1968-’69 Press Releases
January 24, 1969
"BEYOND OUR CONTROL" READIES SEASON PREMIERE
BEYOND OUR CONTROL, the half hour television revue produced by WJA-TV, a Junior Achievement Company, is in the final stages of preparation for its season premiere on Saturday, February 15 at 5:00 PM CST. The program will be presented in color each week on WNDU-TV, Channel 16, The Notre Dame Station.
While this will be the eighth year that WJA-TV has presented a program on Channel 16, it will be the first year that the company has chosen to repeat a program format from the previous year. Last season saw the company depart from its usual game and panel shows to undertake production of an ambitious weekly revue of satire, music and irreverent commentary: Beyond Our Control. The show was unique in local television, presenting satires on national and local TV programs and commercials, special features such as a parody on the Winter Olympics, and a showcase for local bands and singers. Extensive use of film took the program on location each week.
With minor changes--and the addition of full color--the Beyond Our Control format will be repeated this season. Film and videotape production of the program have been underway since late November.
The program is produced by a Junior Achievement company sponsored by WNDU-TV. A complete model television corporation, WJA-TV begins operation in the late autumn, its personnel consisting of twenty-four area high school students who work with three advisors from Channel 16. The students sell stock to raise operating capital, develop an idea fro the program and then sell commercial advertising time to area businessmen. The program is expensive to produce--particularly in light of the conversion to color--and the JA company charges rates directly comparable to those of local TV stations. At the conclusion of the thirteen-week run of the program, the company liquidates and divides the profit among stockholders.
Junior Achievement is a national organization with companies like WJA-TV in all fifty states. WJA-TV was one of the first television companies in the nation and is now believed to be the only JA company with such an ambitious weekly program. WNDU-TV sponsors the company to offer students practical broadcasting experience and a firsthand look at the American free enterprise system.
January 31, 1969
"BEYOND OUR CONTROL" OPENS 1969 SEASON
BEYOND OUR CONTROL, weekly satirical revue produced by WJA-TV, a Junior Achievement Company, will present its season premiere on Saturday, February 15 at 5:00 PM CST on WNDU-TV, Channel 16, The Notre Dame Station. The program telecasting in color this season, will be a combination of satire and parody, sight gags, experimental films, music and irreverent comedy. Permanent hosts for the program sill be Tom Labuzienski and Julie Carlin, students at St. Joseph's High School, and Dave Weiler, a student at Clay High School.
Beyond Our Control will open the season with the first in a series of collections of TV commercial parodies ("A Few of Our Favorite Things"); a documentary report on the cherished teen-aged institutions; the first of several prospected satires on feature films ("Guts and/or Glory"--an epic of World War Two); and an experimental animated film titled "Skid."
The program is produced in association with advisors from WNDU-TV, including Dave Williams, Joe Dundon and Bill Siminski, who directs the production. Dave Blodgett, a student at Jackson High School, is Production Manager for the company.
February 10, 1969
WESTERNS AND WEATHER SUBJECTS OF SECOND JA SHOW
BEYOND OUR CONTROL, the weekly revue of comedy and music produced by WJA-TV, the Junior Achievement Television Company, will present its second edition Saturday, February 22 at 5:00 PM CST. The program is presented in color on WNDU-TV, Channel 16, The Notre Dame Station.
The program opens with another salute to "A Few of Our Favorite Things," the show's weekly collection of TV commercial parodies. The group's repertory companyreturns for another edition of The $3.79 Movie as it presents a low-budget epic of the old West, "Wagon Wheels, War Paint and Horsees." some observations on the subject of "Sleep" are offered and guitarist Doug Hoffman performs"Blackbird." The show closes with a parody of elaborate local weather shows as Florence the Weather Woman climbs aboard "The Weather Balloon."
Tom Labuzienski, Julie Carlin and Dave Weiler host the half-hour show.
February 17, 1969
"BEYOND OUR CONTROL" SALUTES CRUD
"A Paean to Pollution, a look at future consequences of air and water pollution, will be a highlight of the third edition of "BEYOND OUR CONTROL, the weekly revue produced by WJA-TV, the Junior Achievement Television Company. The program will be seen Saturday, March 1 at 5:00 PM CST in color on WNDU-TV, Channel 16, The Notre Dame Station.
The show will open with a parody of hard-sell TV commercials and a pitch for new home appliance, "The Squash-A-Matic." Another of the show's parables--using experimental film techniques--will be told in the story of "The Electric Rag," a tale of man vs. machine. Guitarist Doug Hoffman provides music for the program, performing "The Great Mandella."
The show is hosted each week by Tom Labuzienski, Julie Carlin and Dave Weiler.
February 28, 1969
CAPTAIN ELECTRIC GUESTS ON "BEYOND OUR CONTROL"
Captain Electric, the popular area rock group, will guest star next week on "BEYOND OUR CONTROL, the weekly revue of comedy and music produced by WJA-TV, the Junior Achievement Television Company. The fourth edition of the program will be seen Saturday, March 8 at 5:00 PM CST in color on WNDU-TV, Channel 16, The Notre Dame Station.
