and that family warmth seeps into
projects. A number of "Sisters"
episodes dealt with Jewish topics.
Keyser believes there is a Jewish
sensibility to "Party of Five" as well —
even though the Salinger family is not
depicted as being Jewish.
"That must reflect Amy and me
and maybe because the staff is about
/ 50 percent Jewish. I do think that
who I am and who Amy is are reflect-
ed in subtle ways — the concern for
education, the sticking together, being
a close-knit family."
Lippman and Keyser's Jewish reli-
gion will be more prominently written

into the storyline of "Significant
Others." It won't appear in the first six
scheduled episodes, but in later shows,
brothers Campbell and Ben will deal
with their religious identity as a result
of a mixed marriage. Their father,
played by Richard Masur, is Jewish.
Masur's character works in manu-
facturing, similar to Lippman's father,
who worked in retail. He is the only
actor on the show who is Jewish in
real life, says Lippman, and he is com-
fortable with "Yiddishisms" like "besh-
ert.''
"Party of Five's" success has been a
whirlwind for Lippman and Keyser.
The show nabbed the Golden Globe
in 1996 for best dramatic series and its
popularity keeps growing. The show is
going into syndication this fall.
But early on it almost flopped.
Except for a small number of die-
hards, people weren't watching. "I
think we came within two days of
being canceled," says Lippman.
"I'm shocked to be in the position I
am now — the show's made a lot of
money for the network and the studio,
it's successful and it's been good for
the actors' careers."
Two of the actors, dimpled charmer
Scott Wolf and Scream vixen Neve
Campbell were relatively unknown
until "Party of Five" put them on the
Hollywood radar. But despite their
fame and outside projects, they remain
approachable and dedicated to the
•
show, says Lippman.
Campbell recently asked Lippman
about future storylines for her charac-
ter, Julia. And Wolf hardly has an atti-
tude (although he declined an inter-
view with The Jewish News).
"Scott is charming and warm. He's
really not unlike Bailey — he always
wants to make sure you like his work.
He's really funny and he tells the best
jokes," says Lippman.
There is one difference, though.
"Scott Wolf is much smarter than
Bailey is." He's also "half-Jewish,"
something Lippman and Keyser didn't
learn until the end of the first season.
"We joked with Scott and said if
we knew he was Jewish we would have
given him more storylines," laughs
Lippman. ❑

Philadephia Jewish Exponent
Entertainment Editor Michael Elkin
contributed to this story.

Eion Bailey, top, as Campbell and
Michael Wetherly as Ben in "Significant
Others"• Later episodes will deal with
their religious identity as products of a
mixed marriage.

•

rgni catit Others" will air 9 p.1*
Wednesdays on Fox until the
return of "Party of Five,"

is pleased to announce. the

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