In 1978, Cheryl Bradshaw participated in “The Dating Game,” unknowingly selecting Rodney Alcala, a serial killer, as her date. While Bradshaw escaped unharmed from their brief interaction, many of Alcala’s victims were not so fortunate. Convicted of killing six women and one girl during the 1970s, Alcala is believed to have possibly murdered over 100 individuals.
Bradshaw’s experience with Alcala served as the inspiration for “Woman of the Hour,” a psychological thriller set to be released on Netflix on October 18. The film stars Anna Kendrick as Bradshaw and Daniel Zovatto as Alcala, marking Kendrick’s debut as a director. The narrative delves into Alcala’s horrific crimes and highlights the stories of his victims.
Kendrick described the research process as chilling, reflecting on how often Alcala managed to evade justice. She expressed anger at the systemic failures that allowed him to continue his crimes. “It makes me enraged sometimes… I hoped to capture that feeling of disbelief about how he keeps getting away with it,” she commented.
Who was Rodney Alcala? Alcala, born in 1943 in San Antonio, was a convicted murderer and sex offender. Though officially convicted of seven murders, authorities suspect he may be linked to as many as 130 deaths across several states. Alcala enlisted in the U.S. Army at 17 but was discharged for sexual misconduct and mental health issues. He later attended UCLA and worked as a typesetter.
His first criminal conviction occurred in 1968 when he abducted and assaulted an 8-year-old girl, Tali Shapiro. Alcala was later arrested after being recognized by campers while using a false name in New Hampshire. He accepted a plea deal for child molestation, registered as a sex offender, and was eventually convicted for multiple murders throughout the 1970s.
In 1980, Alcala was sentenced to death for the murder of 12-year-old Robin Samsoe. Although his conviction was overturned multiple times, he was finally sentenced to death again in 2010 for Samsoe’s murder and for killing four other women. He was also convicted of murders in New York in 2012.
Authorities uncovered over 100 photos of unidentified women and children in a storage locker connected to Alcala. Some of these images led to the identification of other potential victims, including Christine Ruth Thornton, who went missing in 1977.
Alcala appeared on “The Dating Game” in 1978, where he was introduced as a “successful photographer.” During the show, he engaged in flirtatious banter with Bradshaw, who was eventually unsettled by his demeanor and canceled their date. Other contestants also noted Alcala’s eerie behavior.
Rodney Alcala died of natural causes at the age of 77 on July 24, 2021, while on death row in California. Authorities continued to link him to numerous other murders across various states.