The Chilling True Story: 5 Terrifying Facts About The Dating Game Killer In 'Woman Of The Hour'

The film Woman of the Hour, directed by and starring Anna Kendrick, has brought a terrifying 1978 true crime story back into the spotlight as of late 2024. It chronicles the unbelievable-but-true encounter between a young woman named Cheryl Bradshaw and one of America’s most prolific serial killers, Rodney Alcala, who appeared as a charming bachelor on the popular television show, The Dating Game. This article dives deep into the real-life events, the key players, and the chilling details that make this story a crucial piece of true crime history.

The core of the story is an extraordinary moment of intuition that saved a life. On the surface, it was a lighthearted TV show; beneath it, a predator was hunting. The film serves as a fresh, modern retelling, but the facts of the case—the sheer audacity of a serial killer on national television—remain as shocking today as they were in the late 1970s.

The Real 'Woman of the Hour' and The Dating Game Killer: Key Biographies

The story is a chilling intersection of two lives: the unsuspecting contestant and the calculating murderer. Understanding their backgrounds provides the necessary context for the fateful episode.

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Cheryl Bradshaw: The Contestant Who Followed Her Gut

• Role in the Story: The bachelorette on a 1978 episode of The Dating Game. She was tasked with choosing one of three bachelors for a date based only on their answers to her questions.
• The Fateful Choice: Bradshaw ultimately chose Bachelor Number One, Rodney Alcala, to be her date.
• The Life-Saving Decision: Despite choosing him on air, she refused to go on the actual date after the show. She later stated that she found Alcala "creepy" and "gave off a bad vibe," a feeling that likely saved her life.
• Current Status: Bradshaw is a private citizen and has largely remained out of the public eye since the incident, though her story is central to the film.

Rodney Alcala: The Dating Game Killer

• Full Name: Rodney James Alcala (also used aliases John Berger and John Burger).
• Born: August 23, 1943.
• Died: July 24, 2021 (at age 77) while on Death Row in California.
• Crimes: Serial killer, convicted sex offender, and photographer. He was convicted of seven murders but is suspected of committing over 100 murders.
• Modus Operandi: Alcala often posed as a photographer to lure young women. Authorities found a storage locker belonging to him containing over 1,000 photographs of women and girls, many of whom have never been identified.
• Convictions: He was convicted of the murders of Jill Barcomb (1977), Jill Parenteau, Georgia Wixted, Charlotte Lamb, and the rape/murder of 12-year-old Robin Samsoe (1979). He was later linked to the murders of Cornelia Crilley and Ellen Hover in New York.

5 Terrifying Facts That Prove Truth is Stranger Than Fiction

The details surrounding Alcala’s appearance on The Dating Game and his subsequent capture are what give the true story its enduring, horrifying appeal. These facts highlight the sheer luck and sharp intuition that prevented another tragedy.

1. Rodney Alcala Was in the Middle of His Murder Spree

When Alcala appeared on *The Dating Game* in 1978, he was not a reformed criminal or a man hoping to turn his life around; he was actively committing murder. His appearance on the show occurred between the known murders of several women. The timing is chilling:

• His first confirmed murder, that of 18-year-old Jill Barcomb, occurred in 1977.
• His appearance on the show was in September 1978.
• He murdered 12-year-old Robin Samsoe in June 1979, the crime for which he was initially convicted.

2. The Contestant Refused the Date Because He Was 'Creepy'

Cheryl Bradshaw’s refusal to go on the date with Alcala is the pivotal moment that inspired the film's title and narrative. After the cameras stopped rolling, Bradshaw told the show’s producer that she couldn't go through with the date. She later described Alcala as "weird" and said she was put off by his responses and his overall demeanor, which she perceived as "creepy." Her spontaneous, gut-level decision to back out of the prize—a day at Knott’s Berry Farm—was a decision that almost certainly saved her from becoming his next victim.

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3. Alcala’s Background Was Already Suspicious

In a bizarre oversight, the show’s producers failed to thoroughly vet Alcala, or perhaps ignored the red flags. By 1978, Alcala had already been arrested for the attempted rape and assault of 8-year-old Tali Shapiro in 1968. He had served some time but was released on parole. Had a more rigorous background check been performed, his history of violence against women and children would have been immediately apparent, preventing his national television appearance.

4. He Was a Prolific Photographer Who Used His Hobby to Lure Victims

Alcala's passion for photography was not an innocent hobby; it was a lethal tool. He often approached young women and girls in public places, offering to take their pictures for his portfolio. This tactic allowed him to isolate and gain the trust of his victims. After his arrest, police discovered a massive collection of over 1,000 photos of women and children in a storage locker in Seattle. Authorities used these images for years in an attempt to identify additional victims, highlighting the terrifying scope of his crimes.

5. The Case Was Solved Decades Later Thanks to DNA Technology

While Alcala was initially convicted of Robin Samsoe's murder in 1980, the conviction was overturned twice on appeal. It wasn't until 2010 that he was finally convicted of five murders from the 1970s (Jill Barcomb, Georgia Wixted, Charlotte Lamb, Jill Parenteau, and Robin Samsoe). The key to the final convictions was the use of modern DNA technology, which linked him definitively to the victims. His death sentence was later extended to include the New York murders of Cornelia Crilley and Ellen Hover. This use of forensic science finally brought justice to his victims' families decades after the crimes.

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The Enduring Legacy of The Dating Game Killer

The story of Rodney Alcala and Cheryl Bradshaw remains a profound cautionary tale about the banality of evil and the power of female intuition. The film Woman of the Hour, starring Anna Kendrick as the quick-thinking contestant, serves as a powerful reminder that danger can hide in plain sight, even under the bright lights of a television studio. The case has generated significant topical authority in the true crime genre, leading to multiple documentaries, books, and now, a major motion picture.

The true story is a stark contrast between a man who presented himself as a charming bachelor and the monster who had already brutally murdered multiple people across the country. The fact that the "Woman of the Hour" trusted her gut feeling, despite the lure of a free date and the pressure of a live audience, is why her story continues to be told and celebrated today. It is a testament to the instinctual self-preservation that saved her from becoming one of Alcala's many victims.