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topicnews · October 26, 2024

Rodney Alcala is the most notorious criminal to ever appear on a game show, but he’s not the only one

Rodney Alcala is the most notorious criminal to ever appear on a game show, but he’s not the only one

This article is about murder and sexual assault.



Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Woman of the HourWoman of the hour offered a horrifying and fascinating look into the true story of serial killer Rodney Alcala and his infamous appearance on a dating show. The film tells the true story of Cheryl Bradshaw’s performance The dating game and her encounter with the dastardly murderer. The film is the directorial debut of Anna Kendrick, who also stars as Bradshaw; while Woman of the hour Despite making several changes to real-life events, it offers viewers a compelling look into the mind of a murderer.


The film was released to wide acclaim, praising Kendrick’s acting and directing skills, cinematography and storytelling. Reviews by Women of the hour have described the film as a new take on the crime genre and an accurate portrayal of the serial rapist and murderer’s sinister deeds; The film currently has a score of 91% on Rotten Tomatoes. Alcala’s crimes became known through his appearance The dating game, But shockingly, he’s not the only criminal to have appeared on a game show.



Rodney Alcala isn’t the only serial killer to appear on a game show

Serial killer John Cooper appeared on the British game show Bullseye

Woman of the hour focuses on Cheryl Bradshaw’s performance The dating game in 1978; One of the three Bachelor contestants who appeared in the episode was Rodney Alcala. The film shows how Alcala managed to win the competition with charmbut also shows Bradshaw’s growing unease around him. In the years following Alcala’s appearance on The dating game, Other criminals were found hiding from television cameras.


An infamous example is the Welsh serial killer John Cooper, who appeared on the British quiz show Direct hit in 1989. Per The IndependentBefore taking part in the show, Cooper murdered two people in 1985 and two more just a month after his death Direct hit Look; The murders were referred to in the British media as the Pembrokeshire murders. Cooper was arrested in 2009 after his appearance in Direct hit was assigned to a suspect sketch and he was sentenced to life imprisonment. Similar to Alcala, Cooper was nicknamed “The Bullseye Killer” by the media.

How Rodney Alcala’s appearance on ‘Dating Game’ highlights the importance of background checks

Alcala had a criminal record before his appearance on the game show


As shown in Woman of the hourRodney Alcala appeared on the game show The dating game as one of three participants; By the time he appeared on the show, he had murdered three women and would later murder at least two more, although Alcala claimed to have had 130 victims. Alcala’s appearance on The dating game was filmed in 1978, at a time when criminal records were not properly checked and the Internet was still in its infancy.

As highlighted by ABC, If background checks had taken place, it would have been found that Alcala had prior convictions for sexual assault and attempted murder. He even appeared briefly on the FBI’s most wanted list in 1971. It is unlikely that Alcala would not have been able to participate in the show if Alcala’s criminal record had been known at the time.

Alcala’s appearance on
The dating game
was filmed in 1978, at a time when criminal records were not properly checked and the Internet was still in its infancy.


In the years following the events of Woman of the hour, Game shows have become stricter when it comes to eligibility. One company that is now promoting background checks is Checkers Internationalwho check a person’s driving record, take criminal action and identify themselves before someone is allowed to take part in a game show. It can be argued that background checks have already occurred during the events Woman of the hourThings could have ended differently for the sinister serial killer who knew how to charm people into trusting him.

Sources: The Independent, ABC, Checkers International

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