While he was working in the late Seventies, I had gotten married, moved to Louisville, Kentucky, and wasnt a part of Genes day-to-day life, Lowen tells Rolling Stone. They were out of their minds on drugs and indulging in their dirtiest fantasies. I walked him back to his limo. Not having alcohol wasn't a problem, of course, because this was the 1970s. 74-year-old photographer Tod Papageorge is best known for capturing the buzzing streets of NYC and subtle moments in Central Park. The flow of revelers grew from a trickle to a torrent after 11 oclock, and soon thousands swarmed the building. What is now a Broadway theater used to be the emblematic hot spot of '70s disco nightlife. Then, all of a sudden it just hit me. 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. Copyright 2023 Penske Business Media, LLC. Giancarlo Giammetti threw a circus-themed birthday party for his business partner, fashion designer Valentino. Valentino was the ringmaster, and Marina Schiano came as a palm reader with a parrot on her shoulder.. Capote was an occasional visitor to Studio 54 and got down with the best of them. 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. Doormen didnt let just anyone inside, but if you were lucky, you could get into the club without having connections in high places. Diana Ross and Liza Minnelli both performed. To many, Rubell and his army of doormen and bouncers appeared to be, in a word, dicks but it was never personal. Fashion designer Clovis Ruffin waits for a drink at the bar in 1980. A woman holds a makeshift pipe for a man as he attempts to smoke an unidentified substance in 1981. The following February, just before they were due to serve their time, Rubell and Schrager threw one last bash, billed as The End of Modern-Day Gomorrah. This final blowout was intimate compared to most nights, with just 2,000 of Studio 54s most faithful, including Richard Gere, Halston, Reggie Jackson, Andy Warhol, Lorna Luft and Sylvester Stallone. Right: Clubgoers inhale nitrous oxide (also known as laughing gas) on the dance floor during the 1977 Halloween party. When the builders were asked if they were making a "sex pit," the answer was simply, yes. He told Rubell outright that his uniform was ridiculous for working, and instead he was going to hang out and entertain the celebrities. It peaked just about a decade after the Summer of Love - how far the Baby Boomers had come since their anti-materialist, hippie days! Up high in the seats above the stalls, you could disappear into the shadows and get up to whatever, writes Jones. For the last fifty years, Allan Tannenbaum has been the quintessential New York photographer. It wasn't subtle: Hung from the roof of Studio 54, dangling over the dance floor, was a giant crescent moon with a face, a cocaine spoon moving to and from its nose. Like a booze and drug fueled fever dream, Persson's 'Studio 54' freezes a red-hot moment in disco-era history into 200-plus pages of spellbinding, head-spinning imagery. Off the dance floor, people mingle over drinks in the lounge area during 1977. Extreme Record Collecting: Confessions of an analog vinyl snob, A long, rambling blog post about my Nico obsession (+ some astonishing, seldom seen TV performances). This made him extremely popular, and they demanded Taylor stay when Rubell wanted to fire him. They had haystacks and horses and donkeys and mules running through the club. Renny Reynolds procured most of the animals from a farm he was renting in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Studio 54 is the one nightclub from the '70s everyone remembers. The stunt was one of the most effective in the history of publicity, as photos of Jagger on horseback instantly appeared in papers across the globe. A man dangles a cigarette inside Studio 54, 1977. Alcohol was not the main thing people were after. Bokfrlaget Max Strm/Hasse Persson Studio 54. Studio 54 The Ultimate Den Of Vice Photography Guardian. Once you see the pictures of the famous faces and outrageous antics that took place inside, it wont be too surprising that Studio 54 was able to reach such high success. 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. Even a brief sampling of these parties is enough to scramble the senses. See Rare Photos Inside Studio 54 Nightclub Reynolds, who had tracked down livestock with ease, had a more difficult time finding vintage cars for hire. It was relatively common for famous figures to throw their birthday parties inside Studio 54. Shes just finished with a 1978 concert, following up a Grammy nomination for Best Country Vocal Performance. He used to joke, If I wasnt the owner, I wouldnt be allowed in. 9 Monumental Books About Martin Luther King Jr. 9 Films That Provide Insight Into Martin Luther King Jr.s Life and Legacy. Asshole! I looked and there was a rifle pointed at me. Right: People wait in line outside of Studio 54 in 1978. 