In a time of Richard Branson and Virgin Galactic, along with impressive amateur rocketeers and commercial space ventures, we might have forgotten about Bob Truax, one of the first commercial, private rocket jockeys.

From Wikipedia,

Truax also designed the Skycycle X-2, which he unsuccessfully tested on April 15, 1972 and June 24, 1973, and which Evel Knievel unsuccessfully used at the Snake River Canyon in 1974.

And also,

The X-3 Volksrocket (other names: Arriba One, Skycycle X-3) was a reusable space tourism rocket planned by Robert Truax after Evel Knievel provided a $1,000 research grant for a pilot study. Truax was looking for volunteers with enough money to help fund the effort and who wished to fly aboard his rocket. He got thousands of volunteers, but few of them had the financial resources.

The rocket used surplus components and was tested through 1991.

There was actually a TV show based on Truax called Salvage 1 and starring Andy Griffith in 1979.

Wikipedia article on Robert Truax.
Salvage 1 Series Pilot on Youtube