Left: A dancer is swept into a spectrum of lights during 1978. Sure . If you came on a white horse, with almost no clothes on, you were guaranteed to get in. New York: Photo shows crowd waiting outside Studio 54, the popular New York City disco. It was relatively common for famous figures to throw their birthday parties inside Studio 54. However even if you were a regular before walking onto the dance floor proper you had to pass through the coat check area where all of the sound funneled through. 30. Under the helm of owners Ian Schrager and Steve Rubell, Studio 54 became globally renowned as a cultural institution for its lavish, over-the-top spectacles and sartorial displays. Left: A performer on stilts manages to bust a move in 1981. A pair of clubgoers dressed in . According to bartender Scott Taylor, there were only a few bartenders doing the work of an army. Actress and model Margaux Hemingway celebrates her 24th birthday in style. 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. Michael Jackson and Steven Tyler at a Beatlemania party. 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. It would be decades before New York City's smoking ban forbade smoking in indoor spaces. Left: A clubgoer dressed as Jesus carries a large cross onto the dance floor in 1977. Andy Warhol once said "It's a dictatorship at the door and a democracy on the dance floor." A look back at the epicenter of NYC nightlife, presented by Getty Images. 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. At Studio 54, the taboo wasnt seen as undesirable instead, it was invited inside. From the moment it opened its doors in 1977, the era-defining club was, says writer Bob Colacello in Rizzolis Studio 54, a sociological phenomenon and a historical event. In a 1996 interview with Vanity Fair, Diane von Furstenberg concurred: I had more fun at Studio 54 than in any other nightclub in the world which says a lot, coming from a doyenne of the New York Fashion Week schedule. Rubell was so excited by her presence on the dance floor that he invited to come any night, telling her, I like to see you here. First, you had to have the kind of bod that looked good in a pair of gym shorts and not much else, and second you had to have a willingness to show it off and a desire to be at the club every night. 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. While Capote is pictured here in a very nice tailored suit, it wasnt out of the question for the author to show up to the club in a bathrobe and a pair of slippers. Its disco days, though, were short lived and the club closed its doors in 1980these archival photos are a snapshot that only a lucky few had the pleasure of experiencing. Imagine walking into a nightclub and seeing this group of people having drinks you might not believe what youre seeing! Franco Rossellini and Steve Rubell (producer and owner, respectively) are pictured here in front of what appears to be a giant birthday cake. Doorman Marc Benecke told the BBC: According to people who were there, one of the biggest misnomers about the scene inside Studio 54 is that everyone was on drugs all the time. The thing he appreciated was someone being different. 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. We want to hear it. But then Rubell came up with something brilliant - the velvet rope. Usually these special nights happened when someone wanted something specific for their birthday. Nightlife anywhere was sure to have drugs involved were talking about the 1970s, here. Elton John pulls his pants legs up to dance the night away. 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. This potentially dangerous display marked the end of the nightclubs first year open. Prolonged war and a stagnant economy gave way to a massive national hangover in the 1970s. The stunt was well-planned and executed by experienced acrobats, so thankfully no one was hurt. If there was one person who loved going out to Studio 54, it was Bianca Jagger. What Is Groundhog Day and Why Do We Care? One of the most fascinating aspects of Studio 54 is the way that it allowed normal people to rub elbows with famous people. It was a place of great exclusivity, but also a place where one went to be photographed. Studio 54 wasand, arguably, remainsthe world's most renowned and legendary disco. Select from premium Studio 54 Party of the highest quality. The crowds only grew as the clubs popularity did. What is now a Broadway theater used to be the emblematic hot spot of '70s disco nightlife. If you found yourself fortunate enough to make it inside Studio 54 in 1978, you mightve come upon a scene like this one. When he was questioned about his dress code on local New York television show he said, The only thing that its not based on is money, and that he lets in Really fun-loving. 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. Typical of the late 70s, the two are smoking. It first opened its doors on April 16th, 1977 and stayed open for a short but eventful 33 months. 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. Its disco days, though, were short-lived and the club closed its doors in 1980 these archival photos are a snapshot that only a lucky few had the pleasure of experiencing. Both Rubell and Schrager were arrested and charged with taking millions of dollars off the top of the clubs gross. Drugs, drinks, and disco -- Studio 54 had it all. 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. Park Avenue hostess Nan Kempner said that Capote punched her in the face one night, nearly starting a brawl. Even if Bowie was in the normal person phase of his career, he was always looking for new sounds. Lorna Luft, Jerry Hall, Debbie Harry, Truman Capote, and Paloma Picasso at Interview party at Studio 54 . You cant blame the guy for wanting to be comfortable while staying on the dance floor all night. Liza Minelli was a mainstay at Studio 54, so much so that it was as if she lived on the dance floor. Diana Ross and Liza Minnelli sang, while Rubell blasted out My Way. It was a mix of gay, straight, rich and poor . Studio 54, both the interior and the street outside, allowed people to dance off their problems and be apart of something at the same time. 