7 Chilling Facts About The Rodney Alcala Dating Game Episode: The Killer Who Won On Live TV

The television footage is a terrifying time capsule, a moment of lighthearted entertainment that concealed a monstrous reality. In the fall of 1978, a man named Rodney Alcala appeared on the popular game show The Dating Game, charming the studio audience and winning a date with the beautiful bachelorette. What the host, the contestant, and millions of viewers did not know was that Alcala was already a convicted sexual predator and an active, prolific serial killer, earning him the infamous moniker: "The Dating Game Killer."

The recent surge in public interest, fueled by the 2023 Netflix film Woman of the Hour, has brought renewed focus to this chilling episode, highlighting the terrifying intuition of the woman who narrowly escaped becoming his next victim. This is a deep dive into the true events of that fateful television appearance and the dark legacy of the man behind Bachelor Number One.

Rodney Alcala: A Complete Biography and Profile

Rodney Alcala was one of America's most elusive and prolific serial killers, using his charm and profession as a photographer to lure countless victims. His life was a decades-long trail of violence that began well before his television appearance and continued for years until his final conviction.

• The One Where They Tanked Jokes 15 Shocking New Secrets From The Friends Tv Show Behind The Scenes G9zdh

• Full Name: Rodney James Alcala (Born: Rodrigo Jacques Alcala)
• Born: August 23, 1943, in San Antonio, Texas
• Died: July 24, 2021, at the age of 77, of natural causes while on death row in a California prison.
• Nickname: The Dating Game Killer
• Primary Convictions: Convicted of the murders of seven people: 12-year-old Robin Samsoe (1979) and five California women—Jill Barcomb (1977), Georgia Wixted (1977), Charlotte Lamb (1978), Jill Parenteau (1979), and Enietra Washington (1977). He was later linked and convicted for the 1974 murder of TWA flight attendant Cornelia Crilley in New York.
• Estimated Victims: While convicted of seven murders, police and prosecutors believe his actual victim count could be as high as 130 across multiple states, including New York, California, New Hampshire, and Washington.
• Key Evidence: A storage locker containing over 30,000 photographs of women and young boys, many of whom were believed to be his victims or potential victims.

The Fateful September 1978 Episode of The Dating Game

The episode of The Dating Game featuring Rodney Alcala as "Bachelor Number One" aired on September 13, 1978. This was not a random appearance; Alcala was in the middle of a brutal murder spree that had already claimed several lives, including 20-year-old Jill Barcomb and 27-year-old Georgia Wixted. His appearance on national television was a chilling act of brazenness.

1. Alcala’s Chilling On-Air Persona and Dialogue

The show's format, hosted by Jim Lange, required the bachelorette, Cheryl Bradshaw, to choose one of three unseen bachelors based solely on their answers to playful, suggestive questions. Alcala, who introduced himself as a successful photographer, used a smooth, confident, and somewhat theatrical persona to win the date.

When asked what he was called "in the privacy of his bedroom," Alcala responded with a line that would become instantly chilling in hindsight: "I'm a banana, and I'm going to peel you." His answers were often bizarre and unsettling, but delivered with a calculated charm that appealed to the audience.

• 5 Shocking Facts About Anna Congdon Penn State Sweetheart To Nfl Fiances Social Media Firestorm Cc90e

2. The Bachelorette Who Dodged a Bullet: Cheryl Bradshaw

Cheryl Bradshaw, an aspiring actress and the bachelorette of the episode, ultimately chose Rodney Alcala for the grand prize date—a trip to a ranch in California. However, upon meeting him backstage, her intuition immediately sounded an alarm.

Bradshaw later recounted that Alcala was "creepy" and gave off "bad vibes." She found his behavior and the look in his eyes disturbing, describing him as having a truly "weird" demeanor. Despite having chosen him on the air, she refused to go on the date, a decision that likely saved her life.

3. Alcala Was a Convicted Predator Before His TV Appearance

The most shocking element of the story is that Alcala was not just a killer, but a convicted sexual predator at the time of the taping. In 1968, he had abducted, raped, and severely beaten an 8-year-old girl named Tali Shapiro in Los Angeles. He served a short sentence but was released on parole. His appearance on a popular national TV show just ten years later highlights the critical failures in the criminal justice system and the lack of comprehensive background checks for television contestants in that era.

• Shania Twains Bold Statement Why The Star Chose Nude Photoshoots At 57 Qf9cg

The Discovery and Lingering Questions of The Dating Game Killer

Alcala's arrest in 1979 for the kidnapping and murder of 12-year-old Robin Samsoe finally brought an end to his reign of terror. It was only after his identity was revealed that the chilling connection to The Dating Game was made public, forever cementing his nickname.

4. The Crucial Role of Robin Samsoe’s Murder

The murder of Robin Samsoe in Huntington Beach, California, led police to Alcala. During the investigation, a parole officer recognized Alcala’s sketch from the Samsoe case, and a search warrant uncovered a trove of evidence, including the jewelry belonging to Samsoe and, most significantly, the thousands of photographs.

These photographs became the linchpin of the case, suggesting a far greater number of victims. Police released a selection of these photos to the public, hoping to identify the women and children in them, leading to connections with cold cases across the country.

5. The Netflix Film That Brought the Story Back: 'Woman of the Hour'

Decades after the event, the story of Cheryl Bradshaw and her extraordinary brush with death was adapted into the 2023 Netflix film Woman of the Hour, starring Anna Kendrick. The film powerfully dramatizes the atmosphere of the 1970s television show and the critical moments of doubt and fear that led Bradshaw to refuse the date. The movie serves as a modern reminder of the dangers lurking beneath a charming facade and the power of female intuition.

6. Why Serial Killers Seek Public Attention

Criminologists and forensic psychologists have often debated why a highly active serial killer like Alcala would risk exposure by appearing on a national television show. The consensus is that his appearance was driven by a classic serial killer trait: a profound sense of narcissism and a desire for control and recognition. The thrill of being on TV, successfully deceiving the public, and winning a date was a perverse extension of his power fantasy and ego.

7. The Lingering Mystery of the Unidentified Victims

Despite Alcala's death in 2021, the case remains open in many jurisdictions due to the thousands of photographs found in his possession. Authorities continue to work to identify the people in these photos, believing many of them may be victims or witnesses to his crimes. This ongoing investigation underscores the sheer scale of Alcala’s violence, which extended far beyond the seven murders for which he was convicted.

The Rodney Alcala Dating Game episode is a dark piece of pop culture history, a stark reminder that evil can wear a handsome face and a charming smile. The story of Cheryl Bradshaw remains a powerful testament to the value of trusting one's instincts, a split-second decision that saved her from becoming another footnote in the terrifying legacy of the Dating Game Killer.