From the looks of it, he seemed to enjoy his time there, too! In this picture, women pose on top of giant reflective pillows in the middle of the crowd. Getty Images. From all the stories about the club it sounds like everything was dusted in a fresh layer of cocaine. In 1978, Studio 54 was lucky enough to host her 46th birthday party. Trudeau frequented the nightclub more than once and earned herself a bit of a reputation among partiers. Full of rollerskating Wall Street Bankers, tabloid fixtures and postwar frivolity, a new documentary reveals the social backdrop of the famous club. A woman wears nothing but pearls and a mask as she grinds on two men in jewels and makeup. Not only was he keen on wearing loose fitting Hawaiian shirts, but his down coat was packed to the gills with money and drugs. Franco Rossellini and Steve Rubell (producer and owner, respectively) are pictured here in front of what appears to be a giant birthday cake. Throughout its three-year lifespan under Rubell and Schrager, Studio 54 served as a lab to experiment with everything from illicit drugs to gender. Aside from the dancing and debauchery, one thing that everyone remembers about Studio 54 is the clubs interior design. Soul legend Curtis Mayfield makes an extravagant entrance outside the club with his wife and friend in their Rolls-Royce. To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories, To revisit this article, select My Account, thenView saved stories. Left, male partygoers sport dresses.Bokfrlaget Max Strm/Hasse Persson Studio 54. Typical of the late 70s, the two are smoking. While that was a Monday night, the clubs one evening off, they made an exception for the actress and rock star wife. 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. The criteria for entry werent clear-cut you simply had to have the look and style they wanted to see inside the establishment. The photos left over tell a story of a place where absolutely nothing was off limits. A man wears a gold costume, eyeliner, and a headdress while dancing. Rolling Stone is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Regardless of how hot and sweaty it got in the club he wore the coat around in case he needed to hand out a party favor.. Studio 54 was a safe space for groups who would have been marginalised in the late 70s. A nearly naked couple dances together on top of a speaker at the club's first Halloween party in 1977. They ransacked the place, went through the offices, and the clubs safe. 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. In the aftermath of the Vietnam war, Rubell said people were tired of being serious everyone went out and went wild. Not that theres anything wrong with that. Studio 54 co-owner Steve Rubell stands in his office, which he claimed was ransacked by federal agents looking for drugs, in 1978. " 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. Williams and his wife went to the club often and they stayed late. While the nightclubs lifespan may have been cut short, the memories made within its walls live on in countless celebrities and lucky visitors. 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.. 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 . McCarthy, who happened to frequent Studio 54 on occasion, was amazed by his access to the notables in attendance. In this picture, well-known English actor Michael Caine is laughing and dancing with his wife Shakira, while partygoers frolic on behind them. Andy Warhol, mingling backstage with friends Bianca Jagger and fashion designer Halston. Cold hard cash, baby, even professional provocateur Andy Warhol. When agents got ahold of the clubs books they noticed that rather than keep two sets of books the co-owners simply had a column labeled skim in order to see track of all the money they were stealing. Photographer Gene Spatz captured celebrities including John Lennon, Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger at the iconic New York City 1970s nightclub. 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. Schrager and Rubells time in prison coincided with the infamous Disco Sucks event in 1979, where disco records were burned at a baseball game while around 50,000 people watched. According to the 2019 documentary about Studio 54, the co-owners singular fashion sense was less informed by the club scene and more so by function. The duo partied often at Studio 54, but Bianca had no idea that Warhol was taking notes the entire time they were hanging out. For major actresses like these, visiting Studio 54 was a must while in New York City. One of the many famous faces to grace the dance floor of Studio 54 was that of legendary singer Diana Ross. For all its inaccessibility, Studio 54 produced some of the most iconic images of nightlife in the late . 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. (AP Photo/Quinto) Date: 02/04/1979. In fact, some women were often topless at Studio 54 parties, in nothing more than tiny thong bottoms and boots. 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. She said that she spent a large part of her day arguing over the cost of certain A-listers. Rather than show how scared they were, the $1.5 million renovation showed that the co-owners were putting on a brave face. 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. Then Covid Trapped Them There. Inside Studio 54, you could smoke just about whatever you wanted and sit however you liked. 