Saviour of the Streetdogs

January 24, 2021 4:48 AM

An entry in the 2005 Guinness Book of World Records sends comedians and podcasters Alexei Toliopoulos and Cameron James on an increasingly bizarre search for the elusive Lord Sydney Ling - the record holder for the youngest person to direct, write and produce a feature-length movie - Lex, the Wonder Dog (1973).

Finding Desperado, episode 1 – The World’s Youngest Filmmaker
Finding Desperado, episode 2 – Saviour of the Streetdogs
Finding Desperado, episode 3 – an American miracle
Finding Desperado, episode 4 – Dig up the dead
Finding Desperado, episode 5 – Shadows of Blood
Finding Desperado, episode 6 – Forgotten Dreams

ABC News long read

posted by KirkpatrickMac (2 comments total)

from the "increasingly bizarre search" link:

Australia’s premier (and only) pop culture detectives, Alexei and Cameron have uncovered a bizarre Guinness World Record from 2005. A record held by an elusive European aristocrat. A record that they believe to be fake.

the young filmmaker is alleged to have been thirteen years old. I personally have no problem believing this possible as, had the technology been affordable/available to me, I would've been writing-producing-directing stuff as early as age ten or eleven. Because the desire was definitely there and yes, somewhere in the bottom of a trunk, a pile of scripts. But no, they're not of the wonder pet variety -- more concerned with spies and adventurers, murders, monsters, buckets of blood. Always lots of blood.
posted by philip-random at 9:08 AM on January 24, 2021 [1 favorite]

Tiny footnote, probably made somewhere else: the title 'Lex the Wonder Dog' is a lift from the DC comic 'Rex the Wonder Dog' (46 issues, 1952-1959)
posted by Hogshead at 11:57 AM on January 24, 2021