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All That's Interesting is a Brooklyn-based digital publisher that seeks out stories that illuminate the past, present, and future. 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. Nobody wanted to rent a car to Studio 54. America in 1977 was ripe for something fun, glamorous and a bit risque. They agreed to bring these cars up. Six big-finned classics were parked on the dance floor, but minutes before opening the fire marshal cited a major hazard: The cars hadnt been drained of gasoline. Another employee, "Lenny 54," was open about the fact he wasn't going to just serve drinks. Lowen recognized some of the celebrities in the photos, but she wasnt sure what exactly her brothers archives contained or its value to the world. The gift caused some tension a year later, after the IRS raided Rubells office and seized his financial records, including a catalogue of gifts dolled out to celebrity friends and clients. Another thing it often had, as a result, was strange performances. Studio 54: heady daze of disco decadence in pictures, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. 23,434 Studio 54 Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO All Sports Entertainment News Archival Browse 23,434 studio 54 stock photos and images available, or search for studio 54 moon or studio 54 1970s to find more great stock photos and pictures. At a wild place like Studio 54, there werent lots of rules about what to wear or who to be. Being a spouse to legendary partier Jagger, its no wonder she enjoyed a good get-together herself. Diana Ross serenaded the owners from the DJ booth, and Liza Minnelli sang New York, New York. Rubell, donning a Sinatra-like fedora, piped in with a spirited rendition of My Way, which played on repeat during the night, as did Gloria Gaynors Studio 54 anthem I Will Survive. From a mechanical platform high above the dance floor, Rubell addressed his guests with an emotional speech. McCarthy, who happened to frequent Studio 54 on occasion, was amazed by his access to the notables in attendance. 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. New York Magazine interviewed former employees, including bartender Scott Taylor. The flow of revelers grew from a trickle to a torrent after 11 oclock, and soon thousands swarmed the building. 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. A favorite of the cast of Saturday Night Live, it was covered with easy-to-clean surfaces. Both Rubell and Schrager were arrested and accused of skimming $2.5 million in club earnings. Left: A dancer is swept into a spectrum of lights during 1978. 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. So we ended up having to pay for new seats. It smelled like a cat had died. His body was discovered in black-tie attire. We had a blast. 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 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. Doormen didnt let just anyone inside, but if you were lucky, you could get into the club without having connections in high places. When she wasnt whipping her legs through the air to the music, she was brushing shoulders with the countrys most famous celebrities. By midnight, the huge group in the street had become "Sodom and Gomorrah." Other people openly smoked illegal substances or snorted drugs such as cocaine. After they were found guilty and sentenced to three and a half years each, they threw one last huge party the night before they went to prison. We grabbed a couple of bottles of champagne from the corner liquor store and then went back to my place, plugged in our instruments and started jamming. Aching from the rejection, Rodgers and Edwards poured their anger into the music. We were invited to meet with Grace Jones at Studio 54, Rodgers told Sound on Sound in 2005. ', Editors picks 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. According to the Independent, in 1978 co-owner Steve Rubell bragged openly in an interview about how well things were going, saying "only the Mafia made more money" the year before. Antoinette Norcia / Getty Images In this 1978 picture, crowds line up for entry into Manhattan's renowned disco and . Right: People wait in line outside of Studio 54 in 1978. She made appearances at the nightclub more than once throughout the years and was there on its last day of operation under Steve Rubell in 1980. Other photographers didnt capture that. You might not think of famous authors as the rowdiest group of people, but Truman Capote didnt fit into any stereotypes. He was supplied with drugs and given a regular paycheck. There was even something above the rubber room, beyond secretive, up where the gods of the club could engage in their chosen vice high up above the relentless dancers. One man was less lucky. 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. Nearby trash cans always had to be emptied of bottles and other things that could become dangerous projectiles. But we can still try to piece together some of the most messed up stuff that ever happened at Studio 54. 