<P> Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn) is indignant to find that the man (Percy Helton) assigned to play Santa in the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is intoxicated . When he complains to event director Doris Walker (Maureen O'Hara), she persuades Kris to take his place . He does so well, he is hired to play Santa at Macy's flagship New York City store on 34th Street . </P> <P> Ignoring instructions to steer parents to buy from Macy's, Kris directs one shopper (Thelma Ritter) to a competitor . Impressed, she tells Julian Shellhammer (Philip Tonge), head of the toy department, that she will become a loyal customer . </P> <P> Attorney Fred Gailey (John Payne), Doris's neighbor, takes the young divorcée's daughter Susan (Natalie Wood) to see Santa . Doris has raised her to not believe in fairy tales, but Susan is shaken after seeing Kris speak Dutch with a girl who does not know English . Doris asks Kringle to tell Susan that he is not Santa, but he insists that he is . </P> <P> Worried, Doris decides to fire him . However, Kris has generated so much positive publicity and goodwill for Macy's that Macy (Harry Antrim) promises Doris and Julian bonuses . To alleviate Doris's misgivings, Julian has Granville Sawyer (Porter Hall) administer a "psychological evaluation". Kris passes, and questions Sawyer's own mental health . </P>

Who played susie in miracle on 34th street