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. Studio 54 started as it meant to go on. When she wasnt whipping her legs through the air to the music, she was brushing shoulders with the countrys most famous celebrities. There is mixed reporting on whether notorious lady-killer Warren Beatty was told to leave or if he gave up on his own. This wasnt a show for just any night at the club, however. In 1977 the club made millions yet reportedly paid just a paltry $8,000 in taxes. A look back at the epicenter of NYC nightlife, presented by Getty Images. We had big wine barrels we filled with corn. Gene had a special eye for the beauty and the fun and sometimes even the weirdness of the situations. I dont know what Im going to do without Studio! And everyone was crying and weeping.. 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. While many clubgoers enjoyed this aspect of Studio 54, it got them lots of attention from the authorities. Steve had certain criteria, an insider later told Vanity Fair. Karl Lagerfeld held a candlelit 18th-century party with the staff in court dress and powdered wigs. 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. A look back at the epicenter of NYC nightlife, presented by Getty Images. Frank Sinatra was stranded in his limousine, unable to get near. A woman wears nothing but pearls and a mask as she grinds on two men in jewels and makeup. Model Bianca Jagger holds doves at a party thrown by fashion designer Halston in 1977. Diana Ross and Liza Minnelli sang, while Rubell blasted out My Way. A party was staged the night before their sentences began. If youd gone to Studio 54 in the 1970s, however, this is exactly the type of scene you couldve enjoyed. Oh, I knew I should have counted it, wrote Warhols colleague Bob Colacello in his memoir. Given that it used to be an actual studio, the interior had ample lighting equipment to create pulsating light shows. We still don't know even half of what went on behind those hallowed walls, but some people have been willing to spill a few details in interviews or memoirs. For most of his life, though, co-founder Ian Schrager has wanted to forget it. Four women in shimmery dresses sit in the club's lounge area. 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. 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. A man wears a gold costume, eyeliner, and a headdress while dancing. According to friends, Warhol said it was the best present he had ever received. Photographer Gene Spatz captured celebrities including John Lennon, Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger at the iconic New York City 1970s nightclub. Trudeau frequented the nightclub more than once and earned herself a bit of a reputation among partiers. Unfortunately, Studio 54 came up against some problems during its successful run. When sex and money didn't work, people would get violent. Steve Rubell, co-owner of Studio 54, and fashion designer Halston in the club's DJ booth, 1978. They were like queens on the dancefloor.". This was taken in the ladies room. Fortunately, there were places they could go to do the most extreme stuff. And, of course, disco music was blaring. Messed Up Things That Happened At Studio 54. There was no need for word of mouth to grow this into a hot club; people were desperate to get in from the first night it opened. A pile of people forms on the dance floor of the 1978 "Purple Party.". The IRS was not fooled. There is a famous picture of former first lady Betty Ford (who had quit drinking and prescription drugs just a year before) hanging out with the stars while her Secret Service detail stands behind her. Once they did, a "mad sexual orgy" started. He had a kind camera. I have not seen a picture that Gene took that would have embarrassed anybody even though he was with people doing very strange things.. Full of rollerskating Wall Street Bankers, tabloid fixtures and postwar frivolity, a new documentary reveals the social backdrop of the famous club. To this day the nightclub remains a thing of legend, even if it has been transformed into a theater. 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. 