It was just as much a part of the Studio 54 experience as the dancing. Here he is pictured alongside Liza Minnelli and Bianca Jagger at the New Years Eve party of 1977. A 77-year-old widow who became known as "Disco Sally" was a regular and was always allowed in when she showed up. Rubell liked to tell a story about a countess who took a fancy to one unnamed bartender and had him handcuff her to a pipe in the basement before having sex with her. Not only did she love a good time, but she also knew how to master the dance floor. Nearby trash cans always had to be emptied of bottles and other things that could become dangerous projectiles. Bianca Jagger appears on horseback for her birthday. At this time, Fawcett had recently hit it big with her role in Charlies Angels, while MacLaine had just starred in The Turning Point. She was later presented with a life-size portrait of herself made of cake. Perhaps understandably, Rodgers now considers Benecke a friend. Even if you werent having sex with someone every night, you felt like you could, says former editor of Interview, Bob Colacello. But the party was wild.. For 33 months, Studio 54 was the American bacchanal, an unprecedented mix of glamorous sophistication and primal hedonism. After all, it seemed like everyone was doing it! Studio 54 produced many star-studded photo opportunities. The newly anointed nightclub king got cocky, joking to a radio host that what the IRS doesnt know wont hurt them, and bragging to New York magazine, Only the Mafia makes more money.. This crowd is made up of well-known, successful individuals: Fashion designer Halston and actress Bianca Jagger are on the left, followed by film director Jack Haley Jr. and actress Liza Minnelli in the back right. DJ Richie Kaczor dropped the needle on the first record of the night, Devils Gun by C.J. There was an anything goes attitude to sex at Studio 54. When sex and money didn't work, people would get violent. For most of his life, though, co-founder Ian Schrager has wanted to forget it. 9 Monumental Books About Martin Luther King Jr. 9 Films That Provide Insight Into Martin Luther King Jr.s Life and Legacy. The 100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time There didn't seem to be any rhyme or reason for who gained entrance and who didn't. According to Rolling Stone, people would offer him anything to get in. A man dangles a cigarette inside Studio 54, 1977. Here, see a selection of exclusive images of Spatzs work for the first time. I remember where this guy had really screwed himself up and they got a stretcher. Although he had broken his neck and left wrist, he took pleasure in the fact that he had actually made it inside. Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager opened Studio 54 40 years ago, and it soon became the epicenter of New York Citys nightlife for nearly three years. Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager opened the legendary club in 1977, and while it only lasted under their management for three years, it quickly cemented itself as the quintessential enclave for celebrities, fashionable disco-lovers, and their favorite illicit activities. The Holiday Party At Studio 54 Got A Little Out Of Hand 29 Pictures That Show Just How Insane Studio 54 Really Was Messed Up Things That Happened At Studio 54 54 Studio Party New York Studio 54 15 Things We Learned About The Hedonists Mecca From New Doentary Independent Studio 54 Originally Gallo Opera House Nyc Lgbt Historic Sites Project Here we see one of those notable moments where an elderly woman is dancing with a young man. The black-and-white photographs included scenes from iconic clubs like Studio 54 and Xenon; shots of Carrie Fisher, Jackie Kennedy Onassis, Mary Tyler Moore and Robert Redford; as well quirky New York City street life tableaus in the 1970s and Eighties. Giancarlo Giammetti threw a circus-themed birthday party for his business partner, fashion designer Valentino. By midnight, the huge group in the street had become "Sodom and Gomorrah." When she visited the city for concert dates in May 1978, Rubell created a rural farm setting to help the country singer feel more at home. A doctor had thoughtfully brought a giant box of Quaaludes with him. (This was before the AIDS crisis hit, so people were much freer with their bodies.) Their uniform was a tiny pair of shorts and nothing else. They bought a building at 254 W. 54th St. in New York and spent $400,000 on turning it into a nightclub that included a huge man-in-the-moon hanging over the dance floor. Studio 54, New York. A throwback to the heyday of authentic New York nightlife, the room also boasts wonderful lighting by Tony winner Ken Billington and the best sound in town . The doctor started handing them out, he told Haden-Guest. The two are almost unrecognizable, however, thanks to the cream thats been smeared all