Make the movie at Muzzy, state leaders say

Reporter Jackie Majerus wrote this story:

A plan to make a major Hollywood movie about baseball great Jackie Robinson has growing support at the Capitol from lawmakers who say they'd love to see the stadium scenes filmed at Muzzy Field in Bristol.
House Speaker James Amann said he "absolutely" would want to see historic Muzzy Field used in the film.
"It sounds exciting to me," said Deputy House Speaker Demetrios Giannaros, a Farmington Democrat.
The as-yet-unnamed film, which will tell the story of Robinson, Brooklyn Dodgers manager Branch Rickey and the breaking of baseball's color bar in the late 1940s, is a project of Baldwin Entertainment Group, Andrew Cohen, Tracy Falco, Robert Redford and his production company, Wildwood Enterprises and ESPN Films.
Producers have said Muzzy Field is on the short list of ballparks under consideration for use in the movie, but haven't committed yet.
Lawmakers said the historic Bristol ballpark is a perfect location for the scenes at Ebbett's Field, the home of the Brooklyn Dodgers.
"I think it would be fantastic," said Rep. Bill Hamzy, a Plymouth Republican. "It would be such a home run."
Hamzy said he has the "utmost respect" for Robinson and what he did.
"He had to perform at a very high level under some extremely difficult situations," said Hamzy. "The important thing is not only was he the first African-American to play in the majors, it was very important that he performed at the level he did."
Amann, who has been pushing tax breaks for filmmakers to build the filmmaking industry in Connecticut, has been working with Baldwin's firm for more than a year on the Robinson project.
"It's nice to know that what we talked about a year ago is happening now," Amann said. "We're very excited about it."
Amann said he was glad to see ESPN get involved in the production.
The Bristol-based ESPN announced last week that it would join Redford, Baldwin and the other producers to make the movie.
Besides being a producer, Redford is to play Rickey in the movie. Producers have not yet announced who will play Robinson.
Baldwin Entertainment Group, which recently relocated from California to Waterford, is now working out of the offices of Sonalyst Studios, according to Karen Baldwin, executive vice president of Baldwin Entertainment Group.
Amann said he's happy that there's moviemaking business along the shore in Waterford, but he said other places in Connecticut should see some of the action, too.
"I really want the whole state to benefit," said Amann.
Filming some of the Jackie Robinson movie in Bristol would go a long way towards that goal, according to Amann.
Rep. Zeke Zalaski, a Southington Democrat, said making a movie at Muzzy Field would be "a great thing for the whole area."
Zalaski, who's worked at Associated Spring in Bristol for 30 years, is very familiar with Muzzy Field. He said he even played baseball and football there as a high school student.
"Muzzy Field is probably one of the most hidden gems in the state of Connecticut and probably New England," said Rep. Frank Nicastro, a Bristol Democrat and former longtime city mayor.
"We have a beautiful park," said Rep. Ron Burns, a Bristol Republican who said anytime the city gets that kind of positive exposure, it's a good thing.
Nicastro said the city has been buying up the homes surrounding the historic ballpark and tearing them down to better show off Muzzy Field. Another house is scheduled to come down in about a month.

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Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com