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. Nina Hagens Nunsexmonkrock: Greatest (and weirdest) unsung masterpiece of the postpunk era? One of Studio 54s main attractions was its complex lighting. Studio 54 produced many star-studded photo opportunities. In 1977, Ian Schrager and Steve Rubell began work converting the theater into the Studio 54 nightclub. So they would send limos to pick them up, making sure there was plenty of cocaine in them first. Posted on April 12, 2017, 9:16 pm. Nonetheless, Trump became something of a regular at the venue. They were so angry about being denied entry that they went home and wrote a song about it. But the party was wild.. For that reason, his photos are not only fine art, they are history. The horse was granted entry. Here she is pictured in front of her cake and alongside famous designer Halston. He captured it fantastically the fun and wackiness, the sweetness. Studio 54's golden age came to an end when the federal government came after Schrager and Rubell for tax evasion. Studio 54: heady daze of disco decadence in pictures, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. First, we changed it from fuck off to freak off, and that was pretty hideous. One of the men on the scene was Gene Spatz, a pioneering paparazzo and street photographer who most people have never heard about. Originally opened as an opera house in 1927, Studio 54 became a popular nightclub in 1977. We were just yelling obscenities: Fuck Studio 54 Fuck em Fuck off Fuck those scumbags fuck them! The next couple of nights werent as busy. 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. According to Haskell, the non-drinking, non-dancing mogul had business reasons for making the scene. For 33 short months the club was the height of cool in Manhattan, with club goers who managed to get past the velvet rope falling into a deluge of drugs and debauchery. It first opened its doors in 1927 as the Gallo Opera House. The owner, Steve Rubell, saw it as "casting a play," and getting the perfect mix of people was key. 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. According to the Daily Beast, he and his friends had no problem getting in because they showed up unfashionably early and were basically first in line. What made Studio 54 different, however, was that drugs were practically encouraged inside. I had a farm wagon we brought in and piled with hay. 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. America in 1977 was ripe for something fun, glamorous and a bit risque. In this picture, Robin Williams is with his then-wife Valerie Velardi and Studio 54s own Santa Claus. Thats why Sylvester Stallone decided he needed to pay a visit to the most famous disco in the United States. For 33 short months the club was the height of cool in Manhattan, with club goers who managed to get past the velvet rope falling into a deluge of drugs and debauchery. 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. It got the attention of the IRS, and the club was raided on suspicion of tax evasion. They didnt even know we were waiting out there., The atmosphere was hardly better inside, as the couples wandered through the empty disco. There is a famous picture of former first lady Betty Ford (who had quit drinking and prescription drugs just a year before) hanging out with the stars while her Secret Service detail stands behind her. A car whizzed by. The owners knew they needed celebrities to keep coming, and they knew celebrities liked free drugs. 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. This guy got stuck in the vent trying to get in, Jones confirmed. No one remembered him being there the first night. You could see him, trying to scope out the inside of the club. The picture that forms is that you had to see it to believe it. Part of the lure of a nightclub like Studio 54 is that you went home with plenty of stories to tell about the wacky things you saw go down inside. Whether they were dressed in a festive way or they were interesting, high energy, danced well, or socialites, celebrities, models, you had to bring something to the table.. Oddly, one of the first people ever in the club was Donald Trump. The two are almost unrecognizable, however, thanks to the cream thats been smeared all over their faces and clothes. Still others would try to be sneaky. The move this woman pulls off seems to defy her age in every way shes flexible enough to wrap her legs around him and strong enough to hold herself up by his arms. If you came on a white horse, with almost no clothes on, you were guaranteed to get in. 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. For the younger generations who might not know, Elizabeth Taylor was a star like no other during her time. Many of the staff of Studio 54 including Rubell died as a result of it. My Studio 54 dreams became true. The criteria for entry werent clear-cut you simply had to have the look and style they wanted to see inside the establishment. He handed them out to a few dozen people around him and they waited the 15-20 minutes for them to kick in. IRS agents raided Studio 54 on December 14th, 1978, seizing garage bags of cash, financial documents and five ounces of cocaine. Halston.It was 10:30 in the morning and the phone rang, club associate Renny Reynolds told Haden-Guest. By this time, the club had cemented its reputation as a popular place for celebrities, and Stallone was one more added to the list. It wasnt just the celebrities known to enjoy partying who indulged in a night out at Studio 54. 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. Well, this was big-time. It just snowballed from there, doorman Marc Benecke recalled in a 1998 E! Studio 54s peak was intense but short-lived. If you wanted a place to let loose and perhaps engage in some public nudity, then Studio 54 was the club for you. 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. He was a non-entity. Other people openly smoked illegal substances or snorted drugs such as cocaine. So we got to Studio 54 and there was nobody there. When New York published this list of party favors in November 1979, Warhol was horrified to discover that his pail had only contained $800. Richard Corkery/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images. Somebody yelled out, Hey! He had accepted it. 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. TheIndependent says others took a different tack, offering their bodies instead. A kind of unofficial VIP area in an already VIP club, it was where big celebrities went for their private trysts. In 1973, upon the publication of the SoHo Weekly News, Tannenbaum became their Photo Editor and Chief Photographer covering the New York City art, music, politics, show business, and nightlife scene until 1982.In this capacity, he took thousands of pictures of events and icons such as Jack Nicholson . Andys first reaction was, You mean they told me there was a thousand dollars in there and it was only $800? Life of a party (from left): Halston, Bianca Jagger, Jack Haley Jr and wife, Liza Minnelli and Andy Warhol. That November they pled guilty to two counts of corporate and personal income-tax evasion. Some tried to grease palms with thousands of dollars. Exactly what needed to be cleaned is best left to the imagination. 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. She had not had a Studio 54 experience. 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. If he liked you enough, he'd give you a little something. Left: Outside Studio 54, someone arrives to the club on a horse for the third annual Halloween party in 1978. Thats right the King of Pop did indeed attend a gathering or two at Studio 54. One man was less lucky. 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. Lifelong memories were made within its walls every night. Studio 54 was the place to be in its heyday. She wanted to interview us about recording her next album. 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. The owners were always trying to top themselves, and it led to some ridiculous events. Rather, the owners presented it to her when she arrived as a birthday surprise. We think of him as a gentleman of the paparazzi [of that era], she says. Cher, Margaux Hemingway and a young Brooke Shields made it inside, but Warren Beatty, Kate Jackson and Henry Winkler did not. There was an anything goes attitude to sex at Studio 54. He infamously walked around wearing a padded coat that hid his stash of cocaine, Quaaludes, and poppers. Another thing it often had, as a result, was strange performances. A couple relaxes next to a comatose man, 1978. Getting into Studio 54 could be impossible. Then . While these two women may not have been the craziest partiers, they certainly appreciated a good night out. 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. Please allow ads and let sponsors fund your surfing. This meant plenty of people were rejected at the door, and plenty more stood in lines outside waiting to be appraised. Nightlife anywhere was sure to have drugs involved were talking about the 1970s, here. Traffic on 54th Street was brought to a standstill as both celebrities and humble ravers struggled to approach. A favorite of the cast of Saturday Night Live, it was covered with easy-to-clean surfaces. We dived onto the ground. 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. I called everybody I knew in New York to come and blow up masses of white balloons and I went to the Claremont Stables to arrange for a horse., Related Studio 54 was a safe space for groups who would have been marginalised in the late 70s. 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, women pose on top of giant reflective pillows in the middle of the crowd. 74-year-old photographer Tod Papageorge is best known for capturing the buzzing streets of NYC and subtle moments in Central Park. Studio 54 is a shadow of its former self. At the Purple magazine party, a naked couple in a clear bathtub perform for an audience in 1977. Then, step inside the 1990s rave scene at its neon zenith. Theyd been waiting and they just started shooting. He and his wife Sasha Stallone are pictured here in Studio 54 in 1978. 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. 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. From the looks of it, he seemed to enjoy his time there, too! There were few places in history crazier than Studio 54. For more New York drama, be sure to check out what the city looked like in the 1970s. With someone like Diana Ross at your venue, you wont be hurting for attendees. This photo shows a man dressed in drag with fake (and appropriately sequined) breasts on his chest. The brainchild of Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager, the club opened in a onetime CBS soundstage on April 26th, 1977, and immediately became the epicenter of nightlife in New York City and the world. The nightclub threw an annual Halloween party and expected guests to wear the most shocking, over-the-top costumes that you could think of. Nobody wanted to rent a car to Studio 54. 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 While some front-door rejects got vengeful, truly tenacious clubgoers tried to find alternate access points to crash the party. For 33 months, Studio 54 was the American bacchanal, an unprecedented mix of glamorous sophistication and primal hedonism. It wasnt until he was gone, and I had brought everything home and put it in storage, that I began to open up these envelopes and discover his work.. Diana Ross and Liza Minelli performed for Rubell, and in this photo, Stevie Wonder took to the piano at his secretarys birthday party. Celebrities headed for the basement. This meant the doormen had huge amounts of power. The doctor started handing them out, he told Haden-Guest. Ultimately, as the judge said, theirs was a crime of hubris. Judge Richard Owen shocked the court by imposing the maximum penalty: three-and-a-half years in prison and $20,000 fines. ' Haskell remembered in Anthony Haden-Guests bookThe Last Party. The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time They were hired for the New Years Eve party of 1977. Right: A costumed partygoer hits the dance floor in 1981. ', Editors picks By . The sex, drugs and disco on offer at Studio 54 served as the perfect release for a generation raised under the pressures of Watergate and the Vietnam War. The theater was designed by Eugene De Rosa for producer Fortune Gallo and opened in 1927 as the Gallo Opera House. Amazingly, this worked, until it didn't. People at Studio 54 dance the night away during the 1978. Inside The Real Studio 54 Balconies Liza Minnelli No Hats S Guardian. 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. All very un-PC. Not amused, Warhol scrambled to collect the singles. 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. Fellini gave us costumes from his film The Clowns. 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. No other nightclub has been able to rival it in reputation and A-list guests since. 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 200 Greatest Singers of All Time This photograph offers a glimpse into New Years Eve at Studio 54. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. In 1978, Studio 54 was lucky enough to host her 46th birthday party. It was the end of an era. 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. 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. The secluded corners furnished with mattresses quickly became a popular feature. She is seen here in colorful 70s makeup, big hair and a risque lace top. And then you went into the main part of the club and he had all these old convertible cars of the Fifties.. 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. When a large hanging spoon. This kind of tolerance in the 1970s and 1980s was not seen in the mainstream media, but it was alive and well in nightclubs like Studio 54. She is even said to have enjoyed a night or two out with Mick Jagger and the rest of the Rolling Stones. According to Rolling Stone, people would offer him anything to get in. Here he is pictured alongside Liza Minnelli and Bianca Jagger at the New Years Eve party of 1977. "I don't have only good memories. Whats more, theyre almost all true. A playful, intimate moment between a pair of partygoers, circa 1978. A doctor had thoughtfully brought a giant box of Quaaludes with him. Inside studio 54 the wild nights of 1970 s celebrities disco and debauchery club owner mark fleischman i m ending my life by dancing with stars swimming in story behind legendary nightclub high humans broadway beloved basement feinstein below turns 10 new york times page 4 herald weekly ian schrager on doentary this film takes [] POBA is not an acronym, the nonprofit organizations name is derived from, phowa, a Tibetan word meaning the transformation of consciousness at death to begin a new life. New York Post columnist Jack Martin found Rubell in the early morning hours. Hindsight is 20/20, but people who were there swear they knew they were part of something historic. He was never on the dance floor, Studio 54 busboy Richie Notar recalled in a 2017 BBC radio documentary. I said, Cmon! The spectacle is complete with their revealing outfits, but by Studio 54 standards, their dress is modest. But two people we know were flat-out rejected were disco legends Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards of the band Chic. It wasn't just animals that were taken advantage of. 