Studio 54 wasand, arguably, remainsthe world's most renowned and legendary disco. 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. Suddenly the IRS were interested in going clubbing. Contact Gabriel H. Sanchez at gabriel.sanchez@buzzfeed.com. The criteria for entry werent clear-cut you simply had to have the look and style they wanted to see inside the establishment. Ricky had previously attended the preview of the remake of "The Champ" in which he stars with Jon Voight. Both famous celebrities and regular bystanders alike managed to have a rockin good time at Studio 54. We think of him as a gentleman of the paparazzi [of that era], she says. 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. The moon with a coke spoon hanging over the dance floor along with a giant sign announcing that dancers were, yes, in Studio 54 hooked to rigging material and hung from the ceiling so dancers could grind the night away on top of the designs if thy so felt like it. While the nightclubs lifespan may have been cut short, the memories made within its walls live on in countless celebrities and lucky visitors. At the time Jerry Hall was just getting used to being a celebrity and she had stars in her eyes. 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. Described by some as Sodom and Gomorrah with a disco beat, New York City's delightfully depraved nightclub opened its doors in 1977. When photos of the night appeared in the paper the next day everyone had to be at the club. Four women in shimmery dresses sit in the club's lounge area. A woman dances near the Studio 54 light towers in 1977. 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. 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. In this 1978 picture, crowds line up for entry into Manhattan's renowned disco and nightclub Studio 54, located at 254 West 54th Street. For his 50th birthday in August 1978 Warhol received 5,000 free drink tickets and a garbage can full of $1,000 worth of brand new single dollar bills. (AP Photo/Quinto) Date: 02/04/1979. 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. 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 . While that was a Monday night, the clubs one evening off, they made an exception for the actress and rock star wife. 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. Throughout its three-year lifespan under Rubell and Schrager, Studio 54 served as a lab to experiment with everything from illicit drugs to gender. They both wanted the club to be the most exciting place in the world and while Schrager handled the behind the scenes work Rubell was happy to wine and dine celebrities. 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?". In this picture, Robin Williams is with his then-wife Valerie Velardi and Studio 54s own Santa Claus. Even though it was a well planned business venture, Studio 54 was being constructed right up until the opening day. The pop artist, model, Blondie lead singer, writer, and fashion designer all bonding at Studio 54. In the clubs first year open, Cher showed up to the scene at Studio 54. 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. 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. When she wasnt whipping her legs through the air to the music, she was brushing shoulders with the countrys most famous celebrities. But at Studio 54, the party was just getting started. By this time, the club had cemented its reputation as a popular place for celebrities, and Stallone was one more added to the list. In this picture, women pose on top of giant reflective pillows in the middle of the crowd. We want people who are just in there to have fun.. The people in this photograph have costumes and makeup on, complete with pairs of tall stilts that helped them tower over the crowd. Yet, Studio 54s sensibility of inclusion and freedom lives on through the books, films, and fashion that it has inspired ever since. This wasnt a show for just any night at the club, however. In December of 1978, dozens of federal agents descended on the club after receiving a tip about their sneaky money practices. Onlookers say that he was always dressed up and ready to get down. The two had funneled nearly $3 million in less than two years. 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? 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. Cher dancing at Studio 54. She is seen here in colorful 70s makeup, big hair and a risque lace top. It wasnt just some other club - there was fog, wind, and snow. It's crazy to think that Studio 54 and Saturday Night Live were both happening in New York City at the same time. Club founders Ian Schrager and Rubell were sent to jail in 1980. 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. 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. 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. For major actresses like these, visiting Studio 54 was a must while in New York City. Of course, playing it cool was a necessity when inside the club. Studio 54 is remembered as the first non-judgmental, queer-friendly mainstream nightclub, which was not unlike an adult amusement park. The streets were so packed with people that wanted to get into the Studio that attendees were literally being thrown inside. In fact, some women were often topless at Studio 54 parties, in nothing more than tiny thong bottoms and boots. 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. Even though the club was considered a spooky place it could provide moments of levity. Life of a party (from left): Halston, Bianca Jagger, Jack Haley Jr and wife, Liza Minnelli and Andy Warhol. 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. Elton John pulls his pants legs up to dance the night away. When Studio 54 closed two years later, on Feb. 4, 1980, Diana Ross was there to serenade owners Rubell and Schrager with one final song. Clubgoers dance amid light towers on the dance floor at Studio 54 on May 15, 1978. Studio 54 opened in NYC in 1977. Bokfrlaget Max Strm/Hasse Persson Studio 54. Cohen told Vanity Fair: Truman Capote, the author behind In Cold Blood, was certainly irascible, but he wasnt a tough guy by any means. Here she is pictured in front of her cake and alongside famous designer Halston. Cold hard cash, baby, even professional provocateur Andy Warhol. 