The club also had doves and a snake present for visitors on different nights. A couple relaxes next to a comatose man, 1978. The clubs former publicist explained: It looks that in order to become an NFU a celebrity had to be so hot that it would be a huge mistake to not have them in the club. Studio 54, arguably the most famous club in the world, was located in New York City on, you guessed it, 54th street. 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. From the looks of it, he seemed to enjoy his time there, too! According to bartender Scott Taylor, there were only a few bartenders doing the work of an army. 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. Rather than show how scared they were, the $1.5 million renovation showed that the co-owners were putting on a brave face. Given that it used to be an actual studio, the interior had ample lighting equipment to create pulsating light shows. Other photographers didnt capture that. 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. In an oversized down coat, obviously. Studio 54 had an intense door rule that made it hard for people to get in regardless of who you were. Not looking at the Studio 54 photographs alone, the shot he took of Jackie and John Jr. at tennis match its breathtaking at how close he got to them and such an intimate moment. Regularly attended by celebrities such as Andy Warhol, Elizabeth Taylor, Mick Jagger, Bianca Jagger, Jerry Hall, Debbie Harry, Grace Jones, Michael Jackson . What was interesting is that women felt secure enough to dance nude in the place. 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. 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. Not only were people consistently agitated with Rubell telling them that they couldnt come in because of the way they were dressed or looked, but there were so many people that it increasingly became hard to keep the unruly crowds in line. 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. When they walked into the club there was a palpable energy, things got more exciting and everyone wanted to be around them. breonna taylor protests black lives matter trump peaceful transfer of power. 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. 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. Life of a party (from left): Halston, Bianca Jagger, Jack Haley Jr and wife, Liza Minnelli and Andy Warhol. One of Warhols former workers discussed the artists love of the club, saying: When it came time to actually build the nightclub, the co-owners went outside the normal means of construction and enlisted people who wouldnt just give them the same ol same ol. Multiple people tried to purchase the theater - which was owned by CBS at the time - but it was Rubell and Schrager who won the bid. 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. The nightclub threw an annual Halloween party and expected guests to wear the most shocking, over-the-top costumes that you could think of. Gene had a special eye for the beauty and the fun and sometimes even the weirdness of the situations. At the Purple magazine party, a naked couple in a clear bathtub perform for an audience in 1977. Studio 54 was crazy all year long, but things got especially wacky for Halloween. 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. It wasnt just a place to get your rocks off and dance, it was free publicity. In the 2018 documentary about Studio 54, footage of Rubell shows the co-owner discussing how one night he simply thought to place velvet ropes outside the club that revelers instinctively got in line. Club founders Ian Schrager and Rubell were sent to jail in 1980. To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories, To revisit this article, select My Account, thenView saved stories. She explained: There was always something crazy happening at Studio 54, whether it was snowing, or there was a bridge for dancers to use so they could groove in the air, it was. A look back at the epicenter of NYC nightlife, presented by Getty Images. Drugs, drinks, and disco -- Studio 54 had it all. Andy Warhol, Jerry Hall, Debbie Harry, Truman Capote, and Paloma Picasso. Picture this: Elton John partying the night away with drag queen Divine on the instantly recognisable parquet dance floor. At Studio 54, the taboo wasnt seen as undesirable instead, it was invited inside. Studio 54 produced many star-studded photo opportunities. 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.Even after the original owners went to prison for skimming millions of dollars, the club . It took owners Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager just six weeks to . 30. Rubell and his partner Ian Schrager created a living fantasy in the club, but it cost a lot of money to get off the ground. 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. She was such an important part of the club for its first year that they tried to make a part of their one year anniversary celebration. Diane von Furstenberg lounging with her husband-to-be, media mogul Barry Diller. Noted wild child Drew Barrymore has lived more lifetimes than anyone should, and pretty much all of them are cool. Cher dancing at Studio 54. If you found yourself fortunate enough to make it inside Studio 54 in 1978, you mightve come upon a scene like this one. If you Google Judi, one of the top results is a photo of her with Andy Warhol ("he used people," she told me) at Studio 54, taken by her friend Meryl Meisler. According to Rolling Stone there were horses and donkeys and mules running through the club. Attendee Kevin Haley told Vanity Fair: Supposedly Parton wasnt as into it as the owners thought she should be and she just sat quietly for most of the night. Elton John pulls his pants legs up to dance the night away. Contemporary Black Writers Whose Must-Read Works Are Shaping Todays Literary Landscape, Hello, Im Johnny Cash: Facts About the Man In Black, Wild Office Pranks That Evil Coworkers Have Pulled on Each Other, 6 Sites to Design Custom Photo Mugs for Gifts or Keepsakes, Discover the Best BT TV Packages for Your Home Entertainment Needs. Actress and model Margaux Hemingway celebrates her 24th birthday in style. Sometimes the venue hired dancers or had fashion models walking the crowds. Studio 54 is known for having been one of the world's most high-profile, exclusive discotheques during the late 1970s and early 1980s. A nearly naked couple dances together on top of a speaker at the club's first Halloween party in 1977. Not something you see every day, but you could see it at Studio 54. Soul legend Curtis Mayfield makes an extravagant entrance outside the club with his wife and friend in their Rolls-Royce. Giseles Summer Outfit Is The Epitome Of Rich Mom Energy, 7 Small Habits That Will Give Your Emotional Wellbeing A Serious Boost, According To An Expert, First The Princess Of Wales, Now The Roys Are Obsessed With This Stealth-Wealth Handbag Brand, 8 Things To Know About Tyrell Hampton, NYC Photographer & TikTok Star With Dua Lipa On Speed Dial. Rebecca Schoenkopf. They had lights rigged so there was a sunrise and a sunset. He had . The opening night of Studio 54 was huge mess. Here she is pictured in front of her cake and alongside famous designer Halston. Sure . Right: People wait in line outside of Studio 54 in 1978. Model and musician Grace Jones shimmers in a sparkling bodysuit as she performs at a New Years Eve party. By this time, the club had cemented its reputation as a popular place for celebrities, and Stallone was one more added to the list. Instead, they used architects who designed popular restaurants, lighting people who worked on Broadway shows, and for sound they used people who were used to more underground clubs. 