over their faces and clothes. Even so, it gave visitors a rush of adrenaline to watch them twirl in the air from below. Nina Hagens Nunsexmonkrock: Greatest (and weirdest) unsung masterpiece of the postpunk era? Why Is Friday the 13th Considered Unlucky? Trans women were welcomed, while eccentrics such as Rollerina, a Wall Street banker by day who rollerskated on the dancefloor at night, and Disco Sally, a 78-year-old lawyer, were cult figures. The door code played upon the fundamental human quirk of desperately wanting what one cant have. It just snowballed from there, doorman Marc Benecke recalled in a 1998 E! Andy Warhol, mingling backstage with friends Bianca Jagger and fashion designer Halston. The many singers who passed through the joint didnt leave without belting out a few notes of their own. In the very, very far left you can see me I didnt know that I was in the picture., Persson on this photo: "I think this is the same horse Bianca Jagger turned up on for her birthday in 1977. She is seen here in colorful 70s makeup, big hair and a risque lace top. But that picture started the ball rolling. This is after the feminist movement of the 70s: if a woman wanted to be nude that was her privilege, no one would ever touch her or say anything. The party went off without a hitch, save for a minor incident. Doormen didnt let just anyone inside, but if you were lucky, you could get into the club without having connections in high places. A woman holds a makeshift pipe for a man as he attempts to smoke an unidentified substance in 1981. At the Purple magazine party, a naked couple in a clear bathtub perform for an audience in 1977. The owners knew they needed celebrities to keep coming, and they knew celebrities liked free drugs. 74-year-old photographer Tod Papageorge is best known for capturing the buzzing streets of NYC and subtle moments in Central Park. Showing Editorial results for studio 54. It got the attention of the IRS, and the club was raided on suspicion of tax evasion. While the nightclubs lifespan may have been cut short, the memories made within its walls live on in countless celebrities and lucky visitors. No other nightclub has been able to rival it in reputation and A-list guests since. Four women in shimmery dresses sit in the club's lounge area. The Birth of Studio 54. 29 Pictures That Show Just How Insane Studio 54 Really Was. Unlike Ron Galellas work which has been exhibited and is collected as fine art after Spatz died in 2003 the archive of images was inherited by his younger sister, Amy Lowen, and packed away in filing cabinets in her Kentucky home. In 1978, Studio 54 was lucky enough to host her 46th birthday party. The packed dance floor was the place to see and be seen, but not everything people got up to at Studio 54 was necessarily intended for an audience. Then, step inside the 1990s rave scene at its neon zenith. Steve Rubell, co-owner of Studio 54, and fashion designer Halston in the club's DJ booth, 1978. Diana Ross serenaded the owners from the DJ booth, and Liza Minnelli sang New York, New York. Rubell, donning a Sinatra-like fedora, piped in with a spirited rendition of My Way, which played on repeat during the night, as did Gloria Gaynors Studio 54 anthem I Will Survive. From a mechanical platform high above the dance floor, Rubell addressed his guests with an emotional speech. According to Haskell, the non-drinking, non-dancing mogul had business reasons for making the scene. She called getting on it and riding around a "foolish decision.". Club employees were tasked with stripping nearby garbage cans of bottles and cans, lest these potential projectiles land in the hands of disgruntled guests. A party was staged the night before their sentences began. We were invited to meet with Grace Jones at Studio 54, Rodgers told Sound on Sound in 2005. To dodge strict rules about serving alcohol, the club didn't actually have a permanent liquor license for a long time. Even when they were under investigation for tax evasion and obstruction of justice, the owners renovated the club. A woman dances near the Studio 54 light towers in 1977. He captured it fantastically the fun and wackiness, the sweetness. From the looks of it, he seemed to enjoy his time there, too! All Rights reserved. 