As Netflix viewers tune into the harrowing Woman of the Hour, the Mirror takes a look at the real ‘Dating Show Killer’ Rodney Acala, who may have murdered as many as 130 individuals during a sick 10-year killing spree
Woman of the Hour: Official teaser trailer
In 1978, a single photographer appeared on the LA-based show The Dating Game, where he flirted and charmed his way to a date with an eligible bachelorette.
Little did the audience know at the time that they were laughing away at the jokes and innuendos of a malevolent serial killer. The story of Rodney Acala is explored in Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut Woman of the Hour, which has been released to critical acclaim.
Now streaming on Netflix, this crime thriller explores how a convicted sex offender was allowed to appear on a lighthearted dating show alongside two other hopeful bachelors. Kendrick stars as Cheryl Bradshaw, the bachelorette who ultimately refused to go on a date with the then 35-year-old Acala, after finding him to be too ‘creepy’ once they were off-air. Speaking with the Sydney Telegraph in 2012, drama teacher Cheryl, recalled: “I started to feel ill. He was acting really creepy.”
It was then that Cheryl contacted the show’s producers, telling them: “There’s weird vibes that are coming off of him. He’s very strange. I am not comfortable. Is that going to be a problem?” Although she received reassurance, Cheryl had been chillingly correct in her gut instincts.
By the time the episode was filmed, Acala had already slain at least five people and had spent time behind bars for the assault and rape of an eight-year-old girl. To this day, the exact number of his victims remains unclear – however, it’s believed the figure could be as many as 130.
In 1979, not long after his appearance on The Dating Game, Texas-born Acala was arrested for the murder of 12-year-old Robin Samsoe, who vanished on the way home from her ballet class. He was handed the death sentence the following year.
Acala’s DNA was later found to match evidence in four other murders in Orange County, leading to charges for the murders of Jill Barcomb, 18, and Georgia Wixted, 27, in 1977, 32-year-old Charlotte Lamb in 1978 and 21-year-old Jill Parenteau in 1979. He was convicted once again in 2010, and handed another death sentence.
During the trial, prosecutor Matt Murphy spoke of how Alcala ‘hunted’ women, and even took items such as earrings as trophies. He told the court: “You’re talking about a guy who is hunting through Southern California looking for people to kill because he enjoys it.”
Sadly, it’s believed the crimes for which Acala was convicted were only the tip of the iceberg. Investigators released more than 100 disturbing photographs of women and children believed to have been taken by Acala in a bid to identify those photographed. KTLA reported that around 900 of the shocking pictures, which police feared showed additional victims, were too sexually explicit to be released. At least six families believed some of the photos showed loved ones who disappeared years ago, never to be seen again.
According to People magazine, comparisons have been made with notorious serial killer Ted Bundy. Orange County Deputy District Attorney Matt Murphy said: “We fear he is one of the most prolific serial killers on the West Coast in the 1970s, up there with Ted Bundy. He is a predatory monster, and when you see all these young women in positions of vulnerability with him, it makes you fear what happened to them.”
While in The Dating Game studio, however, those watching would have had no clue of the darkness behind Acala’s deceptive smile. Acala, who would later become known as ‘The Dating Show Killer’, was introduced as a “successful photographer who got his start when his father found him in the darkroom at the age of 13, fully developed”.
When Cheryl asked: “What are you called and what do you look like?”, Acala replied: “I’m called the banana and I look good. Peel me.” In another segment, which now appears sinister in retrospect, Acala spoke about his favourite time of the day, remarking, “The best time is at night.”
Acala died behind bars from unspecified natural in July 2021, at the age of 77. At the time of his death, Tali Shapiro, who survived a horrifying kidnap attempt by Acala in 1968, told The New York Times: “I know it’s awful what happened to me, but I’ve never identified with it. I’ve moved on with my life, so this doesn’t really affect me. It’s a long time coming, but he’s got his karma.”
Speaking with the Netflix outlet Tudum, Kendrick spoke of the importance of focusing on the stories of the victims, rather than Acala, explaining: “I really like the complicated journey of a woman who is shrinking herself and being very pleasing and then manages to rebel and take back some power. I love the fact that it isn’t as simple as, ‘Oh, she asserts herself and everything works out great’. Because this is the bargain we’re making every day: how much do I live authentically, and how much danger does that actually put me in?”
You can now stream Woman of the Hour on Netflix.
If you’ve been the victim of sexual assault, you can access help and resources via www.rapecrisis.org.uk or by calling the national telephone helpline on 0808 802 9999
Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com