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. At the age of 7 she regularly partied at Studio 54, opening her up to the debauchery and drugs that were available to every other guest. Disco was all the rage back in the 1970s and Studio 54 was the place to be if you were in New York. And on its last night under initial management, Diana Ross serenaded Rubell and Schrader -- of course surrounded by the likes of Jack Nicholson, Farrah Fawcett, and Sylvester Stallone, among others. Michael Overinton, the General Manager of the club made sure that the trains ran on time from the moment he worked his way up to the GM spot from his job as a janitor. Groove on! In 1978, Rubell told New York magazine that only the mafia does better than us. In 1977, he was deep in the thralls of ambient music and groups like Can, but he was already looking for something new. She once said, I didnt dance for 50 years because my husband didnt like it, she said. 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. It could be intoxicating to get into Studio 54 after standing outside for days, or maybe even weeks. Rather than show how scared they were, the $1.5 million renovation showed that the co-owners were putting on a brave face. With famous and wealthy people as the main guests of the venue, expensive drugs were seemingly in ample supply at all times. Thats why Sylvester Stallone decided he needed to pay a visit to the most famous disco in the United States. From the moment it opened its doors in 1977, the era-defining club was, says writer Bob Colacello in Rizzoli's Studio 54, "a sociological phenomenon and a historical event." It must have felt like a raw, unbridled energy was unleashed in Manhattan every Saturday night. In fact, some women were often topless at Studio 54 parties, in nothing more than tiny thong bottoms and boots. All of that pent up stress can make someone blow a valve, Studio 54 served as a way for people to escape; it was the perfect place for someone to cut loose as long as they could get through the door. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. The club was a tabloid fixture. In December of 1978, dozens of federal agents descended on the club after receiving a tip about their sneaky money practices. Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager opened Studio 54 40 years ago, and it soon became the . 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. The entire night went off around midnight Bianca Jagger made her way through the club on the back of a white stallion. Right: A woman gets low on the dance floor in 1977. A party was staged the night before their sentences began. One of the men on the scene was Gene Spatz, a pioneering paparazzo and street photographer who most people have never heard about. She is even said to have enjoyed a night or two out with Mick Jagger and the rest of the Rolling Stones. They ransacked the place, went through the offices, and the clubs safe. While speaking with Harper's Bazaar, Minelli explained that she didn't know and didn't care for the Studio's plans to spin her records while she danced for an audience of onlookers: Even though Andy Warhol and Bianca Jagger look quite chummy here this would be one of the last times that they were friendly. As the main party starter at Studio 54 it was up to Steve Rubell to keep everyone happy. He told NY Mag that Steve Rubell wanted to have a bunch of hot, gay bartenders working the club, and because of that most of them spent their time working and not doing their jobs - which is how Taylor managed to keep his. Schrager said: The scene outside of the club could get nasty. Remember, at the time the cast of SNL were rock stars. The club was his concept of 15 minutes of fame to the extreme. In 1977 Steve Rubell and Ian Shrager bought a disused theatre on 254 W. 54th St, New York, and turned it into the world's most famous nightclub, Studio 54. While that was a Monday night, the clubs one evening off, they made an exception for the actress and rock star wife. Given that it used to be an actual studio, the interior had ample lighting equipment to create pulsating light shows. But in the '70s it was just another night at Studio 54. He told NY Mag: New Years Eve in New York City is a sacred night of partying that can take dancers on a journey, and one New Years Eve party at Studio 54 was the ultimate way to begin a new year. MSN called the drug-taking "endemic." It was just as much a part of the Studio 54 experience as the dancing. Once inside people were allowed to be whoever they wanted to be, cutting loose and grooving with everyone, it was the place to go when someone needed to escape. If you wanted to dress in next to nothing and wear lots of makeup, you were encouraged. It seemed as though thrill-seekers young and old wanted nothing more than to get a taste of Studio 54s soaring reputation. At this point, the club had been closed down and reopened under new ownership. Before the co-owners went to jail they threw a party to end all parties called The End of Modern-Day Gomorrah. They only invited a small crowd of about 2,000 revelers many of them A-list celebrities. We want people who are just in there to have fun.. Cohen told Vanity Fair: Truman Capote, the author behind In Cold Blood, was certainly irascible, but he wasnt a tough guy by any means. My house now is filled with his art, and I hope others will appreciate it too.. While speaking with Harper's Bazaar, Hall admitted that she was incredibly overwhelmed with the level of celebrity in the dance club: Things came to a halt for the original incarnation of Studio 54 on December 14, 1978, when the IRS sent dozens of agents to the club. 