Captain Electric will perform "Satisfaction" for the program. Also featured on the program is another episode of the continuing series of "Our Favorite Things," the weekly collection of TV commercial parodies, and the first edition of the program's news summary, spotlighting unusual items of interest.
The feature skit of the program will be "Communist Bandstand," a parody of a teen-age rock 'n' roll show as it might be done in Russia. Starring as The People's Commissar of Soul will be Doug Hoffman, a senior at Washington High School. Tom Labuzienski, Julie Carlin and Dave Weiler host the show.
March 7, 1969
CAPTAIN ELECTRIC ENCORES IN JA SPOT
Captain Electric, the area rock group that made its television debut last week on BEYOND OUR CONTROL, will return to the show this week for an encore performance. The group will perform an excerpt from "And/Or Christian and the Captain's Men," their "rock symphony" based on the fourth movement of Beethoven's Symphony Number Nine (The "Ode to Joy").
Other highlights of the color show, to be presented Saturday, March 15 at 5:00 PM CST on WNDU-TV, Channel 16, will be a parody of hit record advertising on television and a three-part experimental film, set to the music of Bach's "Two-Part Inventions" as performed by the new Moog Electric Synthesizer. The featured skit of the day will be "The Miss Nifty Pageant," the program's version of a small-town beauty contest with big-time aspirations.
Tom Labuzienski, Julie Carlin and Dave Weiler host the weekly revue of comedy and music produced by WJA-TV, The Junior Achievement Television Company sponsored by WNDU-TV.
March 17, 1969
JA READIES ITS SIXTH PROGRAM
The sixth edition of Beyond Our Control, the weekly revue of comedy and music, will be presented Saturday, March 22 at 5:00 PM CST on WNDU-TV, Channel 16, The Notre Dame Station. The half-hour color program is produced in association with WJA-TV, The Junior Achievement Television Company.
Opening this week's show is a parody of the current trend toward advertising hit records on television. The first chapter of an exasperating new soap opera created by the show will be presented in the premiere of "Dramatic Hospital." Surrealist underground movies also come into the scene as the program presents "Flaming Critters," a pseudo-symbolic study in obscurity. To round out the show, a brief visit with the Clean Family Singers is offered by the cast.
Beyond Our Control is produced by the twenty three members of WJA-TV in association with Channel 16, which sponsors the company. Dave Williams and Joe Dundon of WNDU-TV are advisors to the company and Bill Siminski directs the program.
March 24, 1969
JA RESCHEDULES SIXTH EDITION
The sixth edition of Beyond Our Control, pre-empted for coverage of the NCAA basketball tournament, has been re-scheduled for Saturday, March 29. The weekly revue of comedy and music, produced by The Junior Achievement Television Company, is seen Saturdays at 5:00 PM CST on WNDU-TV, Channel 16, The Notre Dame Station.
Opening the program is a parody of the current trend toward hit record advertising on television. The first chapter of an exasperating new soap opera created by the program will be presented in the premiere of "Dramatic Hospital." Dipping into the archives of last season, the group will present an encore performance of The Nearly Wed Game, a take-off on a popular TV game show. Rounding out the program with a pseudo-symbolic study in obscurity is the program's own surrealist underground movie, "Flaming Critters," featuring an electric music score of the musique concrete genre.
Tom Labuzienski, Dave Weiler and Julie Carlin host Beyond Our Control. The program is produced by the twenty three members of of the JA company in association with WNDU-TV.
March 31, 1969
"UNCLE SALLY" ENCORES ON "BEYOND OUR CONTROL"
"Uncle Sally," the loveable neurotic introduces last season on Beyond Our Control, will return to the show this week with an up-dated version of his kiddie show. "Uncle sally's Psych-Out," a hip version of Saturday morning television show, will highlight the seventh edition of Beyond Our Control, to be presented Saturday, April 5 5:00 PM CST on WNDU-TV, Channel 16, The Notre Dame Station.
The half-hour color show will open with a musical tribute to television's most sanitary singers, "The Clean Family," with an introduction to the entire clan and a presentation of "The Sound of Music," a three-part parody of high-pressure advertising and a look a the problem of a "First date" will round out the program.
Tom Labuzienski, Julie Carlin and Dave Weiler host the program each week.
April 7, 1969
"BEYOND OUR CONTROL" OFFERS HIP KIDDIE SHOW*
"Uncle Sally," the neurotic host of TV kiddie shows introduced last season on Beyond Our Control, will be exhumed this week to host "Uncle Sally's Psych-Out," Saturday morning TV show for hip kids. The skit is part of this week's edition of Beyond Our Control, the weekly satirical revue produced by WJA-TV, The Junior Achievement Television Company. The show will be colorcast Saturday, April 12 at 5:00 PM CST on WNDU-TV, Channel 16, The Notre Dame Station.
A visit with television's most sanitary singers, "The Clean Family," will open the program this week. a nightmare version of what might go wrong on a first date will be explored "At the Restaurant," and a fast-talking TV pitchman provides frequent interruptions to sell distressed merchandise. Carol Boggs and Carol Courtier will provide musical interlude with their performance of "Scarborough Fair/Canticle" to round out the program.
