Robert Redford is focusing to out a biopic of Jackie Robinson, the first black man to play in the Major League
- Apr 4, 2005
AceShowbiz - The actor-director Robert Redford, who starred in the 1984's classic baseball film "The Natural," is readying a biopic of Jackie Robinson, the first black man to play in the Major League. In order to do so, Redford has planned to essay the role of Brooklyn Dodgers general manager Branch Rickey too.
The still-untitled film is planned to focus on Robinson's trials and tribulations after signing with the Dodgers in 1947, as he battled bigotry from both players and fans to stake out equal rights for African Americans, while laying the groundwork for the end of segregation. Asked by Daily Variety about the story, Redford said "It's a simple story, and one that most don't know about how the color barrier was broken and changed the face of baseball and ultimately the country."
To support the biopic, Redford has been developing the project on the Civil Rights pioneer with the consent of Robinson's widow and Rickey's son, and he will also team up with Baldwin Entertainment to produce the picture.
