7 characters in Woman of the Hour based on real people

Woman of the Hour is now streaming on Netflix, a crime thriller taking place in the '70s and centering around an aspiring actress and a notorious serial killer whose paths cross when they're cast on an episode of the blind-dating television show "The Dating Game."

Is this movie based on a true story? Yes, it's based on the true story of Cheryl Bradshaw, who appeared as a contestant on the popular 1970s TV show The Dating Game in 1978. In the dating show, Cheryl asked questions to three hidden bachelors, and at the end of the episode, she had to choose one of them to go on a date. Cheryl chose bachelor number one, which turned out to be Rodney Alcala, a charming and seemingly normal man hiding a sinister secret. The secret was that he was an infamous serial killer and sex offender.

Since Woman of the Hour is based on a true story, many of the characters in the film are actually based on real people. Find out who those characters are right below!

Sheryl Bradshaw

In Woman of the Hour, Anna Kendrick stars in one of the leading roles as Sheryl Bradshaw, an aspiring actress who decides to participate in The Dating Game to get her name out there. The Sheryl character is actually based on the real-life Cheryl Bradshaw, a drama teacher who was picked as a contestant for The Dating Game in 1978.

After several rounds of questions, Cheryl chose bachelor number one, Rodney Alcala, to go on a date with. But after meeting face-to-face, Cheryl was thrown off by his creepy demeanor and ultimately decided to cancel their date. If it weren't for her intuition, she most likely would've been another one of Alcala's victims. While Bradshaw's current whereabouts are unknown, we do know that she decided to leave California to live a private life and raise a family after her appearance on the dating show.

Rodney Alcala

The Rodney Alcala character, played by Daniel Zovatto, is based on the real-life Rodney Alcala, a notorious serial killer and rapist who was in the middle of a yearslong murder spree when appearing on the dating show The Dating Game in 1978. Due to his appearance on the show in the midst of his murdering spree, he became known as the "Dating Game Killer." His victims were primarily young women and girls. He would lure his victims by posing as a photographer, offering to take their pictures before attacking, torturing, sexually assaulting, and then murdering them.

He was eventually convicted of seven murders, though some authorities believe that he may have committed many more. We're talking about the victim count being as high as 130. While on death row in California, Alcala died of natural causes in prison on July 24, 2021, at 77.

Ed Burke

Ed Burke, portrayed by Tony Hale, is based on the real-life Jim Lange. Like Ed in the movie, Jim was the host of The Dating Game. He was the original host of the popular dating show for more than a decade, from 1965 to 1980. He was married to former Miss America 1961, Nancy Fleming, from 1978 to his death in 2014. On Feb. 25, 2014, Lange passed away after suffering a heart attack at their home. He was 81 years old. His survivors included Fleming, his sister, three children from his first marriage, two stepchildren, and four grandchildren.

Charlie

In Woman of the Hour, Charlie (Kathryn Gallagher) is believed to be based on the real-life Cornelia Michel Crilley, a 23-year-old TWA flight attendant and Rodney Alcala's first known murder victim whom he sexually assaulted and strangled to death in her Manhattan apartment in June 1971. For more than three decades, Crilley's murder remained unsolved. However, Alcala would later be linked to her murder through DNA evidence.

Amy

Amy, played by Autumn Best, is based on Monique Hoyt, another real-life victim of Rodney Alcala. On Feb. 14, 1979, Alcala abducted a then 15-year-old Monique who had been hitchhiking in Riverside County. After being attacked and brutally raped, Monique managed to escape from Alcala's clutches when he went into a gas station bathroom. She would later testify in court against Alcala as an adult.

Arnie

Arnie (Jedidiah Goodacre) is believed to be based on the real-life Jed Mills, a former contestant on The Dating Game who appeared as bachelor number two on the 1978 episode with Cheryl Bradshaw and Rodney Alcala. Mills spoke with ABC 20/20 back in 2021 and shared his experience participating in that episode of the dating show. He described Alcala as being real "creepy," something he noticed right away. He also mentioned that while they were waiting in the green room before the show, Alcala told him, “I always get my girl.”

Sarah

Sarah, played by Kelley Jakle, is believed to be based on the real-life Christine Ruth Thornton, another one of Rodney Alcala's murder victims who was last seen hitchhiking after splitting up with her boyfriend in June 1977. She was 28 years old at the time of her death and six months pregnant. According to People, Alcala met Thornton in San Antonio sometime in August 1977. He strangled her to death before dumping her body on a ranch in Granger, Wyoming.

Thornton's body was found in 1982 by a local rancher, but her identity remained a mystery until 2015 after DNA linked her to her sister.

Woman of the Hour is now available to stream on Netflix.

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