t

Behind The Scene

ALICE BURDICK SCHWEIGER
SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

aytime television produc-
ers Michael Gelman,
Linda Gottlieb and Burt
Dubrow make no pre-
tense about their craft.
They: are well aware that
the success of their
shows depends on their
skills. As chief strate-
gists, they have to make
tough decisions, plan
daily and future agen-
das, and work at least 12
hours a day, sometimes
seven days a week.Mr.
Gelman is executive pro-
ducer of "Live with Regis
and Kathie Lee." Ms.
Gottlieb is executive pro-
ducer of the ABC soap
"One Life to Live."
Mr. Dubrow is execu-
tive producer of "Sally
Jessy Raphael" and "The
Jerry Springer Show."
These three Jewish
producers, who have to
sort through mounds of
weekly mail to learn
what's on their viewers'
minds, have honed their
skills through trial and
error. While their
responsibilities vary, as
do their experiences,
they share a common
bond — they had to work
their way to the top and
they love being behind
the scenes in the world
of daytime television.
For Michael Gelman, a
native New Yorker who
spent his high school
years in the suburbs of
Chicago, being a produc-
er was a childhood
dream.
"Ever since I was
young I wanted to be in
this field," said Mr.
Gelman, whose father
was in the photographic
equipment business and
always had still and

super-8 cameras around
the house for him to use.
"My parents were always
very supportive. When I
said I wanted to go into
television, a field that
has one of the highest
unemployment rates,
they never said, 'Don't do
it.' They were always
behind me 100 percent."
After high school,
where he directed plays,
he earned a degree from
the University of
Colorado's school of jour-
nalism. Following gradu-
ation, he landed a job at
WABC in New York.

"I started as a produc-
tion assistant on a local
program called 'The
Morning Show,' and I
worked my way up," said
Mr. Gelman, who is 31.
"Regis (Philbin) was the
host, and Cindy Garvey
was the co-host. I worked
there for several years
until I became burned
out."
He moved on to pro-
ducing "The Regis
Philbin Show" on
Lifetime Cable, and the
syndicated game show
"Hollywood Squares."
But his biggest break

came when ABC hired
him to be the executive
producer of what is now
called "Live with Regis
and Kathie Lee."
The best part of his
job, Mr. Gelman said, is
"the excitement of doing
a live show and meeting
some of the most exciting
people of our times."
"Whenever there is a
new book, you meet the
author," he said.
"Whenever there is a
current movie, you meet
the stars. You have to be
on top of everything, but
to me, that's really

Three Jewish producers have the final say on some
of daytime television's most popular shows.