Roger Guy English

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Roger Guy English
Born
Roger Guy English

1949 or 1950 (age 73–74)
NationalityAmerican
Education
Occupations
  • Businessman
  • disc jockey
Known for
Notable creditHemet, or the Landlady Don't Drink Tea
Height1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
RelativesValerie Mays (cousin)

Roger Guy English is an American businessman[1] and disc jockey who achieved seven Guinness World Records in San Diego County in less than three years during the 1970s.

Early life[edit]

English attempted a major in cinematography at San Diego Mesa College[2] and was a literary student at University of California, San Diego[3] but dropped out. He wrote two books, which he was unable to sell.[4]

World records[edit]

In 1970, English walked from his home in La Jolla, California to Vancouver, Canada[5] with his cousin, Valerie Mays, in hopes of spreading awareness about environmental pollution and smog.[6][2][7] Upon returning home, crowds deemed him a local celebrity. English was tipped to do a publicity stunt to help build his popularity. This started his desire to attempt setting world records[5] such as throwing 200 bottles with messages into the ocean[8] and living in a car on a dealer's lot for a month.[8] In 1975, English played Pong[9][10][11] for seven days in a Mission Valley trailer.[5] By 1979, English's record for the Twist was the only record that remained unbroken.[12]

1973–1974[edit]

English set his first four world records in under a year, from July 1973 to April 1974.[12] After flipping through a book of Guinness World Records, he decided to do the Twist.[5] English set the Twist record at 102 hours, 28 minutes and 37 seconds[13] which began on July 11 and continued through July 16th in La Jolla.[14] He set the record for water treading for 18 hours, 28 minutes and 37 seconds[15] in a La Jolla pool.[5][13] He set another record by kissing 3,000 women in 8 hours.[16][12]

In 1974, English set the record for sleeplessness after a waterbed shop[13] on University Avenue wanted to play part in his attempts by allowing him to do it in their front window. Starting at 10:30am on March 20,[17] he did not sleep for 12 days, 5 hours and 15 minutes.[5] To pass the time, English drank coffee,[18] smoked cigarettes and played Monopoly with friends.[13] When he finally slept at 10:30am on April 1,[17] he was out for 26 hours.[5][13] Because of health and safety concerns,[18] Guinness discontinued the category after that.[5] English later proposed the idea that he would like to swim the English Channel.[3] English attempted to swim the length of the Mississippi River in August,[19] but was held up because of weather and damage to a camper and rowboat.[20][21] On December 27, English set a joke telling record over 5 hours and 15 minutes at Winner's Circle Lodge in Del Mar.[22][5]

Later life and career[edit]

In 1975, English started his own store, a nostalgic American Graffiti shop in Pacific Beach.[15][23][1] In 1989, English was a disc jockey in San Diego.[5] He later moved to Poway, California.[5]

Legacy[edit]

In 2022, Thorn Brewing Company named a beer after English called Full Tilt Boogie Hefeweizen.[24] In 2021, filmmaker Tyler J. French recorded over 60 hours of footage of English for a documentary about him called Full Tilt Boogie, Daddy-O.[5] The film was submitted to Sundance Film Festival.[13]

Filmography[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
2023 Hemet, or the Landlady Don't Drink Tea Saltie
TBA Full Tilt Boogie, Daddy-O Himself [5][13]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "'Stay awake' record set". Ukiah Daily Journal. 1974-04-02. p. 14. Retrieved 2024-01-14 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ a b "Walk, Don't Drive: 2,000-Mile Hike Aimed at Pollution". The Los Angeles Times. 1970-08-20. p. 9. Retrieved 2024-01-13 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ a b "Attempt at channel proposed". Daily Times-Advocate. 1974-04-10. p. 24. Retrieved 2024-01-14 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "1,876 miles of swimming". The Miami News. 1974-09-26. p. 2. Retrieved 2024-01-13 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Brandt, Angela (2021-11-18). "Poway man who relishes a challenge, no matter how crazy, inspires documentary and a beer". Pomerado News. Retrieved 2024-01-13.
  6. ^ Guthrie, Jim (1970-08-30). "They're Walking For The Environment". Ventura County Star. p. 24. Retrieved 2024-01-13 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Hikers Nearing End Of Journey". Latrobe Bulletin. 1970-10-17. p. 12. Retrieved 2024-01-13 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ a b Learned, Don (1979-01-07). "Records are made to be broken". Oakland Tribune. p. 45. Retrieved 2024-01-13 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Roger Guy English Sets Another Record". Daily World. 1975-05-12. p. 2. Retrieved 2024-01-13 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Adds Another Record". Rushville Republican. 1975-05-12. p. 2. Retrieved 2024-01-13 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Quirks in the News". Chippewa Herald-Telegram. 1975-05-12. p. 12. Retrieved 2024-01-13 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ a b c Learned, Don (1979-01-12). "Gospel of Guinness: You, too, can be unique". The Desert Sun. p. 41. Retrieved 2024-01-13 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g Zevely, Jeff (2022-08-09). "No sleep for 12 days! Roger Guy English revisits his 1974 world record". KFMB-TV. Retrieved 2024-01-13.
  14. ^ "According To Guinness". The Hamilton Spectator. 1978-07-17. p. 39. Retrieved 2024-01-14 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ a b Steiger, Lucretia (1975-08-21). "Nostalgia Buff Turns Memories To Money". The Indianapolis Star. p. 57. Retrieved 2024-01-13 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ Kirshenbaum, Jerry. "THERE'S MUSIC IN THE WHERE?". Sports Illustrated Vault. Retrieved 2024-01-13.
  17. ^ a b "Action Line". The Miami Herald. 1976-07-20. p. 67. Retrieved 2024-01-14 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ a b Atwal, Sanj. "What's the limit to how long a human can stay awake? And why we don't monitor the record". Guinness World Records. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
  19. ^ "Record swim try held up by lightning". Daily Times-Advocate. 1974-08-21. p. 12. Retrieved 2024-01-13 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ "Camper Mishap Snags Swimmer". Quad-City Times. 1974-08-23. p. 15. Retrieved 2024-01-14 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ "Lightning forces man out of Mississippi". Wausau Daily Herald. 1974-08-21. p. 18. Retrieved 2024-01-14 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ "Central Fed to give away bestseller – Guiness Book". The Star-News. 1974-12-26. p. 12. Retrieved 2024-01-14.
  23. ^ Steiger, Lucretia (1974-06-19). "Teenangel Cashes in on Nostalgia Trip". Hanford Sentinel. p. 24. Retrieved 2024-01-13 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ "Thorn Brewing - Full Tilt Boogie Hefeweizen Release". SD BEER | Capital of Craft Beer | San Diego Brewers Guild. Retrieved 2024-01-13.

External links[edit]

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