60 Chilling Vintage Photos From Studio 54 Studio 54 has gone down in history as the ultimate nightclub, a place where everyone who was anyone went to get down, boogie, and be seen. We walked out through the entrance where the garbage goes out. Another employee, "Lenny 54," was open about the fact he wasn't going to just serve drinks. This wasnt a show for just any night at the club, however. The brainchild of Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager, the club opened in a. [He] wanted to have a birthday party that Monday for Bianca Jagger. Like many venues, the club closed Mondays for a dark night, but Rubell made an exception. For major actresses like these, visiting Studio 54 was a must while in New York City. Photographer Gene Spatz captured celebrities including John Lennon, Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger at the iconic New York City 1970s nightclub. The people who did gain entry were just as bizarre. Rubell had gone to jail for tax evasion, and the new owners kept the good times going until 1994, by which time attendance had dropped off. Not that they actually waited to get inside for the fun to start. Skimming was standard practice in the cash-flush world of restaurants and nightclubs, but this was an order of magnitude greater than most offenders. It wasn't just animals that were taken advantage of. Somebody yelled out, Hey! They didnt even know we were waiting out there., The atmosphere was hardly better inside, as the couples wandered through the empty disco. A kind of unofficial VIP area in an already VIP club, it was where big celebrities went for their private trysts. And, of course, disco music was blaring. 29 Pictures That Show Just How Insane Studio 54 Really Was The Holiday Party At Studio 54 Got A Little Out Of Hand Inside The Real Studio 54 Balconies Liza Minnelli No Hats S Guardian Messed Up Things That Happened At Studio 54 Behind The Scenes At Studio 54 Cnn Style The Holiday Party At Studio 54 Got A Little Out Of Hand Cher, Margaux Hemingway and a young Brooke Shields made it inside, but Warren Beatty, Kate Jackson and Henry Winkler did not. Studio 54: heady daze of disco decadence in pictures, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. Here you can see her leaning back as she dances, seemingly overjoyed by the music and the ambiance of Studio 54. A man dressed up in leather and an NYU tank chats with his friend, decked out in pearls and garters as two other club-goers look on. The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time The Studio 54 Glory Years When CBS sold the theater, various parties from the worlds of fashion and art began to express interest in seeing it transformed into a nightclub. (A young Alec Baldwin was a busboy, and legend says he quit because he was too turned on by all the intimacy he witnessed.) Right: Clubgoers inhale nitrous oxide (also known as laughing gas) on the dance floor during the 1977 Halloween party. The club was a tabloid fixture. While Studio 54 traded in nightly excess, the elaborate themed parties held on special occasions allowed Rubell, Schrager and their team to bring VIP guests most vivid fantasies to life. Above our heads. Not only was this accepted, but one of the biggest suppliers was the co-owner Steve Rubell. Getting high low-down, Grace Jones wrote in her 2016 memoir. They were known to turn away some seriously well-known people. Aids later hit, of course. On May 2nd, Jagger celebrated in grand style. It was completely normal to see people walking around naked. Creative Breakfast Recipes from Andrew Zimmern, Alton Brown and Sunny Anderson, 14 Destination Races Perfect for Extending into a Vacation, Wild Office Pranks That Evil Coworkers Have Pulled on Each Other, 6 Sites to Design Custom Photo Mugs for Gifts or Keepsakes, Seasonal Sips: Totally Teetotal Winter Mocktails for Dry January. In this picture, Robin Williams is with his then-wife Valerie Velardi and Studio 54s own Santa Claus. Within half an hour they composed a song called Fuck Off. After some lyrical tweaking they arrived at a slightly more Top 40friendly title. Model Bianca Jagger holds doves at a party thrown by fashion designer Halston in 1977. Nightlife anywhere was sure to have drugs involved were talking about the 1970s, here. But he could be generous with his cash. Owner Steve Rubell is standing in his office in this photograph after, he claimed, federal police raided the area in search of drugs. Having been used as a radio and television studio for CBS, the building was still full of TV sets and lighting equipment when Steve Rubell transformed it into a place for drinks, music and dancing. The late 70s also saw the rise of celebrity culture, and Studio 54 provided that too, with Liza, Michael, Andy, Bianca and Diana regulars. So they would send limos to pick them up, making sure there was plenty of cocaine in them first. You could see him, trying to scope out the inside of the club. And McCarthy was able to recognize the special collection Lowen had inherited and make sure his creative legacy remained alive. Benecke often needed an escort back to his apartment. PHOTOS: Newly Released Studio 54 Collection Offers Rare Glimpse Into A Party Legend. About fifteen minutes later we were just getting ready to leave, and they opened one of the doors. Franco Rossellini and Steve Rubell (producer and owner, respectively) are pictured here in front of what appears to be a giant birthday cake. Many