September 25, 2020 07:00 AM. The thing he appreciated was someone being different. 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. A look back at the epicenter of NYC nightlife, presented by Getty Images. June 1, 2017. While that was a Monday night, the clubs one evening off, they made an exception for the actress and rock star wife. A photograph of Yoko Ono and John Lennon by Gene Spatz (year unknown). Gene captured that part of history and the exuberance in a unique way. 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. When photos of the night appeared in the paper the next day everyone had to be at the club. Studio 54 opened in NYC in 1977. Studio 54s peak was intense but short-lived. 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. To this day the nightclub remains a thing of legend, even if it has been transformed into a theater. Even when the clubs co-owners were under a federal investigation they didnt let anything get in the way of the clubs success. Given that it used to be an actual studio, the interior had ample lighting equipment to create pulsating light shows. People would be upset about the cleanliness of the animal and whether or not something was wrong with the horse. When Dolly shows up to your club youve got to do whatever it takes to make her feel at home, so when the queen of country dropped into Studio 54 the club was transformed into a farm complete with horses and hay. It wasnt until he was gone, and I had brought everything home and put it in storage, that I began to open up these envelopes and discover his work.. It wasnt just actors and singers who showed up to party at Studio 54 sometimes it was political figures. Schrager said: The scene outside of the club could get nasty. Model Bianca Jagger holds doves at a party thrown by fashion designer Halston in 1977. Remember, at the time the cast of SNL were rock stars. Not only did she love a good time, but she also knew how to master the dance floor. As you can see, this was long before his dramatic transformation and eventual controversies in the public eye. Here he is enjoying an anniversary party for Andy Warhols magazine, Interview. 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. 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 . No matter how wild the request the co-owners would make it happen. You might not think of famous authors as the rowdiest group of people, but Truman Capote didnt fit into any stereotypes. A fabulous night to revel in being alive with ballet superstar Rudolf Nureyev (far left). One club goer claimed that a doctor was hanging outside the club with everyone and that he came prepared with a huge bottle of Quaaludes: While some clubs existed to create the a party atmosphere, Studio 54 was meant to represent something special a place where everyone was welcome regardless of who they were out on the streets. 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. Grace Jones. 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. Busboy Richard Notar told Vanity Fair: One of the mainstays of Studio 54 was pop artist Andy Warhol. 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. One night when the club didnt have anything specific planned they used some free pieces of clothing that they were given from one of the local brands. The stunt was well-planned and executed by experienced acrobats, so thankfully no one was hurt. It's crazy to think that Studio 54 and Saturday Night Live were both happening in New York City at the same time. Under Rubells ownership, however, the strange, the weird and the scary were given a place to flourish beneath the lights of the nightclub. May 14, 2021. She once said, I didnt dance for 50 years because my husband didnt like it, she said. The best way to keep being invited inside was to act as if you belonged. On April 16, 1977, crowds of hip revelers . Photographer Gene Spatz captured celebrities including John Lennon, Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger at the iconic New York City 1970s nightclub. Here, a woman twirls her hat and two men chat over drinks. But at Studio 54, the party was just getting started. Even so, it gave visitors a rush of adrenaline to watch them twirl in the air from below. If there was one person who loved going out to Studio 54, it was Bianca Jagger. The nightclub was typically packed full of people. 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. Rolling Stone is a part of Penske Media Corporation. They even put up a huge (4 feet) model of the game right over the dancing patrons. It would be decades before New York City's smoking ban forbade smoking in indoor spaces. Other photographers didnt capture that. Michael Jackson and Steven Tyler at a Beatlemania party. Then Covid Trapped Them There. 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. 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. Gene had a special eye for the beauty and the fun and sometimes even the weirdness of the situations. 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. breonna taylor protests black lives matter trump peaceful transfer of power. Nightlife anywhere was sure to have drugs involved were talking about the 1970s, here. But where does someone keep piles of quaaludes and drink tickets? 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. She was an actress and human rights activist who was married to Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger at the time. She explained that they were shoving their party in everyones face because America needed to have their own excesses reflected back at them. 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. 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. Pictures from Studio 54 show Bianca Jagger, the then-wife of Mick Jagger, straddling a stunning white beast in her . This couple wears scant Halloween costumes resembling a mermaid and some kind of sea creature, and their choice of style was not out of the ordinary at Studio 54. Prolonged war and a stagnant economy gave way to a massive national hangover in the 1970s. It took owners Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager just six weeks to . 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. 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. 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. A pair of clubgoers dressed in . Here she is pictured in front of her cake and alongside famous designer Halston. 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 . 2023 Rolling Stone, LLC. Studio 54 was the place to be in its heyday. They finally just started throwing coats on the floor and no one got them back. 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. A woman dances near the Studio 54 light towers in 1977. Sure . (AP Photo/Quinto) Date: 02/04/1979. Williams and his wife went to the club often and they stayed late. The man who made it famous, Steve Rubell, was only in charge from 1977 to 1980. The club acted as an alternative reality to the late 70s in New York City where homophobia and racism ran rampant. In this picture, you can see doorman Mark Benecke sweeping the expectant crowd for the best individuals to allow past the front doors. In 2018s Studio 54: The Documentary one doorman explains that the crowd was so intense that the people in the coat check couldnt handle the demand of the people. Simply by virtue of being outside the club someone like Streisand could paint themselves as a cool celebrity rather than a stodgy A-lister who sat in their penthouse reading Russian literature all not. Here's why it became so famous. Once the show came to an end the cast had to have somewhere to go - and they went to the Studio. 