When the President's plane mysteriously disappears with him on board, it is left to the seemingly weak Vice President to try to avert a nuclear exchange with the Chinese.

Buddy Ebsen
as Vice President Kermit Madigan

Peter Graves
as Mark Jones

Arthur Kennedy
as Gunther Damon

Raymond Massey
as Secretary of State Freeman Sharkey

Mercedes McCambridge
as Hester Madigan

Rip Torn
as George Oldenburg

Louise Sorel
as Joanna Spencer

James Wainwright
as Gen. Dunbar

Dabney Coleman
as Sen. Bert Haines

Joseph Campanella
as Col. Doug Henderson