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. It was closer and we were dead. Left: A clubgoer dressed as Jesus carries a large cross onto the dance floor in 1977. They were out of their minds on drugs and indulging in their dirtiest fantasies. This made him extremely popular, and they demanded Taylor stay when Rubell wanted to fire him. The late 70s also saw the rise of celebrity culture, and Studio 54 provided that too, with Liza, Michael, Andy, Bianca and Diana regulars. Photos of Studio 54 Uncover The Degeneracy Behind the Glitz 97 Hasse Persson Ben Shapiro 16 Feb 2015 In the late 1970s, the glitterati worshipped at the altar of Studio 54. One of the men on the scene was Gene Spatz, a pioneering paparazzo and street photographer who most people have never heard about. The animal-loving activist tried to correct the misconception in a 2015 letter to the Financial Times. It was a sad going-away party but we were laughing and trying to have fun. Reynolds, who had tracked down livestock with ease, had a more difficult time finding vintage cars for hire. Bokfrlaget Max Strm/Hasse Persson Studio 54. And finally it hit Bernard. And, of course, disco music was blaring. Frank Sinatra was stranded in his limousine, unable to get near. Ensconced in the cozy basement space under Studio 54, 54 Below is a ravishing new space designed to the teeth by architect Richard Lewis and Tony-winning set designer John Lee Beatty. The most tragically desperate individual was found in an air vent in black tie attire, dead. About 30 people standing around us took them, and then everybody started having this mad sexual orgy. The setting is quite a departure from his most famous work, but Papageorge's keen eye for detail and fascination . At the Purple magazine party, a naked couple in a clear bathtub perform for an audience in 1977. Studio 54 produced many star-studded photo opportunities. With famous and wealthy people as the main guests of the venue, expensive drugs were seemingly in ample supply at all times. Skimming was standard practice in the cash-flush world of restaurants and nightclubs, but this was an order of magnitude greater than most offenders. Studio 54 was crazy all year long, but things got especially wacky for Halloween. 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. Andy Warhol's Polaroid of Mick Jagger Touching Tongues With a Woman Could Be Yours. As an environmentalist and an animal rights defender I find the insinuation that I would ride a horse into a nightclub offensive., The key of the success of Studio 54 is that its a dictatorship at the door and a democracy on the dance floor, club regular Andy Warhol once observed, and Steve Rubell ruled the velvet ropes with an iron fist. For the younger generations who might not know, Elizabeth Taylor was a star like no other during her time. If you wanted a place to let loose and perhaps engage in some public nudity, then Studio 54 was the club for you. Instead, they would just apply for a temporary one every day they were open. Id go there a lot with dates and with friends, and with lots of people, he told The Washington Post in 2016. Men and women whipped out their private parts and everyone started feeling up complete strangers. While many clubgoers enjoyed this aspect of Studio 54, it got them lots of attention from the authorities. All Rights reserved. It wasn't that disco was dying or the club became uncool, it was that the owners were complete crooks. On May 2nd, Jagger celebrated in grand style. Those lucky enough to be in attendance are spotted in the background, watching with drinks in hand. The agents entered the office seeking links to organized crime and arrested his partner Ian Schrager after reportedly finding cocaine among some papers he was carrying. 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. Steve went all out for that, Michael Musto remembered in the E! And McCarthy was able to recognize the special collection Lowen had inherited and make sure his creative legacy remained alive. He was there to be seen with the famous people, to network, to cut the deal; whilst everyone else cut the coke., Opening night at Studio 54 was an unqualified success, but the days that followed were comparatively slower. On finding Studio 54s books, it was discovered that a skim was in operation on up to 80% of the profits. Rogers says this was a reaction to people seeing images of the glamour of places like Studio 54 while their real lives reflected the worst financial recession since the Great Depression. His latest book, Studio 54, is a record of hedonism that includes actual swinging from the rafters and a literal procession of men in Dionysian drag. When New York published this list of party favors in November 1979, Warhol was horrified to discover that his pail had only contained $800. Robin Williams dancing with his then-wife Valerie in 1979. My house now is filled with his art, and I hope others will appreciate it too.. Karl Lagerfeld held a candlelit 18th-century party