Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington didn't get into Furness for free. The company producing the movie "Philadelphia," which stars Hanks and Washington, will pay the University $7,000 for the use of Furness' Fine Arts Library for a two-day film shoot last week. Associate General Counsel Steven Poskanzer, who helped put together the deal with Tri-Star Pictures, called the $7,000 sum "minimal." "This is not a huge cash cow for the University," Poskanzer said. "The University is not a profit entity." Poskanzer said that the contract between the production group and the University was signed in December shortly before the film shoot began. University spokesperson Phyllis Holtzman said that when movies are filmed on location anywhere on the University's property, a location fee is ordinarily charged if the production group is a for-profit company. Holtzman said the fine arts library could use the funds from the location fee "for whatever use they determine." Associate Director of Libraries Patricia Renfro said yesterday that a decision has not been made on how to use the money. "We will probably use it for some equipment for the fine arts library, maybe for something like a video disc player for our patrons," Renfro said. "We haven't decided for sure yet -- we haven't seen the check yet." According to Holtzman, a location scout was initially sent to the University by the film company to find an appropriate place to film a scene in what would be a law library in the film. Scott Currie, locations manager for the production, said last week that the Furness building was selected for the shoot due to its intricate architecture. Acting Executive Vice President John Gould said that the University was "encouraged" to take part in the film shoot by Mayor Ed Rendell. "The mayor really encouraged us to participate, because, of course, they are trying to attract film companies to the city," Gould said. "And we can be accommodating and helpful." The film, which has been shooting throughout the city since October, tells the story of a Philadelphia lawyer, played by Hanks, who is fired from his job after developing AIDS, and hires Washington's character, a television lawyer, to help him get his job back. The production's publicist Judy Arthur said the company is pleased with the Furness shoot. "Everything went beautifully there," Arthur said. "We were happy to have the University's cooperation, and you'll see Furness in the movie."
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