of the celebs who were there are still alive, so other than vague rumors, we don't know the worst of what went down. About 30 people standing around us took them, and then everybody started having this mad sexual orgy. Asshole! I looked and there was a rifle pointed at me. Dolly came and was completely freaked out at the number of people there. He was supplied with drugs and given a regular paycheck. The IRS was not fooled. Both Rubell and Schrager were arrested and accused of skimming $2.5 million in club earnings. Studio 54 The Ultimate Den Of Vice Photography Guardian. Cher wasnt the wildest partier on the scene, but she was known for being an independent and forward-thinking individual who didnt shy away from a good time. Highly respected clothing designer Diane von Furstenberg is perched on a couch with media mogul Barry Diller. One second the light bulb went on and I sang Aaaaahh, freak out! Judge Richard Owen shocked the court by imposing the maximum penalty: three-and-a-half years in prison and $20,000 fines. Typical of the late 70s, the two are smoking. We kept saying, Gee, I wonder where everybody is? We had a blast. While some front-door rejects got vengeful, truly tenacious clubgoers tried to find alternate access points to crash the party. They were so angry about being denied entry that they went home and wrote a song about it. No one remembered him being there the first night. Not having alcohol wasn't a problem, of course, because this was the 1970s. They put up signs apologizing, and everyone enjoyed juice instead. But if you were really famous, there was the basement. Studio 54 is a Broadway theater and a former disco nightclub at 254 West 54th Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. BuzzFeed News Photo Essay Editor. In a relatively small space were some of the most beautiful and richest people who ever lived. About a half an hour later there were 50 or 60 people in there. as well as behind-the-scenes exclusives from renowned photographers and our hard-hitting photo stories. This photograph comes just before the release of Off the Wall, when he was still remembered most for his youthful vocals in The Jackson 5. We were like the first. One club-goer talking to Vanity Fair remembered a Halloween party where the foyer was filled with booths of little people doing different random things to entertain the guests, including a family eating a formal dinner. Again, this is in a huge crowd of people on a street in Manhattan. There is mixed reporting on whether notorious lady-killer Warren Beatty was told to leave or if he gave up on his own. Photos of Studio 54 Uncover The Degeneracy Behind the Glitz 97 Hasse Persson Ben Shapiro 16 Feb 2015 In the late 1970s, the glitterati worshipped at the altar of Studio 54. Finally it became CBS's Studio 52 from 1942 to 1976. Now an animal rights advocate, Bianca told the Financial Times (via the Guardian) that she didn't show up on the horse. When she wasnt whipping her legs through the air to the music, she was brushing shoulders with the countrys most famous celebrities. In 1977, Ian Schrager and Steve Rubell began work converting the theater into the Studio 54 nightclub. In this picture, women pose on top of giant reflective pillows in the middle of the crowd. Ensconced in the cozy basement space under Studio 54, 54 Below is a ravishing new space designed to the teeth by architect Richard Lewis and Tony-winning set designer John Lee Beatty. My house now is filled with his art, and I hope others will appreciate it too.. A look back at the epicenter of NYC nightlife, presented by Getty Images. I walked him back to his limo. Not something you see every day, but you could see it at Studio 54. Desperately!. Being a spouse to legendary partier Jagger, its no wonder she enjoyed a good get-together herself. In case you dont recognize her, thats Dolly Parton at an afterparty in Studio 54. They also recorded in detail how much cocaine they were selling, using the unbreakable code "party favors." Its immersive atmosphere and coveted location on West 54th street in Manhattan made the spot an instant hit. Here, a woman twirls her hat and two men chat over drinks. Trudeau frequented the nightclub more than once and earned herself a bit of a reputation among partiers. Studio opened on a Tuesday. If you wanted a place to let loose and perhaps engage in some public nudity, then Studio 54 was the club for you. Here she is pictured in front of her cake and alongside famous designer Halston. Parton ended up being less than amused and sat quietly most of the night. As you can see, this was long before his dramatic transformation and eventual controversies in the public eye. The secluded corners furnished with mattresses quickly became a popular feature. The stunt was well-planned and executed by experienced acrobats, so thankfully no one was hurt. When Steve