The Jackie Robinson Story (United Artists) (1950)

Pal, Brother Debut With Robinson tfi Picture Biog J a c k i e Robinson, Brooklyn’s great second baseman, may be a top man in his league today, yet for many years he played second fiddle to his brother, Mack, a great track performer and Olym¬ pics Games medal winner. And Mack wasn’t the only one Jackie played second fiddle to. Another was Kenny Washington, one of the greatest football players ever produced in the West. Jackie started out at UCLA in the shad¬ ows of his colleague and school¬ mate, Kenny. Both Mack and Kenny appear with Jackie in “The Jackie Rob¬ inson Story,” which is due to open this . at the . Theatre through Eagle Lion Films release. Kenny portrays the manager of a baseball team. Mack does a small bit as an en¬ thusiastic Dodger rooter. Both are rooting for Jackie’s success in the film in which he plays him¬ self. “The Jackie Robinson Story,” was produced under the aegis of William J. Heineman. Mort Bris- kin was the producer and Alfred E. Green the director. Gridiron Featured In Baseball Film Football as well as baseball was well represented in the play¬ ers’ line-up for scenes in “The Jackie Robinson Story,” which will open . at the . Theatre through Eagle Lion Films release. Gridiron elevens from UCLA, USC, Loyola, Pepperdine College, Los Angeles Rams and the Detroit Lions had members among the football and baseball players ap¬ pearing in the picture. Baseball nines represented included Phil¬ adelphia Athletics, Brooklyn Dodgers (besides Robinson), Bos¬ ton Red Sox, Boston Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates, Los Angeles Angels, Hollywood Stars, Chi¬ cago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds and t«| teams from many other sec- tWns of the country. William J. Heineman acted as executive producer for “The Jackie Robinson Story,” which features Ruby Dee, Minor Wat¬ son and Richard Lane in addition to the star second baseman who appears as himself. Friends On the screen they hoot and boo him. In real life they are among his most ardent fans. The four are Dewey Rob¬ inson, Joe Devlin, Dick Wes- sel and Ben Weldon, screen bad men, who bedevil Jackie Robinson in key scenes for “The Jackie Robinson Story” which will open . at the . Theatre, with Robinson playing himself in the pic¬ ture. Off the screen all four arc ardent baseball and foot¬ ball fans and rooted for Apckie when he played foot- oall for UCLA and have fol¬ lowed his career in baseball closely and enthusiastically. “The Jackie Robinson Story” is being released by Eagle Lion Films. Mat 3A Still JR P114 Make Sports Movie To Keep in Trim All a baseball player has to do to keep in training between sea¬ sons is get himself cast in a pic¬ ture. For further proof of the rigors accompanying movie-mak¬ ing just ask Jackie Robinson who stars as himself in Eagle Lion’s “The Jackie Robinson Story,” which will open . at the . Theatre. After only a three-week stint before the cameras, he had been given such a workout that he was only a few pounds over his play¬ ing weight of 196 pounds. In fact, Jackie stated that the running he did and the base stealing neces¬ sary for the camera, worked him as hard as any training schedule, often harder. The reason—many scenes had to be shot over and over again because of varying camera angles, not to mention the number of times a piece of business had to be shot over again because it didn’t look just right for the cameras. Wiliam J. Heineman was ex¬ ecutive producer for “The Jackie Robinson Story,” which Alfred E. Green directed. All-Star Team Shown above are four of the top players in “The Jackie Robinson Story,” which will open . at the . Theatre, via Eagle Lion Films release. They are: Richard Lane as Clay Hopper, Ruby Dee as Jackie’s wife, Jackie as himself and Minor Watson as Branch Rickey. Dodger’s Arthur Mann OK’s ‘The Jackie Robinson Story’ The right to stop the cameras any time he thought a scene was not authentic—that was the authority vested in Arthur Mann, assistant to Branch Rickey, president of the Brooklyn Dodgers, when Mann came to Hollywood to act as a technical supervisor for ‘‘The Jackie Robinson Story, Eagle Lion’s film story of the famed second baseman’s rise to the position of the nation’s top man in the world of sports. The picture will open . at the . Theatre. Was Newsman Mann, who also shares screen writing credit with Lawrence Taylor, covered sports for the old New York World and later the New York Tribune before it be¬ came the Herald-Tribune. He then joined the Evening World as a baseball writer, and subse¬ quently became one of the most famous of sports writers. He later met and became very friendly with Branch Rickey. One day Rickey told him that he had just signed up a top-notch ball¬ player, who incidentally happen¬ ed to be a Negro, and from that time on there was never