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Homes of the Rich and Famous
Horse Trader Jack Atkin sought out Paul Williams to create a home
that was ostentatious, and proud to be that way. The Depression was in
full swing, but Atkin had money to spare, it seemed. He wanted a home
of splendor overlooking Pasadena that would set him well above the
others in his “set” of cronies in terms of content and cost. Upon boast-
ing to his group that he was designing a house costing half a million
dollars, he asked Williams to add another $150,000 to the house when
the bill came to only $350,000. Five hundred thousand dollars back
then would be over $8.5 million today.
The Atkin home was
used in several films
such as the original
Topper; episodes of
Murder, She Wrote; one
of the Rocky films, and Paul Revere Williams was part of the team that designed the Theme Building
many others. Atkins at Los Angeles International Airport.
would rent it out for
movie-making as a
charity, giving the money Right: The
to area food banks. Saks Fifth
The Depression did Avenue
not mean homes were building in
not being built. In fact, Beverly Hills.
Williams designed over This store
one hundred homes featured
during this time for the incredible
interiors
likes of Tyrone Power, designed to
Lon Chaney, and Bert keep the
Lahr. Even though he customer
would not have been comfortable.
allowed to live there
The Williams home of Jack Atkin
himself, Williams Another renowned building designed by Williams is the Beverly
approached each home project with the mission to exceed his client’s Hills Saks Fifth Avenue. This is an example of Williams’s ability to
expectations. Moving into the 1940s and 50s, Williams would go on to meld the Southern California style façade with his design aesthetic as it
design homes for Lucille Ball, Frank Sinatra, Bill “Bojangles” applied to home interiors. His design blew customers away, instantly
Robinson, Cary Grant, Anthony Quinn, and many more. making them more comfortable while shopping in a luxuriant space
meant to make the merchandise shown in its best light.
Other famous non-residential landmarks he designed in and around
L.A. include the Second Baptist Church of L.A., Chasen’s Restaurant,
Arrowhead Springs Hotel, and work he did for the Naval Air Station in
Long Beach.

For the Average (G.I.) Joe and More
Once established, Williams turned to his own race and worked on
projects to lift up the Black community. He made buildings that
continued to reflect his design aesthetic to everyone – not just the rich
and famous.
After World War II, he designed affordable tract housing for Black
veterans returning home. According to a segment on NPR’s All Things
Considered, he helped design
“iconic public and commer-
Some say that Sinatra turned to Williams to have a house built that reflected
his newfound stardom and knew Williams could design his home in cial buildings, including the
the right style with all the right accessories. In Frank Sinatra’s home, Williams Los Angeles County Mosk
invented what may be the first residential use of roller shades and automated doors. Courthouse, the historic
This home was a wonderful example of midcentury architecture, Spanish-colonial style
but is now torn down. Williams’s daughter, Norma, in the photo with YMCA building in down-
Williams and Sinatra, was the interior designer of the home. town LA, and part of the LA
International Airport.” Other
For the Corporate World Right: Homes from the Carver
As Williams’ reputation continued to climb, he took time to focus Manor section of Willowbrook,
on creating a working space for a variety of corporate clients. In 1938, CA. A Black real estate agent
Jules Stein asked Williams to design the Music Corporation of America named Velma Grant acquired the
building (see column header). The building itself resembles a large land for these 250 tract homes
Georgian home in the center of downtown Beverly Hills. Now placed and hired Williams to design them
on the Beverly Hills Register of Historic Properties, the original mission for Black veterans returning from
was to give the atmosphere and space to provide comfort and space to World War II. Instead of creating
encourage creativity. In 1964, the building was taken over by defense “cookie-cutter” homes, Williams
gave each one different features.
contractor Litton Industries, and the new owners reached out to Photos by architectural photographer and
Williams to construct a second, larger three-story addition. author of Regarding Paul R. Williams: A
Photographer’s View, Janna Ireland.

32 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles