She was later presented with a life-size portrait of herself made of cake. Steve at that point wasnt known by anybody. Life of a party (from left): Halston, Bianca Jagger, Jack Haley Jr and wife, Liza Minnelli and Andy Warhol. Gene had a special eye for the beauty and the fun and sometimes even the weirdness of the situations. A photograph of Yoko Ono and John Lennon by Gene Spatz (year unknown). 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. Steve went all out for that, Michael Musto remembered in the E! Trying to see it. In 1977, Ian Schrager and Steve Rubell began work converting the theater into the Studio 54 nightclub. I have. 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. Copyright 2023 Penske Business Media, LLC. Gene was able to capture how celebrity rubbed up with regular folks in the most unpretentious and remarkable way that was the wonder of Studio 54, she explains. Amazingly, this worked, until it didn't. Left, male partygoers sport dresses. One of the men on the scene was Gene Spatz, a pioneering paparazzo and street photographer who most people have never heard about. 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. In this picture, you can see doorman Mark Benecke sweeping the expectant crowd for the best individuals to allow past the front doors. In this picture, Robin Williams is with his then-wife Valerie Velardi and Studio 54s own Santa Claus. Another employee, "Lenny 54," was open about the fact he wasn't going to just serve drinks. The owners knew they needed celebrities to keep coming, and they knew celebrities liked free drugs. The head guy, Marc Benecke, was just 19, but his position made him one of the most important people in New York. (The pair later married but not until 2001). Left: A performer on stilts manages to bust a move in 1981. 74-year-old photographer Tod Papageorge is best known for capturing the buzzing streets of NYC and subtle moments in Central Park. According to the Independent, in 1978 co-owner Steve Rubell bragged openly in an interview about how well things were going, saying "only the Mafia made more money" the year before. We knocked on the door. He told Rubell outright that his uniform was ridiculous for working, and instead he was going to hang out and entertain the celebrities. The late 70s also saw the rise of celebrity culture, and Studio 54 provided that too, with Liza, Michael, Andy, Bianca and Diana regulars. Hindsight is 20/20, but people who were there swear they knew they were part of something historic. Four women in shimmery dresses sit in the club's lounge area. In the 1970s, Studio 54 was a palace of excess and hedonism and on Halloween, this infamous nightclub opened its doors to the costumed ghouls of New York City. Shes just finished with a 1978 concert, following up a Grammy nomination for Best Country Vocal Performance. 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 But wait, is that a horse shes trying to pet? Rather, the owners presented it to her when she arrived as a birthday surprise. Trudeau frequented the nightclub more than once and earned herself a bit of a reputation among partiers. Studio 54 had an epic few years, but that was it. And they were not quiet about it. He captured it fantastically the fun and wackiness, the sweetness. While many clubgoers enjoyed this aspect of Studio 54, it got them lots of attention from the authorities. Another thing it often had, as a result, was strange performances. She was real nervous about this whole deal and went up to the balcony and sat up there for a while. Chips of brick flew down. For 33 months, Studio 54 was the American bacchanal, an unprecedented mix of glamorous sophistication and primal hedonism. Sometimes thousands of dollars changed hands. Clubgoers dance amid light towers on the dance floor at Studio 54 on May 15, 1978. Fans would say she had eyes the color of lavender, and her performances in films like Cleopatra and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof will forever go down in cinema history. As an environmentalist and an animal rights defender I find the insinuation that I would ride a horse into a nightclub offensive., The key of the success of Studio 54 is that its a dictatorship at the door and a democracy on the dance floor, club regular Andy Warhol once observed, and Steve Rubell ruled the velvet ropes with an iron fist. We use ads to keep our content free for you. Showing Editorial results for studio 54. The owners were skimming millions, up to 80 percent of their profits. Studio 54, New York. Studio 54 started as it meant to go on. For that reason, his photos are not only fine art, they are history. Their trademark hedonism was still intact, but the values (or complete lack thereof) had shifted 180 degrees from Woodstock. Steve Rubell, co-owner of Studio 54, and fashion designer Halston in the club's DJ booth, 1978. Mick Jagger and his then significant other Jerry Hall entering the club. ' Released as Le Freak that September, the song would become Chics first Number One and biggest hit. A look back at the epicenter of NYC nightlife, presented by Getty Images. The best people, from Baryshnikov to Jacqueline Bisset, Schrager recalled in a 1996 Vanity Fair profile. 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. 