2023 Rolling Stone, LLC. Today there's no way that someone would just be able to ride through a club on a horse. On April 16, 1977, crowds of hip revelers . Four women in shimmery dresses sit in the club's lounge area. When photos of the night appeared in the paper the next day everyone had to be at the club. They served copious amounts of alcohol, played the loudest music and sometimes had mini food fights on the dancefloor. With famous and wealthy people as the main guests of the venue, expensive drugs were seemingly in ample supply at all times. While most folks just stood outside and waited to be noticed, there were a few enterprising clubgoers who attempted to enter the party by more creative means. Left: A dancer is swept into a spectrum of lights during 1978. He captured that era in my lifetime, and I hope someone is having that type of fun again. Author and party attendee Anthony Haden-Guest told Rolling Stone that there were only about 150 people at the party initially, but it grew into a wild event. A guaranteed internet breaker, if it had been invented. He began incorporating dance music and disco into his sound, and to find inspiration he went to the club and paid close attention. Studio 54 furthers the nostalgia that people still have about '70s New York, as pointed out by Goldberger, a period of time that has been revisited recently, from Patti Smith's book Just Kids to . 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. For that reason, his photos are not only fine art, they are history. We think of him as a gentleman of the paparazzi [of that era], she says. To this day the nightclub remains a thing of legend, even if it has been transformed into a theater. In this 1978 picture, crowds line up for entry into Manhattan's renowned disco and nightclub Studio 54, located at 254 West 54th Street. Right: People wait in line outside of Studio 54 in 1978. It happens to the best of us. Schrager said: The scene outside of the club could get nasty. Disco was all the rage back in the 1970s and Studio 54 was the place to be if you were in New York. But Nicky's love affair with the infectious dance music pre-dates Studio 54. Vote up the Studio 54 snapshots that make you want to queue up and bribe a doorman. A party was staged the night before their sentences began. What made Studio 54 different, however, was that drugs were practically encouraged inside. A glitter-covered go-go dancer sways in a G-string. One of the most fascinating aspects of Studio 54 is the way that it allowed normal people to rub elbows with famous people. Important for the co-owners to make the evening special. One drag queen in the doc explains: For the most part there was a strict dress code applied to the revelers at the club. It was a place of great exclusivity, but also a place where one went to be photographed. At Studio 54, the taboo wasnt seen as undesirable instead, it was invited inside. 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. Studio 54 wasand, arguably, remainsthe world's most renowned and legendary disco. The opening night of Studio 54 was huge mess. Whether it's 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. 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. Even when the clubs co-owners were under a federal investigation they didnt let anything get in the way of the clubs success. 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. A look back at the epicenter of NYC nightlife, presented by Getty Images. 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. That all changed when Bianca Jagger - Mick Jaggers wife at the time - decided to have her birthday party at the club on May 2, 1977. 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 told Variety: To work at Studio 54 a few things were required. Mick Jagger at the club for Bianca Jagger's birthday party. Giancarlo Giammetti told Vanity Fair that it only took a few days for the crew to get everything ready for a circus themed party: When Studio 54 first opened it was a way for the people of Manhattan to cut loose and do whatever they wanted. According to the guy who took over Studio 54 after the original co-owners went to prison, James nearly killed himself while at the club. They seized garbage bags full of cash from hidden areas and discovered multiple sets of financial books in the ceiling panels. In fact, she sang that night with Liza Minnelli. Regularly attended by celebrities such as Andy Warhol, Elizabeth Taylor, Mick Jagger, Bianca Jagger, Jerry Hall, Debbie Harry, Grace Jones, Michael Jackson . But where does someone keep piles of quaaludes and drink tickets? Toosii Brings Roses and Your 'Favorite Song' to Tonight Show, Justin Bieber Shares Heartfelt Message to Frank Ocean After Coachella Set. Ultimately, as the judge said, theirs was a crime of hubris. Fashion designer Clovis Ruffin waits for a drink at the bar in 1980. Both Rubell and Schrager were arrested and charged with taking millions of dollars off the top of the clubs gross. The many singers who passed through the joint didnt leave without belting out a few notes of their own. Prolonged war and a stagnant economy gave way to a massive national hangover in the 1970s. One of the craziest and at least quasi-illegal things that happened in Saudi 54 came from their basement policy. Sure . Indeed, club regulars ranged from Mick Jagger and Andy Warhol to Elizabeth Taylor and David Bowie. Diana Ross, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Cher, Truman Capote, and Andy Warhol were all among its regulars, but Studio 54 was more than a celebrity hotspot and beacon of New York nightlife. He explained: In her book, Ill Never Write My Memoirs, Grace Jones explained how the coked out decadence of Studio 54 was a microcosm of the rest of the country. Not only was this accepted, but one of the biggest suppliers was the co-owner Steve Rubell. 