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. Even when Claudia Cohen, a reporter from the New York Post, stopped by to check in on their progress she was shocked at how broken down everything was. Studio 54 was a safe space for groups who would have been marginalised in the late 70s. 22 photos that show the grit and the glamour of Studio 54, New York City's most infamous club. 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. The photographer that captured the disco and diamond dust of legendary club Studio 54. Photographer Gene Spatz captured celebrities including John Lennon, Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger at the iconic New York City 1970s nightclub. A playful, intimate moment between a pair of partygoers, circa 1978. . People at Studio 54 dance the night away during the 1978. Studio 54 Photos That Are No Longer Socially Acceptable! They were like queens on the dancefloor.". breonna taylor protests black lives matter trump peaceful transfer of power. 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. Regardless of the fact that Jagger just took the horse for a spin whether it was just once around the Studio or all the way down the block, it's telling that there was a horse in the club. A woman dances near the Studio 54 light towers in 1977. Maybe they worked at banks or law firms, but in the middle of the night in Manhattan - at the clubs - they could be whoever they wanted to be. A woman holds a makeshift pipe for a man as he attempts to smoke an unidentified substance in 1981. The late 70s also saw the rise of celebrity culture, and Studio 54 provided that too, with Liza, Michael, Andy, Bianca and Diana regulars. In front is famous artist Andy Warhol. 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. People would be upset about the cleanliness of the animal and whether or not something was wrong with the horse. Shes just finished with a 1978 concert, following up a Grammy nomination for Best Country Vocal Performance. A pile of people forms on the dance floor of the 1978 "Purple Party.". The high ceiling of the building allowed for such displays, though they must have been quite careful not to step on anyones toes. 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. Off the dance floor, people mingle over drinks in the lounge area during 1977. 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. Yet, Studio 54s sensibility of inclusion and freedom lives on through the books, films and fashion that it has inspired ever since. When Williams visited Studio 54, he joined a fleet of other actors such as John Travolta, Richard Gere, Al Pacino and John Belushi, who all set foot in the iconic destination to see what it was about. For that reason, his photos are not only fine art, they are history. After all, it seemed like everyone was doing it! Rolling Stone is a part of Penske Media Corporation. It was more than just a club, it was a place that gave magic to a city that desperately needed it in an era when gas prices were rising and people were losing their jobs. For the younger generations who might not know, Elizabeth Taylor was a star like no other during her time. Richard Corkery/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images. Right: People wait in line outside of Studio 54 in 1978. The dancers kept throwing their coats at the workers and the ticketing system stopped working altogether. This was an era when the ID was in control. She sued Warhol's estate because she said that she was made to look "dumb." People spilled into the streets, they poured over the police barricades and they caused a traffic jam that was so bad that it supposedly kept Frank Sinatras limo from coming within walking distance from the club. Disco influenced house music, techno and hip-hop and the performances of stars such as Madonna and Lady Gaga. Suddenly the IRS were interested in going clubbing. And, who can forget the iconic image of Bianca Jagger riding a white horse through the clubs entrance? How cool would it be to head into Studio 54 and see Jamie Lee Curtis dancing with her mom, Janet Leigh, under the house lights? People traveled from across the world in order to just stand in line outside this club with hopes of getting in, or at the very least seeing a few celebrities. This photograph was taken at the first Halloween party and shows two men dressed in taboo fetish gear, one man miming cutting the other. If youd gone to Studio 54 in the 1970s, however, this is exactly the type of scene you couldve enjoyed. No other nightclub has been able to rival it in reputation and A-list guests since. Christopher had sold Miramax on a Boogie Nights-type story about a clueless New Jersey kid named Shane (Ryan Phillippe) who was drawn to the flame that was Studio 54 in the late 1970s, when good . Rather than hand out the clothing at the door of raffling them off, the club owners just tossed the clothing items off the balcony which allowed for anyone who wanted one of the expensive pieces to simply reach out and grab it. This photograph offers a glimpse into New Years Eve at Studio 54. A couple relaxes next to a comatose man, 1978. 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. 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. He may have been America's sweetheart, but at Studio 54 he could do whatever he wanted. 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, women pose on top of giant reflective pillows in the middle of the crowd. For major actresses like these, visiting Studio 54 was a must while in New York City. It wasnt just some other club - there was fog, wind, and snow. With someone like Diana Ross at your venue, you wont be hurting for attendees. 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