74-year-old photographer Tod Papageorge is best known for capturing the buzzing streets of NYC and subtle moments in Central Park. He was never on the dance floor, Studio 54 busboy Richie Notar recalled in a 2017 BBC radio documentary. So they would send limos to pick them up, making sure there was plenty of cocaine in them first. We were entertaining the hell out of ourselves. And, of course, disco music was blaring. 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. Getting into Studio 54 could be impossible. Studio 54 produced many star-studded photo opportunities. And all of a sudden the guy starts choking me., That was a minor inconvenience compared to the trials of security chief Chuck Garelick, who tells Haden-Guest that a man once tried to literally crash the VIP entrance in his Oldsmobile. 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. What made Studio 54 different, however, was that drugs were practically encouraged inside. The IRS was not fooled. They were known to turn away some seriously well-known people. There was an anything goes attitude to sex at Studio 54. documentary. At a wild place like Studio 54, there werent lots of rules about what to wear or who to be. Ian Schrager may be writing the last word on Studio 54 with his coffee table tome for Rizzoli. Ultimately, as the judge said, theirs was a crime of hubris. While these two women may not have been the craziest partiers, they certainly appreciated a good night out. Trans women were welcomed, while eccentrics such as Rollerina, a Wall Street banker by day who. Left: A topless woman in a peacock feather headdress dances at Studio 54's Halloween party in 1977. Crowded scenes of fabulous party animals have the most obvious appealthe fashion and the dancing just drip with the pursuit of pleasure and sensual self-indulgence. Apr 26, 2016 Getty Images / Getty Images The original Studio 54 nightclub, which opened on this date in 1977, was open for less than three years before owners Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager were. Inside Studio 54, you could smoke just about whatever you wanted and sit however you liked. A man wears a gold costume, eyeliner, and a headdress while dancing. One journalist who was there frequently said, "Even if you weren't having sex with someone every night, you felt like you could.". We had a circus ring with sand, and mermaids on trapezes, he told Vanity Fair. In front is famous artist Andy Warhol. 9 Monumental Books About Martin Luther King Jr. 9 Films That Provide Insight Into Martin Luther King Jr.s Life and Legacy. He was there to be seen with the famous people, to network, to cut the deal; whilst everyone else cut the coke., Opening night at Studio 54 was an unqualified success, but the days that followed were comparatively slower. 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. Under Rubells ownership, however, the strange, the weird and the scary were given a place to flourish beneath the lights of the nightclub. Diana Ross and Liza Minnelli sang, while Rubell blasted out My Way. So we got to Studio 54 and there was nobody there. The flow of revelers grew from a trickle to a torrent after 11 oclock, and soon thousands swarmed the building. Men and women whipped out their private parts and everyone started feeling up complete strangers. While the club wanted to attract as many celebrities as possible, just being famous didn't necessarily guarantee you entrance. Capote is the author of books like Other Voices, Other Rooms, Breakfast at Tiffanys and In Cold Blood. Horses on the dance floor, an orgy in the street, Andy Warhol and Donald Trump sightings, and other tales from NYC's most legendary nightspot. Unfortunately, the guest of honor was less than amused. Gene captured that part of history and the exuberance in a unique way. 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. But that picture started the ball rolling. For many guests (celebrity or not), Studio 54 was a place to dance, discover, and dip into the unknown. Fact-Checking the Aretha Franklin Biopic, Jeff Buckleys Grace: 10 Things You Didnt Know, Flashback: Back to the Future Has Everyone Wanting to Play Johnny B Goode Like Michael J. In fact, she sang that night with Liza Minnelli. The clubs explosive success had attracted attention from authorities, and they thought Studio 54 might be connected to organized crime. So I found this little auto museum down somewhere in New Jersey. For more New York drama, be sure to check out what the city looked like in the 1970s. Fashion designer Clovis Ruffin waits for a drink at the bar in 1980. Donald hadnt built Trump tower. Costing tens of thousands of dollars, these one-night-only productions put the neighboring Broadway shows to shame, only to vanish by the time the club opened the next day. She is even said to have enjoyed a night or two out with Mick Jagger and the rest of the Rolling Stones. Lifelong memories were made within its walls every night. Even when they were under investigation for tax evasion and obstruction of justice, the owners renovated the club. Her hair is blonder and bigger than ever. Right: During a Purple magazine party in 1978, a topless woman rides onto the dance floor on a white horse. According to him he actually took the trash out and swept up while his co-workers partied. PHOTOS: Newly Released Studio 54 Collection Offers Rare Glimpse Into A Party Legend. But he could be generous with his cash. Again, this is in a huge crowd of people on a street in Manhattan. Frank Sinatra was stranded in his limousine, unable to get near. There is mixed reporting on whether notorious lady-killer Warren Beatty was told to leave or if he gave up on his own. Steve was coked out of his mind, remembered one in attendance, Bianca was hugging him, and he was saying, I love you people! Here he is enjoying an anniversary party for Andy Warhols magazine, Interview. This was taken in the ladies room. In 1977 the club made millions yet reportedly paid just a paltry $8,000 in taxes. Parties come and go; clubs fade in and out of relevancy. Why dont we go? Without a great costume, you werent getting in. The Daily Beast says that on opening night, 11-year-old Brooke Shields was not only very illegally admitted but taken to the DJ booth personally by the owner. 