Another thing it often had, as a result, was strange performances. Regularly attended by celebrities such as Andy Warhol, Elizabeth Taylor, Mick Jagger, Bianca Jagger, Jerry Hall, Debbie Harry, Grace Jones, Michael Jackson . Co-owners Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager were arrested for skimming more than $2 million from the club. Studio 54 opened in NYC in 1977. Warhols friend Bob Colacello wrote in his memoir: To create a club that lives up to the theatrical standards of the Rocketman himself, Rubell and Schrager did everything they could to turn the former theater into an experience. Simply by virtue of being outside the club someone like Streisand could paint themselves as a cool celebrity rather than a stodgy A-lister who sat in their penthouse reading Russian literature all not. When sone of the party people poured the trash can over his head he freaked out and grabbed al the cash to make sure he got it all. A look back at the epicenter of NYC nightlife, presented by Getty Images. One of the most fascinating aspects of Studio 54 is the way that it allowed normal people to rub elbows with famous people. A-list celebrities were just one of the appeals of Studio 54, there were also cult celebrities who were the lifeblood of the underground party scene. While these two women may not have been the craziest partiers, they certainly appreciated a good night out. In this 1978 picture, crowds line up for entry into Manhattan's renowned disco and nightclub Studio 54, located at 254 West 54th Street. 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You were also welcomed with open arms if you were a drag queen. One of the men on the scene was Gene Spatz, a pioneering paparazzo and street photographer who most people have never heard about. On that special evening the party goers were treated to snowdrifts made of glitter that nearly suffocated the dancers with its sparkling lusciousness. Not only was he keen on wearing loose fitting Hawaiian shirts, but his down coat was packed to the gills with money and drugs. In the clubs first year open, Cher showed up to the scene at Studio 54. Whether its Elton John partying with drag queen Divine or Bianca Jagger riding a white horsehere, Vogue shares the most glamorous and grittiest moments captured at the New York hotspot in the 1970s. . Of course, playing it cool was a necessity when inside the club. Its immersive atmosphere and coveted location on West 54th street in Manhattan made the spot an instant hit. Jupiter's exhibit, which opened last . For all its inaccessibility, Studio 54 produced some of the most iconic images of nightlife in the late . Shes just finished with a 1978 concert, following up a Grammy nomination for Best Country Vocal Performance. Then Covid Trapped Them There. When youre a wealthy celebrity, youre going to want to have the best of the best. A pile of people forms on the dance floor of the 1978 "Purple Party.". Looking back on her childhood Barrymore said: There were other dance clubs in New York City, but none of them shared the you had to be there power of Studio 54. Studio 54's golden age came to an end when the federal government came after Schrager and Rubell for tax evasion. After the studio was raided by IRS agents on December 14th, 1978 they grabbed garbage bags of money, financial documents and five ounces of cocaine. In this 1978 picture, crowds line up for entry into Manhattan's renowned disco and nightclub Studio 54, located at 254 West 54th Street. What is now a Broadway theater used to be the emblematic hot spot of '70s disco nightlife. Unfortunately, the bartender was so out of his gourd on goofballs that he forgot to unlock the cuffs when the two were finished and left her in the basement before going back to work. 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. Ian Schrager, one of the co-owners and founders of Studio 54 explained his idea behind the design: Explosive mayhem is the perfect way to describe this scintillating night club. Schrager and Rubells time in prison coincided with the infamous Disco Sucks event in 1979, where disco records were burned at a baseball game while around 50,000 people watched. The two went into the basement where she had the bartender handcuff her to a pipe for some extra naughty fun. It was relatively common for famous figures to throw their birthday parties inside Studio 54. At the Purple magazine party, a naked couple in a clear bathtub perform for an audience in 1977. The two are engaged in intimate conversation and posed in a relaxed manner, with Furstenbergs stiletto-clad foot thrust over the edge of the seat. These photos show what really happened at Studio 54, with celebrities like Mick Jagger, Grace Jones, and Andy Warhol leading the way. A man dangles a cigarette inside Studio 54, 1977. It was, after all, her fun yet insightful personality that won over the hearts of her many fans. A look back at the epicenter of NYC nightlife, presented by Getty Images. Not that theres anything wrong with that. At Studio 54, the taboo wasnt seen as undesirable instead, it was invited inside. Elizabeth Taylor shimmering in a glamorous iridescent bodysuit while chatting to legendary fashion designer Halston. Then, step inside the 1990s rave scene at its neon zenith. This wasnt a show for just any night at the club, however. September 25, 2020 07:00 AM. In 1978, Studio 54 was lucky enough to host her 46th birthday party. Studio 54 furthers the nostalgia that people still have about '70s New York, as pointed out by Goldberger, a period of time that has been revisited recently, from Patti Smith's book Just Kids to . In the aftermath of the Vietnam war, Rubell said people were tired of being serious everyone went out and went wild. By 11 pm there were thousands of people outside the club with no hope of getting in, so many of the revelers ended up having a sex-fueled party in the street. Even