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. Co-owner Ian Schrager said: When working at a place thats known for excess, its not out of the ordinary for the low people on the totem pole to end up in the same situations as the A-listers who theyre serving. Disco influenced house music, techno and hip-hop and the performances of stars such as Madonna and Lady Gaga. Both famous celebrities and regular bystanders alike managed to have a rockin good time at Studio 54. 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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. Clubs have been using this idea for years. No other nightclub has been able to rival it in reputation and A-list guests since. Andy Warhol once said "It's a dictatorship at the door and a democracy on the dance floor." It was a mix of gay, straight, rich and poor . A woman in a bustier and garters finds her partner the "punk" behind her, at Studio 54's 1977 Halloween party. The photographer that captured the disco and diamond dust of legendary club Studio 54. 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. Author Anthony Haden-Guest told the BBC: The thing that separates a bar or club from a speakeasy is the fact that they have a liquor license from the city that allows them to sell drinks to their patrons. Relive some of Studio 54's most classic nights in the gallery above. If you came on a white horse, with almost no clothes on, you were guaranteed to get in. Written by Jacqui Palumbo, CNNNew York. See these 21 photos from Studio 54 that prove it was just as iconic as everyone says. Apparently Studio 54 had a way of changing people. 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. Date: 11/03/1979. The rise and fall of Studio 54 happened as if an unseen force was holding down the fast forward button on the clubs success. Needless to say, he made enough of a name for himself and enough connections to land a spot on the list at Studio 54 often. Going to work day in and day out all week can grind a person down. 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. Co-owner Ian Schrager explained: While the club had been a major success after its first night, it still wasnt the wild success that the owners wanted it to be. 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. With famous and wealthy people as the main guests of the venue, expensive drugs were seemingly in ample supply at all times. Of course, playing it cool was a necessity when inside the club. 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. 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. Who knows if that's really what Warhol meant to do? The son rose and set inside the club, literally. Once the show came to an end the cast had to have somewhere to go - and they went to the Studio. 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. Gene captured that part of history and the exuberance in a unique way. A pair of clubgoers dressed in . For the younger generations who might not know, Elizabeth Taylor was a star like no other during her time. He began incorporating dance music and disco into his sound, and to find inspiration he went to the club and paid close attention. New York Daily News Archive / Getty Images. This wouldnt be the only time Studio 54 went above and beyond for New Years. 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. In 1977 the New York scene was such a sprawling organism of parties, dancing, and punk rockers, and Harry was one of the artists who was in the middle of it all. Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager opened Studio 54 40 years ago, and it soon became the . 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. Even the celebrities at Studio 54 were known to get star struck from time to time. One agent told CBS that the book had a skim column so that you had a daily record of everything that they took in and what they took out as skim and didn't report. Co-owner Schrager explained his dalliance as a part of the ridiculous intoxication, I suppose, we were suffering from, like, what were we thinking?". She explained that they were shoving their party in everyones face because America needed to have their own excesses reflected back at them. Throughout its three-year lifespan under Rubell and Schrager, Studio 54 served as a lab to experiment with everything from illicit drugs to gender. While these two women may not have been the craziest partiers, they certainly appreciated a good night out. Well the co-owners of Studio 54 didnt really get around to getting a liquor license for close to a year, instead they put together a plan that allowed them to legally sell drinks even if it was a little iffy. Rather than just put her on the payroll, Horowitz worked on a sliding scale that rated celebrities. Remember, at the time the cast of SNL were rock stars. At the time, she would have been in the midst of releasing her 1977 album, Cherished. Even if you werent having sex with someone every night, you felt like you could, says former editor of Interview, Bob Colacello. For that reason, his photos are not only fine art, they are history. The spectacle is complete with their revealing outfits, but by Studio 54 standards, their dress is modest. Richard Corkery/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images. 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. America in 1977 was ripe for something fun, glamorous and a bit risque. 22 photos that show the grit and the glamour of Studio 54, New York City's most infamous club. Going to work day in and day out all week can grind a person down mogul Barry Diller extravagant!, she would have been the craziest partiers, they certainly appreciated a good out... 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