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. If you wanted a place to let loose and perhaps engage in some public nudity, then Studio 54 was the club for you. 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. Performers drop down from the ceiling, held by nothing but a cord connected to their legs. 22 photos that show the grit and the glamour of Studio 54, New York City's most infamous club. 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. Model Bianca Jagger, in an off-the-shoulder number, is seen riding a white horse at the entrance of the club (1977), Dancers showcase a performance on metallic cushions amid a curious crowd at a New Years Eve party (1977), A star-studded New Year's Eve at Studio 54: Halston kissing Diana Ross, Jack Haley Jr with his wife Liza Minnelli, Bianca Jagger, and, of course, Andy Warhol (1978), Model and musician Grace Jones shimmers in a sparkling bodysuit as she performs at a New Years Eve party (1978), Soul legend Curtis Mayfield makes an extravagant entrance outside the club with his wife and friend in their Rolls-Royce (1977), Debbie Harry sticks out her tongue, while Steve Rubell is sprawled out on top of her and friends (1980), A costumed party-goer at a Halloween event sporting a platinum blonde wig, 18th-century-inspired face paint, lace bustier and white bow tie (1981), Diane von Furstenberg lounging with her husband-to-be, media mogul Barry Diller (1978), 3 products that all dermatologists use in the morning to prevent ageing, 29 stunning pictures and videos that take you inside Antilia, Mukesh Ambani & Nita Ambani's residence, I didn't practice the triple hair wash technique until a hairdresser told me this, A crash course in clashing prints: Bollywood celebrity edition celebs, Everything you need to know about Frieze London 2019, Chanels travelling photo exhibit hits Dubai. One close friend of Rubell's notes that the co-owner thought that he would never be caught. 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. Then . As you can see, this was long before his dramatic transformation and eventual controversies in the public eye. 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. 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. Aids later hit, of course. Thats right the King of Pop did indeed attend a gathering or two at Studio 54. The people who worked at Studio 54 were so ill equipped for the craziness on opening night that they broke down under the stress of the crowd. 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. While it lasted, many photographers flocked to the bacchanal to capture the celebrities and other lucky denizens as they danced and snorted and frolicked under that iconic Man in the Moon with the coke spoon sculpture. Imagine walking into a nightclub and seeing this group of people having drinks you might not believe what youre seeing! Yet, Studio 54s sensibility of inclusion and freedom lives on through the books, films and fashion that it has inspired ever since. Dancer Rudolf Nureyev initiates nine-year-old Ricky Schroder into the delights of disco dancing at Studio 54 in New York on Sunday, April 2, 1979. This kind of debauchery came to be expected of the venue and marked its no-holds-barred approach to nightlife. The crowds only grew as the clubs popularity did. Studio 54 produced many star-studded photo opportunities. 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. Pictured here are some of the A-list celebs who frequented the infamous, one-of-a-kind club known as Studio 54. The dancers kept throwing their coats at the workers and the ticketing system stopped working altogether. One club goer told Vanity Fair: The opening night of the club was so crazy that it made national headlines. Noted wild child Drew Barrymore has lived more lifetimes than anyone should, and pretty much all of them are cool. Supposedly while there were drugs floating around, people were mostly just getting amped on dancing and less so on piles of uppers. A photograph of Yoko Ono and John Lennon by Gene Spatz (year unknown). Find Studio 54 Party stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. See Rare Photos Inside Studio 54 Nightclub, RS Recommends: Rad Powers E-Bike Offers a New (and Better) Way to Commute, How Vaccines and Masks Are Making Broadway Safe Again, See Nanci Griffith Cover the Rolling Stones No Expectations, Man Charged in Shooting of Black Teen Ralph Yarl, Elon and Tucker Are Finally Consummating Their Epic Bromance, Go Behind the Scenes of Internet Golden Girl Emma Chamberlains Rolling Stone Cover Shoot, Meet The Creator Who Got TikTok Talking About Spanking One Dance At A Time, Curtains Close on Final 'Phantom of the Opera' Broadway Show After 35 Years, Bill Hader Didn't Know Carol Burnett Was His Cousin Until She Emailed Him. X27 ; s birthday party stopped working altogether find Studio 54 throughout its studio 54 pictures not appropriate lifespan Rubell... Walls live on in countless celebrities and lucky visitors dresses sit in aftermath... That it has been transformed into a theater that night with Liza Minnelli quasi-illegal... 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