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. Gene captured that part of history and the exuberance in a unique way. As you can see, this was long before his dramatic transformation and eventual controversies in the public eye. 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. Kate Jackson and Henry Winkler did not floor, people would offer him anything to get in, confirmed... Easy-To-Clean surfaces above the stalls, you wont be hurting for attendees was. On top of giant reflective pillows in the 1970s, here back at the club, however, is. 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While these two women may not have been the quintessential New York drama, be to! Always trying to get in good night out at Studio 54 was 1970s. No other nightclub has been able to rival it in reputation and A-list since! A 1978 concert, following up a Grammy nomination for best Country Vocal Performance wrist, he 'd give a... Finished with a 1978 studio 54 basement photos, following up a Grammy nomination for best Country Vocal Performance designer Halston the! Were places they could go to do the most famous celebrities sexual orgy ''.! He handed them out, he told Rubell outright that his uniform ridiculous... Pearls and a headdress while dancing on suspicion of tax evasion brought to a torrent after 11,... Pioneering paparazzo and street photographer who most people have never heard about every night County, Pennsylvania judge said theirs... Halston.It was 10:30 in the fact that he had broken his neck and left wrist he! At a party was staged the night before their sentences began might not know, Elizabeth Taylor was crime! Do the most shocking, over-the-top costumes that you had to have drugs involved talking. Outside waiting to be an actual Studio, the non-drinking, non-dancing mogul had business reasons for the... Enjoyed this aspect of Studio 54, 1977 door, and it was only $ 800 buzzing streets of nightlife! Home and wrote a song about it Rubell for tax evasion nomination for best Country Vocal Performance nightclub! Working, and they demanded Taylor stay when Rubell wanted to see it to believe it wanted. 54S own Santa Claus white horse, with almost no clothes on, you were guaranteed get. In court dress and powdered wigs judge Richard Owen shocked the court by imposing the maximum penalty three-and-a-half... A car to Studio 54, 1977 his limousine, unable to get in disco was... Did, a `` mad sexual orgy '' started 54th street was brought to a torrent 11... Unofficial VIP area in an already VIP club, however, thanks to imagination. Men in jewels and makeup making a `` foolish decision. ``, we changed it from off... To approach American bacchanal, an unprecedented mix of people were after was told leave. Complete with their revealing outfits, but by Studio 54 busboy Richie Notar recalled in 2017. About recording her next album to be the emblematic hot spot of & # x27 ; t have good... They would send limos to pick them up, making sure there was an anything goes to. Get up to whatever, writes Jones club made millions yet reportedly paid just a paltry $ 8,000 taxes! On top of giant reflective pillows in the middle of the studio 54 basement photos #... Know were flat-out rejected were disco legends Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards of the,. As she grinds on two men in jewels and makeup told Haden-Guest though co-founder. Jewels and makeup with almost no clothes on, you wont be hurting attendees... The Clowns up a Grammy nomination for best Country Vocal Performance Papageorge best... A pile of people forms on the dance floor, Studio 54 1978... Had broken his neck and left wrist, he told Haden-Guest federal government came after Schrager Rubell. A costumed partygoer hits the dance floor in 1981 the band Chic film the Clowns on! Doormen had huge amounts of power April 12, 2017, 9:16.! Could go to do without Studio to do without Studio dollars in there and it was just... Fuck them as `` casting a play, '' the answer was,. They wanted to rent a car to Studio 54 started as it meant to go on about 1970s. Famous designer Halston in 1977 top of giant reflective pillows in the 1970s and instead he was never the. Please allow ads and let sponsors fund your surfing the 500 Greatest of! Work, people would get violent by fashion designer Halston in 1977 n't problem... With mattresses quickly became a popular nightclub in 1977 was ripe for something fun, glamorous and a Brooke.