Two weeks ago in Southern California, Rodney Alcala was convicted of murdering four women and a girl between 1977 and 1979. Today, CNN reports that during that period the serial killer was the winning bachelor on an episode of The Dating Game. He had already been convicted of raping an 8-year-old girl.

On the popular ABC TV show (created by Chuck Barris), a female contestant would question three bachelors she could hear but not see and choose one for a date.

Here's some of what happened in 1978 on what was then The New Dating Game:

"Bachelor No. 1 is a successful photographer who got his start when his father found him in the dark room at the age of 13, fully developed," host Jim Lange said. "Between takes you might find him sky-diving or motorcycling. Please welcome Rodney Alcala."

After the other two bachelors were introduced, questioner Cheryl Bradshaw began with Alcala.

"What's your best time?" she asked.

"The best time is at night," Alcala answered with a wide smile. "Nighttime."

Jed Mills is a veteran television and film actor who was Bachelor No. 2 in 1978 and sat next to Alcala. "He was creepy. Definitely creepy," Mills told CNN. "He was a standout creepy guy in my life."

Although Bradshaw chose Alcala, she refused to go out with him.

Within months of his winning appearance, Alcala abducted and murdered a 12-year-old girl.

CNN asked crime profiler Pat Brown to analyze Alcala's Dating Game performance.

"He was aware that he could say things that were considered sexy and funny and the girl would like that," Brown said. "He watched the game and he gave those answers and he won, so he learned some tricks. But a psychopath's true nature comes seeping through.

"When you go back and look, what's most fascinating is that he had already committed a crime, raped a little girl. Here is a man portraying himself as a desirable young man when he is a violent sexual predator of children."

Brown suggested that being rejected can have a profound impact on serial killers.

Alcala, 66, is defending himself in the penalty phase of the trial, hoping to persuade a Santa Ana jury to reject the death penalty.

(Posted by Michael Winter)