The spooky season arrives with a film that’s already making waves: Woman of the Hour, a chilling thriller inspired by real events. As unbelievable as it sounds, this movie is based on the Rodney Alcala’s story, a serial killer who once appeared on a dating reality show similar to The Bachelor.
The Chilling True Story Behind Woman of the Hour
Directed by and starring Anna Kendrick (known for Twilight and Pitch Perfect), the film follows Cheryl Bradshaw, an aspiring actress who, in the 1970s, participated in a dating show unaware that one of the contestants, Rodney Alcala, would go on to be remembered as one of the most notorious serial killers in the U.S.
Rodney Alcala, born as Rodrigo Jacques Alcala Buquor on August 23, 1943, in San Antonio, Texas, was responsible for at least five confirmed murders in California between 1977 and 1979, although it’s suspected that the actual number of victims could exceed 100.
Over the years, Alcala was arrested multiple times for violent crimes, including the sexual assault of an 8-year-old girl in 1971. Despite being convicted, he was released in 1974 and resumed his criminal activities.
Between 1977 and 1979, he carried out a string of murders that shocked California. His final arrest came in 1990, when he was sentenced to death for the murder of 12-year-old Robin Samsoe and several other victims.
Alcala died in 2021 of natural causes while awaiting execution at San Quentin State Prison in California.
How Did He End Up on The Dating Game?
In September 1978, Alcala appeared on the popular TV show The Dating Game, introduced as “Bachelor Number One,” a “successful photographer.” At the time, the show’s producers didn’t conduct background checks, so no one knew that Alcala was already a convicted rapist and suspected of multiple murders.
Although he won a date with contestant Cheryl Bradshaw, she sensed something off about him and decided not to go. This decision, many believe, likely saved her life. “I can’t go out with this guy,” Bradshaw told Ellen Metzger, the show’s coordinator, after feeling extremely uncomfortable around him.
What’s most terrifying about his appearance on the reality show is that by that time, Alcala had already committed several horrific crimes.
This article was originally written in Spanish by Alan Cruz in Cultura Colectiva.