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. 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. On finding Studio 54s books, it was discovered that a skim was in operation on up to 80% of the profits. Here is a collection of photos from only a few of the many successful events thrown at the venue, providing a glimpse into the nocturnal thrill that was Studio 54. Steven Stills is playing the drum, and 300 other people are in attendance. In 1978, Rubell told New York magazine that only the mafia does better than us. If you found yourself fortunate enough to make it inside Studio 54 in 1978, you mightve come upon a scene like this one. Henry Winkler, who had been playing the Fonz on smash hit Happy Days for years at that point, was summarily rejected one night. The Birth of Studio 54. Here we see one of those notable moments where an elderly woman is dancing with a young man. We dived onto the ground. Nobody knew him in those days. Their knocks went unanswered. Once you found yourself inside the hallowed grounds of Studio 54, the next place you wanted to go was the fabled basement; a cavernous, dingy, decidedly unglamorous space decorated with damaged banquets, pillars of rolled carpet and set pieces from past parties. And we were laughing, Rodgers described to Haden-Guest. TheIndependent says others took a different tack, offering their bodies instead. For major actresses like these, visiting Studio 54 was a must while in New York City. 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. The secluded corners furnished with mattresses quickly became a popular feature. The 100 Best Albums of 2022. And finally it hit Bernard. Studio 54 was a safe space for groups who would have been marginalised in the late 70s. A pile of people forms on the dance floor of the 1978 "Purple Party.". This was ridiculous because if you want to get away with it you might skim 1-2 percent. It was a sad going-away party but we were laughing and trying to have fun. Richard Corkery/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images. 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. Lowen recognized some of the celebrities in the photos, but she wasnt sure what exactly her brothers archives contained or its value to the world. When youre a wealthy celebrity, youre going to want to have the best of the best. [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. It was down here that the privileged few were invited to indulge in their wildest desires. A woman dances near the Studio 54 light towers in 1977. It was the end of an era. We had a blast. Nina Hagens Nunsexmonkrock: Greatest (and weirdest) unsung masterpiece of the postpunk era? They served copious amounts of alcohol, played the loudest music and sometimes had mini food fights on the dancefloor. Their uniform was a tiny pair of shorts and nothing else. 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. Each vehicle had to be taken onto the street, where its tank was emptied, and then pushed back inside by hand. 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. Within half an hour they composed a song called Fuck Off. After some lyrical tweaking they arrived at a slightly more Top 40friendly title. Even so, he was among the most famous singers in the country. A doctor had thoughtfully brought a giant box of Quaaludes with him. Model Bianca Jagger holds doves at a party thrown by fashion designer Halston in 1977. This photo shows a man dressed in drag with fake (and appropriately sequined) breasts on his chest. 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. For 33 months, Studio 54 was the American bacchanal, an unprecedented mix of glamorous sophistication and primal hedonism. The club also had doves and a snake present for visitors on different nights. IRS agents raided Studio 54 on December 14th, 1978, seizing garage bags of cash, financial documents and five ounces of cocaine. Capote was an occasional visitor to Studio 54 and got down with the best of them. A club-goer exposes a bare chest, garters (with keys attached to them), and a mask as a woman pops her gum and a man seduces the camera in his costume. They were like queens on the dancefloor.". This potentially dangerous display marked the end of the nightclubs first year open. We grabbed a couple of bottles of champagne from the corner liquor store and then went back to my place, plugged in our instruments and started jamming. Aching from the rejection, Rodgers and Edwards poured their anger into the music. Traffic on 54th Street was brought to a standstill as both celebrities and humble ravers struggled to approach. Rolling Stone reportedthat when Dolly Parton