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. This wouldnt be the only time Studio 54 went above and beyond for New Years. Elton John pulls his pants legs up to dance the night away. They were hired for the New Years Eve party of 1977. 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? Both Rubell and Schrager were arrested and charged with taking millions of dollars off the top of the clubs gross. Andy Warhol once said "It's a dictatorship at the door and a democracy on the dance floor." 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. 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. In the aftermath of the Vietnam war, Rubell said people were tired of being serious everyone went out and went wild. 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. 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. According to a 2018 documentary about Studio 54 Rubell and Scrager skipped out on getting their liquor license by applying for multiple one day licenses that were used by catering companies. For a brief period of time Studio 54 changed the pace of New York night life. Picture this: Elton John partying the night away with drag queen Divine on the instantly recognisable parquet dancefloor. The son rose and set inside the club, literally. What made Studio 54 different, however, was that drugs were practically encouraged inside. Its likely that the truth is somewhere between to the two claims. The two are almost unrecognizable, however, thanks to the cream thats been smeared all over their faces and clothes. But Nicky's love affair with the infectious dance music pre-dates Studio 54. Diana Ross and Liza Minelli performed for Rubell, and in this photo, Stevie Wonder took to the piano at his secretarys birthday party. They seized garbage bags full of cash from hidden areas and discovered multiple sets of financial books in the ceiling panels. Contact Gabriel H. Sanchez at gabriel.sanchez@buzzfeed.com. 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. Usually these special nights happened when someone wanted something specific for their birthday. 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. Diana Ross, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Cher, Truman . Even the celebrities at Studio 54 were known to get star struck from time to time. Ultimately, as the judge said, theirs was a crime of hubris. A man dressed up in leather and an NYU tank chats with his friend, decked out in pearls and garters as two other club-goers look on. Select from premium Studio 54 Party of the highest quality. 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. It was a place of great exclusivity, but also a place where one went to be photographed. The manufacturers seemed to think their choice of venue was appropriate enough since all the sounds and colorful lights reminded them of disco. One of the men on the scene was Gene Spatz, a pioneering paparazzo and street photographer who most people have never heard about. During the third annual Halloween party at Studio 54, costumed women laugh atop the shoulders of their male companions, New York, New York, October 31, 1978. One of Studio 54s main attractions was its complex lighting. 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. The club also had doves and a snake present for visitors on different nights. Inside Studio 54, you could smoke just about whatever you wanted and sit however you liked. The rise and fall of Studio 54 happened as if an unseen force was holding down the fast forward button on the clubs success. 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. "Everyone has heard of Studio 54, but these unpublished color photos captured more than expected from the infamous nightclub. 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. 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. Pictured here are some of the A-list celebs who frequented the infamous, one-of-a-kind club known as Studio 54. 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. The photographic work of Dustin PIttman -- the focus of this feature . Thats why Sylvester Stallone decided he needed to pay a visit to the most famous disco in the United States. Bokfrlaget Max Strm/Hasse Persson Studio 54. CREATIVE. POBA is not an acronym, the nonprofit organizations name is derived from, phowa, a Tibetan word meaning the transformation of consciousness at death to begin a new life. Mick Jagger and his then significant other Jerry Hall entering the club. Studio 54's golden age came to an end when the federal government came after Schrager and Rubell for tax evasion. Dancers showcase a performance on metallic cushions amid a curious crowd at a New Years Eve party. The criteria for entry werent clear-cut you simply had to have the look and style they wanted to see inside the establishment. 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. At this time, Fawcett had recently hit it big with her role in Charlies Angels, while MacLaine had just starred in The Turning Point. 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. The club was his concept of 15 minutes of fame to the extreme. When they walked into the club there was a palpable energy, things got more exciting and everyone wanted to be around them. Not only was this accepted, but one of the biggest suppliers was the co-owner Steve Rubell. Club founders Ian Schrager and . Even though the club was considered a spooky place it could provide moments of levity. 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. Left: A performer on stilts manages to bust a move in 1981. She sued Warhol's estate because she said that she was made to look "dumb." If you wanted to dress in next to nothing and wear lots of makeup, you were encouraged. America in 1977 was ripe for something fun, glamorous and a bit risque. She told Vanity Fair: While everyone else in the club was getting blasted and dancing the night away, the people worked the lights, the DJ, and the sound people were very serious about making sure everyone had a good time. The high ceiling of the building allowed for such displays, though they must have been quite careful not to step on anyones toes. 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. 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. He captured it fantastically the fun and wackiness, the sweetness. Going to work day in and day out all week can grind a person down. 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. Both famous celebrities and regular bystanders alike managed to have a rockin good time at Studio 54. 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. . In December of 1978, dozens of federal agents descended on the club after receiving a tip about their sneaky money practices. The young entertainer captured outside the club. 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. Exception for the actress and human rights activist who was married to Stones. Venue was appropriate enough since all the sounds and colorful lights reminded of... Entering the club was considered a spooky place it could provide moments of levity thats been smeared over! 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