Warning! This post contains spoilers for Woman of the Hour.

Anna Kendrick's true-story thriller, Woman of the Hour, walks through several murders committed by Rodney Alcala. However, even though it unfolds in several different timelines, its primary focus remains on the serial killer's appearance in The Dating Game and his encounter with Sheryl Bradshaw.

Before Woman of the Hour's Dating Game arc ensues, Sheryl is portrayed as a struggling actress who finds it hard to land auditions and secure her place in Hollywood's competitive world. Her agent eventually tells her about The Dating Game and promises her that her appearance on the game show will pave the way for her to get more acting opportunities. Although Sheryl is apprehensive about agreeing to show up on the show, she accepts the offer when her agent informs her that Sally Field was also on The Dating Game before she made it big as an actress.

Sally Field Was On The Dating Game In 1966 Before Her Acting Career Took Off

She Was Close To 20 Years Old When She First Appeared On The Show

Woman of the Hour changes Rodney Alcala's true story in several different ways. However, the movie is factually correct when it states that Sally Field, too, was once a contestant on The Dating Game. Sally Field made her feature film debut in 1962 by playing an uncredited role in Moon Pilot. In the years that followed, she played minor roles in TV shows like Gidget and Occasional Wife before getting starring roles in movies like The Way West, The End, and Hooper. Before she became a household name for her acting performances, she appeared in The Dating Game in 1966.

As seen in Woman of the Hour, the game show features three bachelors and one bachelorette. After asking a series of questions to the bachelors, the bachelorette must decide who she wants to go on a date with. Of the three men who showed up as contestants in the Sally Field episode, two already knew the actress and had worked with her in the past. While she had dated one during her senior year in school, the other had been her surfing instructor during Gidget's filming. Sally Field ultimately chose the third bachelor who she met for the first time on the show.

Other Notable Names Who Appeared On The Dating Game

From Lindsay Wagner to Arnold Schwarzenegger, many well-know actors have appeared on The Dating Game

Surprisingly, Sally Field is not the only renowned figure who appeared on The Dating Game before acquiring mainstream success. Lindsay Wagner, best known for her roles in The Bionic Woman and The Paper Chase, was also on the show in 1969. John Ritter, of The Waltons, The Love Boat, and Three's Company fame, also appeared on the television game show as Bachelor Number 3 in 1967.

Introduced as "the current Mr. Olympia" by Jim Lange, Arnold Schwarzenegger was also one of the three bachelors in an episode of The Dating Game in 1973. Several other notable personalities, like Ron Howard, Michael Jackson, Sam J. Jones, Farrah Fawcett, Andy Kaufman, and Peggy Lipton, graced the show before achieving fame in their respective careers. Woman of the Hour portrays how even the serial killer Rodney Alcala somehow ended up on the show and won a date with Cheryl Bradshaw before she refused to go out with him.