Robert Caulfield (played by Elliott Gould) is a protagonist in Capricorn One.
A television journalist and friend of Elliot Whitter, Caulfield investigates the suspicious disappearance and uncovers evidence of the Mars hoax. After surviving a sabotaged car, a planted cocaine charge, and losing his job, he finds the abandoned base, hires Albain, rescues Brubaker, and helps expose the conspiracy at the memorial service. Kay Brubaker (played by Brenda Vaccaro) appears in Capricorn One.
Brubaker's wife, Kay appears in the televised exchange between the astronauts and their families. She notices that her husband's reference to a family vacation is wrong and explains the discrepancy to Caulfield, helping him recognize it as a deliberate message. She later sees Brubaker alive when he arrives at the memorial service. Elliot Whitter (played by Robert Walden) appears in Capricorn One.
An alert technician at mission control, Whitter notices that the crew's televised transmissions arrive before the spacecraft telemetry, revealing that the broadcast is being staged. After supervisors dismiss his concern as a workstation fault, he shares part of it with his journalist friend Caulfield and then mysteriously disappears. Dr. James Kelloway (played by Hal Holbrook) appears in Capricorn One.
The head of NASA and the central organizer of the deception, Kelloway tells the astronauts that a life-support failure would have killed them and forces them to fake the mission. He protects NASA funding and contractor profits through threats, orders the crew's elimination, and directs the pursuit of Brubaker. Albain (played by Telly Savalas) appears in Capricorn One.
Albain is a crop-dusting pilot hired by Caulfield to search the desert for evidence of the conspiracy. He and Caulfield follow helicopters to the isolated station where Brubaker is hiding, rescue the astronaut, and use crop spray to blind the pursuing helicopters during their escape.
Capricorn One (1977) character relationship network mapped with AI analysis. Explore the connections, alliances, and conflicts between characters.
Characters
Robert Caulfield
(played by Elliott Gould) — protagonist
A television journalist and friend of Elliot Whitter, Caulfield investigates the suspicious disappearance and uncovers evidence of the Mars hoax. After surviving a sabotaged car, a planted cocaine cha...
Kay Brubaker
(played by Brenda Vaccaro) — supporting
Brubaker's wife, Kay appears in the televised exchange between the astronauts and their families. She notices that her husband's reference to a family vacation is wrong and explains the discrepancy to...
Elliot Whitter
(played by Robert Walden) — minor
An alert technician at mission control, Whitter notices that the crew's televised transmissions arrive before the spacecraft telemetry, revealing that the broadcast is being staged. After supervisors...
Dr. James Kelloway
(played by Hal Holbrook) — supporting
The head of NASA and the central organizer of the deception, Kelloway tells the astronauts that a life-support failure would have killed them and forces them to fake the mission. He protects NASA fund...
Albain
(played by Telly Savalas) — supporting
Albain is a crop-dusting pilot hired by Caulfield to search the desert for evidence of the conspiracy. He and Caulfield follow helicopters to the isolated station where Brubaker is hiding, rescue the...
Canonical Relationships
Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.
Robert Caulfield → Albain
(Professional Employer And Pilot)
Robert hires Albain, a crop-dusting pilot, to search the desert for the surviving astronaut.
Robert Caulfield → Kay Brubaker
(Professional Source And Interviewer)
Robert interviews Kay after reviewing the televised conversation between the astronauts and their wives.
Dr. James Kelloway → Elliot Whitter
(Professional Supervisor)
Elliot reports the abnormal transmission timing to his supervisors, including Dr. Kelloway. Kelloway dismisses the concern as a faulty workstation.
Story Dynamics
Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.
Robert Caulfield → Elliot Whitter
(Social Friend)
Elliot partially shares his concerns with Robert, who is identified as a television journalist friend.
Robert Caulfield → Dr. James Kelloway
(Conflict Investigator And Adversary)
Robert investigates the disappearance of Elliot Whitter and the suspected Mars hoax. Dr. Kelloway is a senior figure in the conspiracy and later sees...
Story Analysis
A journalist uncovers a government-sponsored Mars hoax while the surviving participant struggles to escape and reveal the truth.
Plot Progression
The Mission Becomes a Lie
Signals of Betrayal
The Deadly Return
Clues Beneath the Broadcast
Truth Takes the Air
Directed by Peter Hyams
Capricorn One (1977) · 6.8/10 · action, drama, science-fiction, thriller
