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Rodney Alcala, also known as the “Dating Game Killer,” remains one of the most notorious serial killers in American history. Like most serial killers, he was known for his charm, intelligence, and ability to manipulate others. In 1978, Alcala appeared on the popular TV show, The Dating Game, where he charmed bachelorette Cheryl Bradshaw and won a date with her. However, a gut feeling from the contestant helped save her life.
Cheryl Bradshaw on The Dating Game | Credits: YouTubeShortly after the show ended, Bradshaw made the sudden decision to back out of their set-up date. Her walking away from Alcala helped her live to see another day. However, a crime profiler believes that it may have inadvertently set him on a rampage that claimed the lives of many more victims.
How Cheryl Bradshaw’s rejection affected Rodney Alcala
In recent years, crime stories and documentaries have grabbed the world’s attention. However, none of them have been quite as confusing as the story of Rodney Alcala and the one who got away, Cheryl Bradshaw. In 2010, crime profiler, Pat Brown shed light on what could have happened after the serial killer’s rejection on The Dating Game.
Rodney Alcala on The Dating Game | Credits: YouTubeIn an interview with CNN, Brown revealed that Bradshaw’s sudden rejection could have set off Alcala on a killing spree that would have eventually gotten him caught.
One wonders what that did in his mind. That is something he would not take too well. They don’t understand the rejection. They think that something is wrong with that girl: ‘She played me. She played hard to get.’
While no one truly knows what went on in the mind of Alcala, Brown believes that Bradshaw’s rejection could have pushed him to be erratic. After all, he had already committed many crimes before his time on the show.
Although many questions remain unanswered, Alcala and Bradshaw’s story took the world by storm. Just last year, Anna Kendrick starred in a film called, Woman of the Hour, which was based on the horrifying story.
Anna Kendrick’s thoughts on Cheryl Bradshaw’s close call with Rodney Alcala
In 2023, Anna Kendrick took on the role of Cheryl Bradshaw in Netflix’s Woman of the Hour. With the 39-year-old putting herself in the shoes of the one who got away from Rodney Alcala, she had a lot to say about both her experience and the bachelorette’s.
Anna Kendrick in Woman of the Hour (2023) | Image via NetflixKendrick starred in the film in a lead role. However, it was also her directorial debut. With the actress piecing together bits of the actual story to make it her own, she opened up to Today about her thoughts on the whole story and about where Bradshaw was now.
Sometimes you have to trust your gut, and you just get blind luck on your side and, and that’s how you kind of manage to come out of situations that other people couldn’t.
Kendrick also admitted that there were many questions that she wanted to ask Bradshaw. However, that did not happen as The Dating Game bachelorette has since passed away. The actress added, “I would ask her what it felt like for her to trust herself.”
Although Kendrick did not get the chance to meet Bradshaw, she still managed to bring her story to the big screen. While there were a few creative changes, most of the story stayed the same. In fact, it even got a 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Stream Anna Kendrick’s Woman of the Hour on Netflix
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