | An Italian painter and designer of mosaics from Florence. |
| | Louise | | Mrs. Belmont's maid. |
| | Thomas | Jefferson | 3rd U.S. President. |
| | Sir Francis | Galton | The scientist who advocates purposeful breeding. |
| 7 | Harold | | Alva's new baby. |
| | Reggie | Vanderbilt | Alice's son. |
| | Mrs. | Jones | The Vanderbilt's acquaintance. |
| | Hohann | von Goethe | A German writer and statesman. |
| | Queen Anne | | Queen of Great Britain. |
| | Pierre J. | Lorillard IV | An American tobacco manufacturer. |
| | William | Astor | Caroline's nephew. |
| | John Jacob | Astor III | A philanthropist and a prominent member of the Astor family. |
| | Herman | Oelrichs | Miss Theresa Fair's husband. |
| | Harry | Brook | Lydia Roosevelt's husband. |
| | Mr. | Sargent | A portraitist. |
| | Mr. | Wilde | A writer. |
| | Mr. | Chaplin | An artist. |
| | Harry | Lehr | A pianist, singer. |
| 8 | Rando[ph | Churchill | A British journalist, writer. |
| | Mr. | Rosa | An art teacher. |
| | Glady | | Alice's youngest daughter. |
| | Samuel | Ashe | Governor of North Carolina. |
| | Fred | Olmsted | An American landscape architect. |
| | | | Part III |
| 1 | Evelyn | | Alva's housekeeper. |
| | Charlotte | | An Astor girl who had a flaming love with Hallet Borowe. |
| | James | Drayton | Charlotte's husband. |
| | Hallett | Borrowe | One of the best known Rough riders. |
| 2 | Samuel | Clemens | American writer known by his pen name Mark Twain. |
| | Azar | | Oliver's manservant. |
| | Esther | Hunt | Richard Hunt's daughter. |
| | Louis XV | | King of France. |
| | Madame de | Pompadour | The official chief mistress of Louis XV. |
| | Jules Gabriel | Verne | A French novelist |
| | Alice | Roosevelt | Teddy Roosevelt's wife. |
| | Theodore | Roosevelt | 26th U.S. President. Aka: Teddy. |
| | Pierpont | Morgan | An American financier and banker. |
| | Mrs. | Morgan | Pierpont Morgan's mistress. |
| 3 | Captain | Morrison | A crewman. |
| | Mamie | Fish | Alva's friend. |
| | Stuyvesant | Fish | Mamie's husband. Aka: Stuyvie. |
| | Stanford | White | An American architect. |
| | Alice | Montagu | Lady C's daughter. |
| | May Alva | Montagu | Lady C's daughter. |
| 4 | Colonel | Jay | Alva's acquaintance. |
| | Lucy | Jay | Colonel Jay's wife. |
| | Colonel | Mann | An opportunist. |
| | Grover | Cleveland | 22nd U.S. President. |
| 5 | Henry | James | An American-British author. |
| | Miss | Archer | Osmond's wife. |
| | Miss | Harper | The governess. |
| | Winthrop | Rutherfurd | An American socialite. Aka: Winty. |
| | Moses | | A prophet. |
| | William | Wordsworth | An English Romantic poet. |
| | Gilbert | Osmond | An American expatriate living in Italy. |
| | Vicereine | Lansdowne | Viceroy's wife. The Lady Lansdowne. |
| | Viceroy | Lansdowne | The governor general, a marquess. |
| | Titian | | An Italian painter |
| | Rembrandt | | A Dutch painter. |
| | Jean-Antoine | Watteau | A French painter. |
| | Lord Henry | | Lady Lansdowne's son. |
| | Lady Alberta | Churchill | Lady Lansdowne's sister. |
| | Lillian | Price | A New York millionaire's widow. |
| | Charles | Churchill | 9th Duke of Marlborough. |
| | Matthew C. | Perry | An American naval officer. |
| 6 | Helene | de Pourtales | An American who became a Swiss sailor. |
| | Monsieur | Worth | A dress shop owner. |
| | Monsieur | Widor | An organist. |
| | Melanie | de Pourtales | A French salonniére and courtier. |
| | Francis Joseph | | A Prince considered for the throne of Bulgaria. |
| | Beatrice | | A member of the British royal family. |
| | Ferdinand | | A member of the British royal family. |
| | Marie | Antoinette | The last Queen of France before the French Revolution. |
| | Victoria | Woodhull | An American leader of the women's suffrage movement. |
| 7 | Lady | Paget | Alva's friend. |
| | Winston | | Jennie's son. |
| | Nellie | Neustretter | Alleged mistress of W.K. Vanderbilt. |
| | Joseph | Choate | Alva's attorney. |
| | Laura | Davies | Mamie Fish's friend. |
| | Andrew | Carnegie | An American industrialist, and philanthropist. |
| | Cleopatra | | The last active ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt. |
| 8 | Grace | Wilson | A young woman who had once been attached to Bill. |
| | John | Churchill | The first Duke of Marlborough. |
| 9 | Harry | Whitney | Gertrude's new fiancé. |
| | William | Bryan | Former United States Secretary of State. |
| | Josephine | Redding | Vogue magazine's editor in chief. |
| | Littlejohn | | A Bishop. |
| 10 | Mr. | Barnum | An American showman, politician, and businessman. |
| | Birdie | | Tessie Oelrichs's youngest sister. |
| | Caleb | Taylor | An attorney. Mary's husband. |
| | Edith | Wharton | An American novelist. |
| | Charles de | Fontenilliat | Julia's husband. |
| | | | Part IV |
| 1 | Kitty | Mackay | Consuelo's school friend. |
| | Carrie | Catt | One of the panelists. |
| | Ida | Tarbell | One of the panelists. |
| | John | Rockefeller | An American business magnate and philanthropist. |
| | Mary | Ellen | One of the speakers. |
| | Mrs. | Aubrey | One of the speakers. |
| | Christabel | Pankhurst | Co-founder of the Women's Social and Political Union. |
| | Vess | Ossman | A recording artist. |
| | William | McKinley | 25th U.S. President. |
| | Dr. | Bull | One of Oliver's physician. |
| | Dr. | McCosh | One of Oliver's physician. |
| | Dr. | Lanehart | One of Oliver's physician. |
| 2 | Emmeline | Pankhurst | British activist. |