a step in the Robinson situation about which Mann didn’t know. It was therefore natural that Branch Rickey would turn the film situation over to him when the proper time came. Guarantees Authenticity Mann came to Hollywood with a batch of material in his posses¬ sion. William J. Heineman, ex¬ ecutive producer of “The Jackie Robinson Story,” signed a con¬ tract with Mann which guaran¬ teed authenticity to the story. Mann then got together with pro¬ ducer Mort Briskin, director Al¬ fred E. Green and screen writer Lawrence Taylor. The result was a script that pulled no punches. However, and again on Branch Rickey’s insistence, there were no short cuts or sacrifice of base¬ ball’s position for dramatic effect or suspense. In addition to Jackie Robinson, who plays himself in the picture, Ruby Dee, Louise Beavers, Minor Watson and Richard Lane are featured. Mat IB Still JR 73 Minor Watson as Branch Rickey congratulates Jackie Robinson in a scene from “The Jackie Robin¬ son Story,” which will open .... at the .Theatre. Robinson plays himself in the film. Alma Mater Pasadena City College was the locale from the first few days shooting of “The Jackie Robin¬ son Story,” starring the great player himself, which will open .at the.Theatre through Eagle Lion Films release. It was at this school, then called the Pasadena Junior College, that Jackie Robinson first started his athletic career— as a trackman, basketball and football player. Things W ere T ough For Young Jackie There are good reasons why Jackie Robinson is deeply con¬ cerned with problems of under¬ privileged youngsters. He was one himself, and not so many years ago, either. The Dodger second baseman, who plays himself in “The Jackie Robinson Story,” an Eagle Lion Films release, which will open at the . Theatre, was a member of a large family supported by his mother. His home in Pasadena, California was anything but luxurious. As a re¬ sult, the youthful Jackie, unlike his more sheltered schoolmates, had his troubles. His hardships in growing up make him instinc¬ tively concerned with others faced by the same trials and trib¬ ulations. Jackie wants to help them—and off-season does, as a member of Harlem’s YMCA’s. Furthermore, this work with underprivileged youngsters is what Jackie plans to continue with after quitting baseball. It is why he is saving money now. There is never enough of it go around for salaries in the field which seeks to prevent juveniles from becoming delinquent. Many well-known baseball play¬ ers are included among the team members of the several nines which appear on the playing fields in “The Jackie Robinson Story,” opening.at the. Theatre. Robinson plays himself in the picture. Among these ball players are Ed Chandler of the Brooklyn Dodgers, Lou Stringer of the Boston Red Sox, Peanuts Lowry of the Cincinnati Reds, Gene Mauch of the Boston Braves, Frank Kelleher, and Cliff Aberson of the Hollywood Stars, Albie Glossop of the Los Angeles Angels, Bill Manny, Meridian, Mississippi, A1 Stringer, Roches¬ ter, Vic Marsco, formerly of the Pueblo, Colorado team and now Dodger rookie, Pat Flah¬ erty, former Boston Red Sox pitcher, Fred Millikan, scout for Pittsburgh, and Mike Donovan, one time Philadelphia Athletics to liner. 'Robinson’ Here The thrill-packed saga of the sports world’s most thrilling fig¬ ure—Jackie Robinson is unfolded in all its true glory in “The Jackie Robinson Story,” which is due to open here .at the. Theatre, through Eagle Lion Films release. The finest hitter, runner and base-stealer in the National League will relive his greatest feats before the camera’s eye as he portrays himself in the film. Others in the cast include Ruby Dee, Minor Watson, Louise Beav¬ ers and Richard Lane. Alfred E. Green directed. Wliat This Country Needs . . . There are few things character actor Minor Watson dis¬ likes more than cigar smoking. Yet for his scenes in “The Jackie Robinson Story,” in which he plays Branch Rickey, president of the Brooklyn Dodgers, the veteran actor smoked an average of seven cigars each day. The reason: Branche Rickey is seldom seen awake without a cigar in his mouth or hand, and Watson was determined to be in character. The picture opens . at the Theatre through Eagle Lion Films release. Other mannerisms which make Rickey lifelike on the screen were learned bv Watson during several visits with Rickey, whom he knew in New York long before he ever had an idea he might play the great baseball figure on the screen. Arthur Mann, Branch Rickey’s assistant, helped, too, insisting that Rickey, as well as Robinson, he portrayed as true to life as possible. In The Jackie Robinson Story,” which was directed by Alfred E. Green, Robinson appears as himself, with Ruby Dee, Louise Beavers and Richard Lane in the sup¬ porting cast. William J. Heineman acted as executive pro¬ ducer for the film. Po.ge Nineteen