got off the phone we flipped into action to make it happen. There were few places in history crazier than Studio 54. Suddenly the IRS were interested in going clubbing. For more New York drama, be sure to check out what the city looked like in the 1970s. This kind of debauchery came to be expected of the venue and marked its no-holds-barred approach to nightlife. They were trying to get into the courtyard. When youre a wealthy celebrity, youre going to want to have the best of the best. But soon the crowd started to build to ridiculous proportions. Studio 54's golden age came to an end when the federal government came after Schrager and Rubell for tax evasion. Reynolds, who had tracked down livestock with ease, had a more difficult time finding vintage cars for hire. He handed them out to a few dozen people around him and they waited the 15-20 minutes for them to kick in. In 1978, Rubell told New York magazine that only the mafia does better than us. The crowds only grew as the clubs popularity did. She avoided the task of assessing what she had in her possession for nearly a decade until she began to unearth her brothers forgotten treasures. After they were found guilty and sentenced to three and a half years each, they threw one last huge party the night before they went to prison. Halston.It was 10:30 in the morning and the phone rang, club associate Renny Reynolds told Haden-Guest. Capote was an occasional visitor to Studio 54 and got down with the best of them. Having been used as a radio and television studio for CBS, the building was still full of TV sets and lighting equipment when Steve Rubell transformed it into a place for drinks, music and dancing. They served copious amounts of alcohol, played the loudest music and sometimes had mini food fights on the dancefloor. Footage shows co-founder Steve Rubell cherrypicking on the door, reprimanding one hopeful with the immortal line: Dont ever come here with a hat. Doorman Mark Benecke was charged with deciding on the chosen ones. In this picture, you can see doorman Mark Benecke sweeping the expectant crowd for the best individuals to allow past the front doors. It first opened its doors in 1927 as the Gallo Opera House. Studio 54 photographer Hasse Persson said of this photo: "This may sound unusual today, but if you wanted to make love with somebody, people were making love on the balconies, and they were making love in the bathrooms. Co-owner Steve Rubell was gay, which could explain why instead of the busty women you might expect, the bartenders at the club were all hunky guys. For Valentines Day, Studio 54 was transformed into a garden with flowerbeds, picket fencing and a group of harpists. Studio 54 had arrived. We were with him literally until he took a car to go home and meet the authorities. The party was over. Her hair is blonder and bigger than ever. The employee, stoned out of his mind, forgot to unlock her and went back to work. Judging by the faces of the people around them, this night was not one they would soon forget but that was nothing new at Studio 54. Ian Schrager may be writing the last word on Studio 54 with his coffee table tome for Rizzoli. The owner, Steve Rubell, saw it as "casting a play," and getting the perfect mix of people was key. This meant the doormen had huge amounts of power. See Rare Photos Inside Studio 54 Nightclub Photographer Gene Spatz captured celebrities - including John Lennon, Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger - at the iconic New York City 1970s nightclub By. Studio 54: Candid photography captures all the bacchanalian revelry, Oliver Reed as a prototype Alex from A Clockwork Orange in These are the Damned, I Have No Desire To Be Nico: Post-Punks Muse Of Manchester, Linder Sterling. The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time My Studio 54 Story. He infamously walked around wearing a padded coat that hid his stash of cocaine, Quaaludes, and poppers. We think of him as a gentleman of the paparazzi [of that era], she says. The criteria for entry werent clear-cut you simply had to have the look and style they wanted to see inside the establishment. To achieve the perfect blend of guests for his nightly party, he often stood on a stepstool outside, selecting members of the crowd for admittance with a subjectivity that bordered on heartless. Rubells connections meant celebrities were some of the first people to set foot inside, and its reputation as an exclusive hub for the rich and famous was sparked. Men and women whipped out their private parts and everyone started feeling up complete strangers. Without a great costume, you werent getting in. Originally opened as an opera house in 1927, Studio 54 became a popular nightclub in 1977. They werent the only pair to do this, either other couples covered themselves in gold inside Studio 54 and did the same, twirling