Nancy Atwill (Lessner)

<p>II Atwills Move to 11 Room House, Leave Pigeons Behind

Spanish Hacienda ldeally Suited

By TUCK FLEMING

All 11 members of the Joseph Atwill family adjusted beautifully to moving from Palos Verdes Estates to Hollywood Riviera, but they balked at trying to explain the change of home plates to their 10 homing pigeons. Some of the pigeons stayed behind, adopted by the new owners of the former Atwill home at 2625 Via Rivera, and the catcheable ones were returned to the pet shop. It takes six weeks of constant handling to get the idea of a change of address across to a homing pigeon and the nine Atwill children have been too busy exploring their fascinating new home and swimming in their new pool to cope with pigeon training. 31 YEARS OLD Although custom built 31 years ago as the dream house of a Hollywood movie producer, the family’s newly purchased rambling house at 624 Calle Miramar fits the Atwills like a giove. The tile-roofed home has 11 spacious rooms and four fireplaces. The family consists of Joe, owner of Harbor Chemical Company and a night student at El Camino in business administration and chemistry; his wife, Nancy; and their offspring.... Ann, 16; Joe Jr., 14; Chris, 12; Tom, 10; Frank, eight; Theresa, five; Allison, four; Nancy three; and Connie, nine months. INTRIGUING Spanish in style, it was built to achieve an appearance of antiquity. The place is filled with intriguing nooks, balconies and alcoves. Right out of Alfred Hitchcock is a living room bookcase which swings open to reveal a secret staircase to one of the two cellars. The colorful tiles on the stair lifts were imported from Italy and the wrought iron used throughout the home from Spain. Stenciled paintings on the heavily beamed ceilings were done by an Italian artist. The house brought no joy to the movie producer whose original dream it was, for he never lived in it. He ran into serious financial difficulties before its completion and was forced to turn it over to the young contractor who was building it. Adding ideas of their own, the contractor and his wife lived in the house and raised their family there. They then sold it to John Rice. The next owner was Mrs. Brandsma Van Calcar, from Holland, who sold it to the James Hall family nine years ago.

SWIMMING POOL The Halls, who now live in Rolling Hills, added the beautiful swimming pool and a 12-foot dining room buffet, topped with custom made tiles from Spain. While the Halls were living there, the original contractor’s widow, now an elderly lady in Pasadena, paid them an unexpected visit. With strong sentimental feelings about the house, she had been having frightening dreams that her beloved former home was either gone or in disrepair. To reassure her, a niece drove her to Hollywood Riviera, where they had a terrible time finding the house because of the maze of new streets. Finally locating it, they toured every inch of the place, setting the early day owner’s mind at ease to find it in beautiful shape, even better than she had left it. FORMER LIFEGUARD The pool is a special joy to the Atwills, since all the children, except the baby, swim like fish....taught by their father who was a Santa Monica lifeguard as a boy. Both Nancy and Joe grew up in Santa Monica. Joe’s grandfather was a early settler there whose original home was donated to the Elks’ club for its clubhouse. Nancy’s mother was Craig Rice, the noted mystery writer. Their two oldest children are attending Bishop Montgomery high school. Walking to school are Chris, Tom and Frank, students at nearby St. Lawrence Martyr, to which Chris has been traveling by bus for six years from Palos Verdes Estates. It’s only fair that all the facts are presented to the Bernard Anthony family, new owners of the Atwills’ former Via Rivera home. The Anthonys have five children, the same number the Atwills had when they moved into that house. Original owners of the house were the Faulk family who moved in with five children and left with seven. Who says large families and large homes are going out of style?

SECRETS - The male continguent of the Atwill family, Frank, eight; Tom, 10; and Joe Jr., 14, help swing back bookcase which reveals entrance to small room and steps to one of two cellars in the house on Calle Miramar in Hollywood Riviera.

MOVING DAY - Biggest helps to Nancy Atwill are daughters Ann, 16, left, andlChris, 12, who are still helping the family get settled in new 11 room house. Book shelves line library sitting room wall.

SPANISH HACIENDA - Multi-level custom built Spanish home in Hollywood Riviera is the dream-house of the Joseph Atwill family which recently moved from Lunada Bay. Photographed near the entrance

gate are Theresa, five; Allison, four; and Nancy, three. Abundance of Spanish tile, brick and Palos Verdes stone is used throughout. (News Photos)

FAMILY FUN - Large fenced in pool is haven to mom and dad and nine little Atwills. Youngest is baby Connie, nine months. Frank has taught all of the family to swim. He was a lifeguard as a youth in Santa Monica.</p>