Ned Turner (played by John Huston) is a protagonist in Tentacles.
Ned Turner is a newspaper reporter investigating the deaths at Solana Beach. He suspects that the Trojan company's underwater tunnel construction is connected to the attacks and confronts Mr. Whitehead, who threatens him to abandon the story. His investigation helps expose the danger facing the resort and its residents. Will Gleason (played by Bo Hopkins) appears in Tentacles.
Will Gleason is a killer-whale trainer and marine expert who becomes the central investigator of the attacks. After divers working with him are killed, he determines that Trojan's excessive ultrasonic drilling has provoked the creature. He later risks his life to save Mike and leads his trained whales into the final confrontation. Mr. Whitehead (played by Henry Fonda) appears in Tentacles.
Mr. Whitehead owns the Trojan company, which is constructing an underwater tunnel near Solana Beach. When Ned Turner investigates a possible connection between the construction and the deaths, Whitehead threatens him and tries to suppress the inquiry. His company's drilling activity is identified as the cause of the marine attacks. Robards (played by Claude Akins) appears in Tentacles.
Robards is the local sheriff at Solana Beach, responsible for responding to the series of deaths at the seaside resort. At first he has no leads in the investigation, while Ned Turner develops a theory involving Trojan's construction and Will Gleason examines the marine cause of the attacks. Mike (played by Alan Boyd) appears in Tentacles.
Mike is a diver present during Will Gleason's final attempt to confront the attacking marine creature. When Mike is endangered, Gleason tries to save him while the trained killer whales move against the creature. His peril gives Gleason a direct rescue objective during the climactic confrontation.
Tentacles (1977) character relationship network mapped with AI analysis. Explore the connections, alliances, and conflicts between characters.
Characters
Ned Turner
(played by John Huston) — protagonist
Ned Turner is a newspaper reporter investigating the deaths at Solana Beach. He suspects that the Trojan company's underwater tunnel construction is connected to the attacks and confronts Mr. Whitehea...
Will Gleason
(played by Bo Hopkins) — supporting
Will Gleason is a killer-whale trainer and marine expert who becomes the central investigator of the attacks. After divers working with him are killed, he determines that Trojan's excessive ultrasonic...
Mr. Whitehead
(played by Henry Fonda) — supporting
Mr. Whitehead owns the Trojan company, which is constructing an underwater tunnel near Solana Beach. When Ned Turner investigates a possible connection between the construction and the deaths, Whitehe...
Robards
(played by Claude Akins) — minor
Robards is the local sheriff at Solana Beach, responsible for responding to the series of deaths at the seaside resort. At first he has no leads in the investigation, while Ned Turner develops a theor...
Mike
(played by Alan Boyd) — supporting
Mike is a diver present during Will Gleason's final attempt to confront the attacking marine creature. When Mike is endangered, Gleason tries to save him while the trained killer whales move against t...
Canonical Relationships
Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.
Ned Turner → Robards
(Professional Parallel Investigator)
Robards has no leads on the beach deaths, while Ned Turner independently suspects Trojan's underwater construction project.
Will Gleason → Mike
(Professional Teammate)
Mike is identified as another diver, and Will Gleason tries to save him during the final underwater confrontation.
Story Dynamics
Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.
Mr. Whitehead → Will Gleason
(Conflict Interrogator And Subject)
After more people die, Mr. Whitehead interrogates Will Gleason about the attacks and the underwater situation.
Ned Turner → Mr. Whitehead
(Conflict Adversary)
Ned Turner suspects Trojan's underwater tunnel is connected to the deaths, while Mr. Whitehead threatens him to stop investigating.
Story Analysis
A reporter and a marine expert uncover how an underwater construction project provokes a deadly coastal predator.