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. The spectacle is complete with their revealing outfits, but by Studio 54 standards, their dress is modest. 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. Shes just finished with a 1978 concert, following up a Grammy nomination for Best Country Vocal Performance. In 1977, at the height of the disco craze, a club opened at 254 West 54th Street in New York City. It turns out that she wasn't really into that kind of adulation. It happens to the best of us. The club also had doves and a snake present for visitors on different nights. Under Rubells ownership, however, the strange, the weird and the scary were given a place to flourish beneath the lights of the nightclub. 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. Celebrities like Mick Jagger were routinely in the building and cutting a rug on the dance floor, so if you wanted to dance with a Rolling Stone you could dance with a Rolling Stone. 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. Actress and model Margaux Hemingway celebrates her 24th birthday in style. The dancers kept throwing their coats at the workers and the ticketing system stopped working altogether. Liza Minnelli and Mikhail Baryshnikov. Sylvester Stallone and Sheryl Slocum, 1977. He saw the club as a place where people became objects rather than something flesh and blood. Mattresses in the basement were frequently the site of trysts, while the infamous balcony was designed complete with easy-to-clean surfaces as a place for couples to get it on. Co-owners Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager were arrested for skimming more than $2 million from the club. Right: A woman gets low on the dance floor in 1977. Then, step inside the 1990s rave scene at its neon zenith. Here, gazing adoringly at her husband here is . Groove on! Usually these special nights happened when someone wanted something specific for their birthday. As a mood-boosting tonic, and at a time when our festive calendars have been curtailed by social-distancing measures, Vogue delves into Studio 54s world of excess and extravagance. The rise and fall of Studio 54 happened as if an unseen force was holding down the fast forward button on the clubs success. This way they avoided the extreme fees that came with a liquor license while still being kind of legal. Even after the original owners went to prison for skimming millions of dollars, the club stayed open until 1990, although the magic of the first years never returned. A party was staged the night before their sentences began. 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. If youd gone to Studio 54 in the 1970s, however, this is exactly the type of scene you couldve enjoyed. While these two women may not have been the craziest partiers, they certainly appreciated a good night out. And, who can forget the iconic image of Bianca Jagger riding a white horse through the clubs entrance? 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. 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. It wasnt just a place to get your rocks off and dance, it was free publicity. This meant plenty of people were rejected at the door, and plenty more stood in lines outside waiting to be appraised. Photographer Gene Spatz captured celebrities including John Lennon, Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger at the iconic New York City 1970s nightclub. The last thing she wanted was for her secret life to become known to the world. At the Purple magazine party, a naked couple in a clear bathtub perform for an audience in 1977. A man dangles a cigarette inside Studio 54, 1977. However, its likely that the club wouldnt have made the front page of the post if it werent for Cher. Nothing would compare to the nightclubs glory years in the 1970s and 80s. The club was his concept of 15 minutes of fame to the extreme. If you thought youd seen it all when it came to crazy Studio 54 performances, youd be mistaken. Capote is the author of books like Other Voices, Other Rooms, Breakfast at Tiffanys and In Cold Blood. 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. They Took a Third Date to Costa Rica. Michael Jackson and Steven Tyler at a Beatlemania party. The two went into the basement where she had the bartender handcuff her to a pipe for some extra naughty fun. Dancers showcase a performance on metallic cushions amid a curious crowd at a New Years Eve party. She explained that they were shoving their party in everyones face because America needed to have their own excesses reflected back at them. Apparently Studio 54 had a way of changing people. By 1977, Stallone had an Oscar on his mantle, but did that make him an NFU? Bianca Jagger on a white horse for her birthday at Studio 54. A star-studded New Years Eve at Studio 54: Halston kissing Diana Ross, Jack Haley Jr with his wife Liza Minnelli, Bianca Jagger, and, of course, Andy Warhol. Not something you see every day, but you could see it at Studio 54. 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 . 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. Another thing it often had, as a result, was strange performances. After the tragedy of the Vietnam War and the distrust of the Nixon administration people just wanted to go out and forget about their troubles. 30. In its first year alone, it managed to pull in approximately $7 million dollars! These photos show what really happened at Studio 54, with celebrities like Mick Jagger, Grace Jones, and Andy Warhol leading the way. 29 Pictures That Show Just How Insane Studio 54 Really Was. Soul legend Curtis Mayfield makes an extravagant entrance outside the club with his wife and friend in their Rolls-Royce. After those three years, the experience of partying at Studio 54 just wasnt the same. 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. 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. 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