with the staff in court dress and powdered wigs. Nina Hagens Nunsexmonkrock: Greatest (and weirdest) unsung masterpiece of the postpunk era? In case you dont recognize her, thats Dolly Parton at an afterparty in Studio 54. See Rare Photos Inside Studio 54 Nightclub Photographer Gene Spatz captured celebrities - including John Lennon, Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger - at the iconic New York City 1970s nightclub By. Whats more, theyre almost all true. For 33 months, Studio 54 was the American bacchanal, an unprecedented mix of glamorous sophistication and primal hedonism. The IRS was not fooled. Again, this is in a huge crowd of people on a street in Manhattan. Her hair is blonder and bigger than ever. According to a New York Times article from the time, one night they were finally figured out and told they couldn't serve booze. As you can see, this was long before his dramatic transformation and eventual controversies in the public eye. The crowds only grew as the clubs popularity did. Performers drop down from the ceiling, held by nothing but a cord connected to their legs. People were waiting in lines with the most fantastic costumes on, each one trying to outdo the other one so that they could be pointed to and get in. One Halloween, two women, perhaps recalling the famous Bianca Jagger photos, took out a $500 loan to rent a horse, which they rode nude to the velvet ropes as twin Lady Godivas. Photo by UoGsjohns22 CC BY SA 3.0 The building located in 254 West 54th Street, today home to the Roundabout Theatre Company, has a vibrant history. Theyd been waiting and they just started shooting. According to him he actually took the trash out and swept up while his co-workers partied. No other nightclub has been able to rival it in reputation and A-list guests since. When sex and money didn't work, people would get violent. People openly took poppers on the dance floor, and less openly shot up heroin in dark corners. Dressed in their best and taking stock of the nightclub, famous actresses Farrah Fawcett and Shirley MacLaine are photographed with club owner Steve Rubell. 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. All very un-PC. I have. Its immersive atmosphere and coveted location on West 54th street in Manhattan made the spot an instant hit. 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. For most of his life, though, co-founder Ian Schrager has wanted to forget it. Not even those who got inside the club could all make it into the basement. Henry Winkler, who had been playing the Fonz on smash hit Happy Days for years at that point, was summarily rejected one night. A glitter-covered go-go dancer sways in a G-string. Then, all of a sudden it just hit me. At this time, Fawcett had recently hit it big with her role in Charlies Angels, while MacLaine had just starred in The Turning Point. It was that soon., The photos also gave birth to the enduring myth that Jagger actually rode into the club on the horse. 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. Elizabeth Taylors birthday featured a performance by the Rockettes, which the star viewed while perched on a float of gardenias. If a regular night at Studio 54 was crazy, it was the special parties that were totally unacceptable. She called getting on it and riding around a "foolish decision.". We want to hear it. But soon the crowd started to build to ridiculous proportions. Halston.It was 10:30 in the morning and the phone rang, club associate Renny Reynolds told Haden-Guest. 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. The stunt was well-planned and executed by experienced acrobats, so thankfully no one was hurt. If you thought youd seen it all when it came to crazy Studio 54 performances, youd be mistaken. 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. Both famous celebrities and regular bystanders alike managed to have a rockin good time at Studio 54. One clubgoer waited outside with a group of friends, including a doctor packing a jumbo bottle of Quaaludes. The head guy, Marc Benecke, was just 19, but his position made him one of the most important people in New York. I walked him back to his limo. Margaret Trudeau was the wife of the Canadian Prime Minister at the time, and she loved to let loose. Then, step inside the 1990s rave scene at its neon zenith. At Studio 54, the taboo wasnt seen as undesirable instead, it was invited inside. Gene captured that part of history and the exuberance in a unique way. The women were not. 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. Traffic on 54th Street was brought to a standstill as both celebrities and humble ravers struggled to approach. Here you can see her leaning back as she dances, seemingly overjoyed by the music and the ambiance of Studio 54. The doormen regularly had to be escorted home at the end of the night for their safety. Some tried to grease palms with thousands of dollars. Club founders Ian Schrager and Rubell were sent to jail in 1980.

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