*Editor's Note: This is a re-schedule and revision of a program originally scheduled for Saturday, April 5 and pre-empted due to technical difficulties.
April 14, 1969
BIG-TIME WRASSLING SCHEDULED ON JA SHOW
Big-Time Championship Wrassling is a highlight of the eighth edition of Beyond Our Control, the weekly television revue produced by WJA-TV, The Junior Achievement Television Company. The half-hour color show will be presented Saturday, April 19 at 5:00 PM CST on WNDU-TV, Channel 16, The Notre Dame Station.
Bob Soos will report from ringside for the Championship Wrassling contest, a bout between Oswald and Rutherford, The Brothers Grim, and Bruce and Gunther Divine in a no-holds-barred free-for-all tag-team match.
In other features, the group begins a series of tributes to Oldies-But-Goodies with their rendition of "gone" by the rip Chords, looks at "one of those days" with a film titled "A Perfect Day," and presents the second episode in the show's own soap opera, "Dramatic Hospital."
Tom Labuzienski, Dave Weiler and Julie Carlin host the series.
April 21, 1969
JA READIES NINTH EDITION
The ninth edition of Beyond Our Control, will be presented Saturday, April 19 at 5:00 PM CST on WNDU-TV, Channel 16, The Notre Dame Station. Dave Weiler, Julie Carlin and Tom Labuzienski, host the half-hour revue of comedy and music produced in association with WJA-TV, The Junior Achievement Television Company.
The cast's impressions of West Side Story highlight the program this week, with a dazzling display of dance performed by WJA's resident ballet company and filmed in a convenient parking lot. The program also includes a revised version of the currently popular "joy of life" TV commercials and a quick review of new inventions, including a pair of shoes which permit the wearer to walk on water. A special encore performance of "The Electric Rag," a modern parable of man versus machine presented earlier this season, rounds out the show.
April 29, 1969
JA ENCORES "THE MATING GAME"
An encore performance of "The Mating Game," a parody on the popular TV game show will be presented this week on Beyond Our Control, the weekly satirical revue produced by WJA-TV, The Junior Achievement Television Company. The skit was originally presented on the show last season. The half-hour color show moves to a new time period this week and will be presented Saturday, May 3 at 6:00 PM EDT on WNDU-TV, Channel 16.
Also scheduled for this week's program is the test-flight of a new pair of hydrofoil boots which (hopefully) permit the wearer to walk on water. The program will offer a parody of The American Sportsman, the program featuring top stars performing on hunting and fishing trips.
Tom Labuzienski, Julie Carlin and Dave Weiler host Beyond Our Control.
May 7, 1969
JA PRESENTS SILENT MOVIE SERIAL
A return to the days of the silent movie serial will occur in this week's edition of Beyond Our Control, the half-hour satirical revue produced by WJA-TV, The Junior Achievement Television Company, in association with WNDU-TV. Chapter 741 of "The Danger of the Hazardous Peril" will kid the cliff-hanger Saturday afternoon movie serials of a bygone era. Tom Litteral portrays the hero, Julie Carlin the heroine and Jacque Kubley the villain.
Also on this week's edition of the show will be a brief summary of the student protest situation and another dip into the past for a dramatization of an Oldie-But-Goodie.
The show will be presented Saturday, May 10 at 6:00 PM EDT on WNDU-TV, Channel 16, The Notre Dame Station.
May 12, 1969
JA TO PARODY TARZAN MOVIES
Beyond Our Control, the half-hour satirical revue produced by WJA-TV, The Junior Achievement Television Company, will devote its entire program this week to a parody of Tarzan movies. "Tarzan's Rum Village Adventure" will be presented Saturday, May 17 at 6:00 PM EDT on WNDU-TV, Channel 16, The Notre Dame Station.
WJA-TV devotes one program each year to a full-length feature film parody. Last year, science fiction films were the target as the group presented "The Cat Who Devoured Crumbstown." In the twelfth edition of their program this year, the company will lampoon the popular jungle dweller as he leads a safari to the legendary graveyard of the elephants. Dave Blodgett portrays Tarzan, Terri Trammell is cast as Jane and Tom Litteral is Boy.
May 19, 1969
"BEYOND OUR CONTROL" WINDS UP THE SEASON
WJA-TV, The Junior Achievement Television Company, will present the thirteenth and final edition of Beyond Our Control, Saturday, May 24 at 3:30 PM EDT on WNDU-TV, Channel 16. (The program is being seen earlier than usual to permit the telecast of a late baseball game.) The half-hour show will be devoted to a review of the year's hghlights.
WJA-TV is now concluding its operations and will liquidate its assets. This is the eighth year WNDU-TV has sponsored the unusual Junior Achievement Company. This year's group was named Service Company of the year at the annual recognition banquet last week at the Indiana Club. The company's individual awards were given to Tim Shaw, Salesman of the year; Kathy Barth, Secretary of the Year; and Dave Paskin, WJA-TV's Achiever of the Year. Dave Williams, Joe Dundon and Bill Siminski of WNDU-TV are the advisors to the group.
