CURIOUS CRITTERS CAUGHT COLLECTOR FILLS BARNYARD WITH ECLECTIC COLLECTION.

Byline: John Sanders Staff Writer

ACTON - Dennis Neice has a lot of stuff.

Stuff like figures of a giant rooster and life-size horses and cows, all made of fiberglass. Buggies. Pump organs. Totem poles. Saddles - one used in the film ``Planet of the Apes.'' Old telephones.

``Everybody who comes in here just loves this place,'' said Neice, surrounded by his eclectic collection - most of it for sale - at The Barnyard. ``It makes me feel great, like I did something.''

Thousands of motorists every day catch a glimpse of Neice's stuff, which fills an outdoor sales yard adjoining the Antelope Valley Freeway near Crown Valley Road.

With a general Old West theme, much of the stuff at The Barnyard is built by Neice, including buggies, totem poles and figures of horses and longhorns. He also picks up stuff, such as the old Bob's Big Boy figure from the restaurant chain, on travels around the country.

Neice collects and restores Ford Model T and Model A cars, as well as other automotive antiques. He does blacksmith work.

Two of his fiberglass longhorn steers are scheduled to be used in a new commercial by the Saturn car company. He also sells items to theme parks, including Magic Mountain and Universal Studios.

Just recently Neice sold some items that will be used at the new Robertson Golf Course in Santa Clarita.

Neice started his business about 20 years ago for lack of a better way to make a living.

When he was 15 years old, living in Kentucky, he ran away from home, Niece said. He ended up in the Van Nuys area unable to read or write.

He went to Van Nuys night school, tried a couple of jobs and then got into his sales business.

``I never really had any education, and I had to do something. I finally realized I was in trouble,'' said Neice. ``I grew up in Kentucky, and I was around wagons and buggies and stuff, so I kind of knew that. I couldn't imagine myself being in an office.''

The Barnyard is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. For more information on The Barnyard, contact [phone].

``Everything is really great in my life, and I've done really good,'' Neice said. ``People come in, and it makes me feel good when people think this is a neat place.''

CAPTION(S):

4 photos

Photo: (1 -- color) Big Boy, the nostalgic symbol of Bob's Big Boy restaurants, carries a double hamburger in The Barnyard at Acton. Owner Dennis Neice collects, restores or makes all of his unusual stock.

(2 -- color) Dennis Neice, who makes some of the life-size figures and collects others, wrangles his collection of Americana in Acton, where most of his stock is for sale.

Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer

(3 -- color) The Barnyard's bear keeps watch over the Antelope Valley Freeway. The owner says his collection fascinates shoppers and browsers.

(4) A carousel horse gallops the range shared with a totem pole, a pickle barrel and other curiosities that fill an outdoor sales yard adjoining the Antelope Valley Freeway near Crown Valley Road at Acton.