the celebrities at Studio 54 were known to get star struck from time to time. Her hair is blonder and bigger than ever. One of those celebs was Disco Sally an older woman who showed up to get down and she was so fun that she became a fixture at the club. Four women in shimmery dresses sit in the club's lounge area. The entire night went off around midnight Bianca Jagger made her way through the club on the back of a white stallion. . Here she is pictured in front of her cake and alongside famous designer Halston. The moon with a coke spoon hanging over the dance floor along with a giant sign announcing that dancers were, yes, in Studio 54 hooked to rigging material and hung from the ceiling so dancers could grind the night away on top of the designs if thy so felt like it. He saw the club as a place where people became objects rather than something flesh and blood. Soul legend Curtis Mayfield makes an extravagant entrance outside the club with his wife and friend in their Rolls-Royce. Club founders Ian Schrager and Rubell were sent to jail in 1980. It was hard for some people to get into the club wearing normal club clothes - polyester shirts, gold chains, and the like - but at least one celebrity was able to forgo the normal dress code whenever he wanted, author and playwright Truman Capote. Former busboy Scott Bitterman wrote about his experience working at the club and how he knew he had to work there from the moment he stepped foot inside: Rubell was open about the fact that he didnt want normal or schlubby looking people inside his club. 2023 Rolling Stone, LLC. Debbie Harry sticks out her tongue, while Steve Rubell is sprawled out on top of her and friends. Studio 54 is remembered as the first non-judgmental, queer-friendly mainstream nightclub, which was not unlike an adult amusement park. 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. Known for its raucous parties and A-list guests, the first three years of Studio 54's existence were the most exclusive and enticing and that was by design. After all, you have so much money that you have to find some way to spend it, right? If you thought youd seen it all when it came to crazy Studio 54 performances, youd be mistaken. Gene had a special eye for the beauty and the fun and sometimes even the weirdness of the situations. Indeed, club regulars ranged from Mick Jagger and Andy Warhol to Elizabeth Taylor and David Bowie. But Nicky's love affair with the infectious dance music pre-dates Studio 54. In front is famous artist Andy Warhol. A guaranteed internet breaker, if it had been invented. Cold hard cash, baby, even professional provocateur Andy Warhol. She is seen here in colorful 70s makeup, big hair and a risque lace top. Described by some as Sodom and Gomorrah with a disco beat, New York City's delightfully depraved nightclub opened its doors in 1977. 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. But the real-life nightclubwith its glamorous VIP guests, plentiful drugs, and balcony sexwas somehow . Rogers says this was a reaction to people seeing images of the glamour of places like Studio 54 while their real lives reflected the worst financial recession since the Great Depression. A playful, intimate moment between a pair of partygoers, circa 1978. This couple wears scant Halloween costumes resembling a mermaid and some kind of sea creature, and their choice of style was not out of the ordinary at Studio 54. This foyer amped up the anticipation, and according to Myra Scheer, Ian and Steves assistant who went onto work in a perch in the lobby said it was a special part of the night: Even though it sounds like a line, once you were in Studio 54 it was a sign that you had a special energy that appreciated by the club owners. The two are almost unrecognizable, however, thanks to the cream thats been smeared all over their faces and clothes. Given that it used to be an actual studio, the interior had ample lighting equipment to create pulsating light shows. Here, a woman twirls her hat and two men chat over drinks. This would not be the only time the nightclub had a horse on its premises, nor would it be the only animal ever invited inside. Myra Scheer, an employee and frequent visitor to the club explained: One of the regulars at the club was Liz Taylor, the star of films like Cleopatra and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and when she decided that she wanted to have her birthday party at Studio 54 she had one very specific request - she wanted the whole place filled with flowers. During the third annual Halloween party at Studio 54, costumed women laugh atop the shoulders of their male companions, New York, New York, October 31, 1978. Showing Editorial results for studio 54. He began incorporating dance music and disco into his sound, and to find inspiration he went to the club and paid close attention. After Lowen uploaded digital versions of the photographs to a secure vault, POBA staff helped crop and curate the material, highlighting the value of his artistic eye. She made appearances at the nightclub more than once throughout the years and was there on its last day of operation under Steve Rubell in 1980. Here, see a selection of exclusive images of Spatzs work for the first time. The night peaked with Diana Ross singing to Rubell and Schrager from the DJ booth. Co-owner Ian Schrager said it was like standing on stardust, and one club goer said: Joanne Horowitz was the clubs publicist and she played a major part at getting celebrities through the door. Even though the club was considered a spooky place it could provide moments of levity. New York Daily News Archive / Getty Images. This meant plenty of people were rejected at the door, and plenty more stood in lines outside waiting to be appraised. And blood serious everyone went out and went wild arms if you thought seen. 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