Anna Kendrick’s “Woman of the Hour,” in which she makes her directorial debut and stars, premieres on Netflix on Oct. 18. It follows the real-life, tragic trail of deaths left by serial killer and sex offender Rodney Alcala in the ’70s while he was also able to become a contender of the popular game show “The Dating Game.”
Kendrick stars as Cheryl Bradshaw, who was the leading lady on a 1978 episode of “The Dating Game,” where Alcala was cast as one of her suitors and won. After being introduced to Alcala, Bradshaw decided it was best not to meet up with him since he made her uncomfortable.
In 1979, Alcala was arrested and convicted of five murders between 1977-1979. He also pleaded guilty to two murders in New York and has been linked to others, but the true number of his victims could be much higher. He was arrested and sentenced to death in California for the rape and murder of a 12-year-old girl named Robin Samsoe. Before his appearance on “The Dating Show,” Alcala had already served three years in prison for child molestation and was on the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted Fugitives List for fleeing California after raping and assaulting an eight-year-old.
After being sentenced to death three times, Alcala died of natural causes in prison in 2021 at age 77.
The movie “Woman of the Hour” was written by Ian McDonald and produced by Miri Yoon, Roy Lee, Raphael Margules, and J. D. Lifshitz. See the cast below.
Cheryl Bradshaw
Image Credit: Netflix Anna Kendrick stars as the “The Dating Game” participant Cheryl Bradshaw, who won a date with Rodney Alcala in 1978. Ellen Metzger, the contestant coordinator of the show at the time, said on an episode of ABC’s “20/20″ that Bradshaw called her after being introduced to Alcala and said, “‘Ellen, I can’t go out with this guy. There’s weird vibes that are coming off of him. He’s very strange. I am not comfortable.”
Rodney Alcala
Image Credit: Netflix Daniel Zovatto embodies the serial killer Alcala who was sentenced to death in California after being found guilty of raping and murdering seven women between 1977 and 1979. Authorities estimate the real number to be around 130 victims. He appeared and won “The Dating Game,” while having a warrant out for his arrest for the attempted murder of an eight-year-old.
Ed Burke/Jim Lange
Image Credit: Netflix Tony Hale plays game show host Ed Burke, who’s based on “The Dating Game” host Jim Lange.
Charlie
Image Credit: Netflix Kathryn Gallagher plays a version of Alcala’s victim Cornelia Crilley, who was murdered in June 1971. She was a 23-year-old flight attendant strangled by her stockings in her apartment in Manhattan. Her death was linked to Alcala once he was already on death row when the bite marks on her breasts and the saliva DNA on her body matched his.
Sarah
Image Credit: Netflix Kelley Jakle plays an embodiment of a victim inspired by Christine Ruth Thornton. Thornton was on a road trip with her boyfriend from Texas to Montana when they fought and split up. At some point, she met a photographer, Alcala, who murdered her and left her remains in the Wyoming plains that were discovered five years later by a rancher. Thornton was pregnant at the time.
Runaway Teen
Image Credit: Netflix Autumn Best plays “Amy” a fictional version of the real-life runaway teen who survived an encounter with Alcala. The movie claims she did so by asking him “to keep the encounter a secret.” The role is based on a teen whose identity remains undisclosed because she was a minor. However, there are two possible inspirations for the role: survivor Tali Shapiro, who was sexually assaulted by Alcala at the age of eight, and Morgan Rowan, who was also attacked and abused at 16.
Bachelor #1 & Bachelor #2
Image Credit: Netflix Jedidiah Goodacre and Matt Visser play the two contestants who went up against Alcala in the Sept. 13, 1978 episode of “The Dating Game.” Their performance are not a direct reflection of the bachelors on the episode. The real-life contestants are actors Jed Mills and Armand Cerami. On an ABC “20/20” episode, Mills described getting a “creepy” vibe from Alcala and that when they were in the green room before the show, Alcala said “I always get my girl.”
Terry
Image Credit: Netflix Pete Holmes plays Bradshaw’s neighbor, who is not based on an actual person in her life.
Laura
Image Credit: Leah Gallo/Netflix Nicolette Robinson plays the distressed and grieving friend of one of Alcala’s victims who recognizes him on the TV show when she goes to view it with her boyfriend and his family. Her character cannot be pinpointed to a real life story.
