Punisher Props up for Auction

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"The movie starring John Travolta as Howard Saint, arch rival of the hero and title character, portrayed by Thomas Jane, finished filming on Oct. 15, leaving behind a ton of stuff. On Saturday some of it goes on the auction block. Among the items: A box f

TAMPA - The late night, Hollywood booms that rocked Tampa last month are history. The comic book superhero and his arch nemesis are gone for greener pastures. Tampa now deals with the aftermath of ``The Punisher.''
The movie starring John Travolta as Howard Saint, arch rival of the hero and title character, portrayed by Thomas Jane, finished filming on Oct. 15, leaving behind a ton of stuff. On Saturday some of it goes on the auction block.

Among the items: A box full of empty wooden cigar boxes that held cigars smoked by Travolta. Fishing poles used by extras in the background of a Sunshine Skyway Bridge scene. A bookshelf and books used as a backdrop of an office scene. A 1940s era General Electric fan and a brightly colored Mardi Gras type mask.

There's a chalkboard that was used in a medical examiner's office scene, an old air compressor, and a flashing light on a pedestal.

All of it, including office furniture, computers and printers and copiers used by the production company, will be sold to the highest bidder at Tampa Liquidation Center, 8263 Causeway Blvd. just west of U.S. 301. It all must go, said auction house owner Robert Milic.

He had hoped to get a pallet of phony cash, used in a robbery scene, but he couldn't, he said. The auction, which is expected to draw more than 100 people, begins at 10 a.m. Items will be sold separately or by the box, or by the lot, he said.

The production company called him last week and asked if he could get all the stuff in their warehouse. He went by and picked up a portion that he thought could be sold, he said.

``I could have sold everything,'' Milic said, ``but they had to be out by Wednesday,'' and there was no time to collect the rest, including the pallet of money and backdrops of several scenes.

The 52 days of filming in the Tampa Bay area included many locals finding their way into the movie as extras. The film is scheduled for release in April. The production injected about $12 million into the local economy, not including what the auction brings today.

Besides ``The Punisher'' props, the auction will also sell piles of Hillsborough County sheriff's surplus equipment, Milic said. He routinely sells items for the sheriff's office, he said.

Items ranging from computers to police gear to cameras to office equipment will go to the highest bidder.

``We have these from time to time,'' said sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter. ``Whenever we get enough things together, on an as-needed basis.'' So far this year, the sheriff's department has held auctions 19 times and collected more than $26,000, she said.

Inspection of the all the items begins at 8 a.m. Bidding starts at 10 a.m.

KEITH MORELLI
11/1/2003 10:19:00 PM
Source: Tampa Bay Online

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