Carroll O'Connor (who also wrote the teleplay) is cast as an Old Guard mayor running for a fourth term. Mariette Hartley. Cardinal Burke: Burgess Meredith. Robert: Patrick Wayne. Weinberg: Jack Carter. Norman Cass: Patrick O'Neal. Maeve: Kitty Wynn. Hack Wiles: Arthur Franz. Gorman: Brendan Dillon. Amos Force: John Anderson. Based on Edwin O'Connor's best seller.