came to town for a concert, the owners decided the best way to make a country singer feel comfortable was to turn the club into a farm. She contacted a local artist and began sorting through contact sheets and negatives, but Lowen felt overwhelmed by the task of or assessing the quality of the work. Both Rubell and Schrager were arrested and accused of skimming $2.5 million in club earnings. Right: Clubgoers inhale nitrous oxide (also known as laughing gas) on the dance floor during the 1977 Halloween party. They were so angry about being denied entry that they went home and wrote a song about it. He'd gotten stuck and no one knew he was there until it was far too late. Nothing would compare to the nightclubs glory years in the 1970s and 80s. His latest book, Studio 54, is a record of hedonism that includes actual swinging from the rafters and a literal procession of men in Dionysian drag. 23,434 Studio 54 Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO All Sports Entertainment News Archival Browse 23,434 studio 54 stock photos and images available, or search for studio 54 moon or studio 54 1970s to find more great stock photos and pictures. It wasnt just the celebrities known to enjoy partying who indulged in a night out at Studio 54. We felt horrible., The men sulked back to Rodgers apartment just a few blocks away. 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. When sex and money didn't work, people would get violent. Studio 54 is a shadow of its former self. The people in this photograph have costumes and makeup on, complete with pairs of tall stilts that helped them tower over the crowd. The couple had been enjoying dinner a short time earlier with socialite Nikki Haskell and her date at the iconic Upper East Side eatery Elaines. 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. Studio 54 was a safe space for groups who would have been marginalised in the late 70s. Writer and socialite Anthony Haden-Guest describes the scenes as like the damned looking into paradise. Sometimes entertainment went further. But if that wasn't enough, above the balcony was the "Rubber Room." 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. It was relatively common for famous figures to throw their birthday parties inside Studio 54. But, thanks to photographers who were in the right place at the right time, we can get glimpses of what a crazy night out at Studio 54 was truly like. Finally it became CBS's Studio 52 from 1942 to 1976. Behind The Scenes At Studio 54 Cnn Style. Celebrities headed for the basement. Here he is pictured alongside Liza Minnelli and Bianca Jagger at the New Years Eve party of 1977. The next thing we knew, these guys were out of a car across the street. Originally opened as an opera house in 1927, Studio 54 became a popular nightclub in 1977. Then she discovered an organization that seemed to offer a way forward and talked with Regan McCarthy at POBA, an online hub and resource thats dedicated to recognizing creative talents who were under-recognized during their life. A party was staged the night before their sentences began. A glitter-covered go-go dancer sways in a G-string. The women were not. Fair Pay For Women Won't Come For More Than A Century, Rare Rehearsal Photos From Classic Broadway Shows, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. He was sort of spaced-out, he told Haden-Guest. We stood there as long as we could take it, until our feet were just finally way too cold. as well as behind-the-scenes exclusives from renowned photographers and our hard-hitting photo stories. A cheetah might be sitting at the bar. The most tragically desperate individual was found in an air vent in black tie attire, dead. Throughout its three-year lifespan under Rubell and Schrager, Studio 54 served as a lab to experiment with everything from illicit drugs to gender. We were like the first. A nearly naked couple dances together on top of a speaker at the club's first Halloween party in 1977. Other photographers didnt capture that. You were also welcomed with open arms if you were a drag queen. Up high in the seats above the stalls, you could disappear into the shadows and get up to whatever, writes Jones. 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. By . 10 Crazy Things That Happened At Studio 54 Mental Floss. One night a rejected hopeful came back and brandished a gun. The party went off without a hitch, save for a minor incident. Off the dance floor, people mingle over drinks in the lounge area during 1977. People came back time and again during the life of Studio 54 for this openness and acceptance. Those who were turned away often returned night after night, changing their outfits, hairstyles and company. Giancarlo Giammetti threw a circus-themed birthday party for his business partner, fashion designer Valentino. Performers drop down from the ceiling, held by nothing but a cord connected to their legs. About fifteen minutes later we were just getting ready to leave, and they opened one of the doors. 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. We would have this situation where people would climb down from the building next door in full mountain-climbing gear with ropes tied around their shoulders, Studio 54 associate Baird Jones explained to Haden-Guest. This photograph offers a glimpse into New Years Eve at Studio 54. 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