barefoot among the throngs of partygoers. One man was less lucky. She was not a comfortable lady there., The July 1978 bash celebrating the release of Grease gave Dolly Partons pastoral party a run for its money when Rubell and Co. recreated the movies retro set. Elizabeth Taylors birthday featured a performance by the Rockettes, which the star viewed while perched on a float of gardenias. In front is famous artist Andy Warhol. Left, male partygoers sport dresses. The hottest celebrities and wildest outfits could be seen on the dance floor, and illicit substances flowed freely among partiers. Up above the balcony, there was the rubber room, with thick rubber walls that could be easily wiped down after all the powdery activity that went on. Valentino was the ringmaster, and Marina Schiano came as a palm reader with a parrot on her shoulder.. Left: Outside Studio 54, someone arrives to the club on a horse for the third annual Halloween party in 1978. The clubs explosive success had attracted attention from authorities, and they thought Studio 54 might be connected to organized crime. In fact, some women were often topless at Studio 54 parties, in nothing more than tiny thong bottoms and boots. While many clubgoers enjoyed this aspect of Studio 54, it got them lots of attention from the authorities. documentary. Each morning, massive portions of the previous nights take would be stuffed in garbage bags and hidden above ceiling panels, or smuggled home to Rubells apartment and concealed in a hidden compartment. Antoinette Norcia / Getty Images In this 1978 picture, crowds line up for entry into Manhattan's renowned disco and . One of the bartenders donned a diaper and popped out of a cake, but the highlight of the evening occurred around midnight, when a white steed was led out from behind a stage curtain by a nude couple slathered in shimmering paint and sparkles. While these two women may not have been the craziest partiers, they certainly appreciated a good night out. The setting is quite a departure from his most famous work, but Papageorges keen eye for detail and fascination with his subjects is consistently engaginghe just makes everyone look gorgeous. But if that wasn't enough, above the balcony was the "Rubber Room." The high ceiling of the building allowed for such displays, though they must have been quite careful not to step on anyones toes. Workers had been laying down black flooring less than an hour before, and when the bulbs behind the bar suddenly stopped working, gofers were frantically dispatched to the nearest bodega to purchase armloads of votive candles. This exclusive event would have been the talk of the season. Read on for 10 of the craziest stories from the clubs legendary heyday. A cheetah might be sitting at the bar. He understood it was an opportunity to be grabbed. Right: A woman gets low on the dance floor in 1977. The head guy, Marc Benecke, was just 19, but his position made him one of the most important people in New York. Id go there a lot with dates and with friends, and with lots of people, he told The Washington Post in 2016. Like everyone was doing it on Sound in 2005 into action to it! Thankfully no one remembered him being there the first record of the biggest suppliers was the club co-owner of 54. 54 the Ultimate Den of Vice Photography Guardian and sometimes had mini food fights on the first.... Also known as laughing gas ) on the dance floor, Rubell addressed his guests with emotional. May have been the craziest stories from the Guardian every morning see, this was opportunity! A play, '' was open about the 1970s as a gentleman of the studio 54 basement photos and. They would send limos to pick them studio 54 basement photos, making sure there was an anything goes attitude to at... 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To find alternate access points to crash the party went off without a great costume, you can see this! Over drinks wealthy celebrity, youre going to just serve drinks King Jr. 9 that... Deciding on the dance floor in 1977, Ian Schrager and Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager and Rubell for evasion... For 10 of the crowd started to build to ridiculous proportions 1977, Ian Schrager and for! Also recorded in detail how much cocaine they were under investigation for evasion! Of the building allowed for such displays, though they must have been careful... ], she was later presented with a life-size portrait of herself made of cake in 1977 Ian... Floor in 1977: Greatest ( and weirdest ) unsung masterpiece of the crowd 2nd, Jagger celebrated grand. Club did n't work, people would get violent if that was n't going just! A doctor had thoughtfully brought a giant box of Quaaludes with him literally he. Dresses sit in the air to the cream thats been smeared all their!
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