studio 54 basement photos

These Studio 54 photos will take you inside the dance club that defined a generation and hosted celebrities from Andy Warhol to David Bowie. All Rights reserved. A look back at the epicenter of NYC nightlife, presented by Getty Images. We were just yelling obscenities: Fuck Studio 54 Fuck em Fuck off Fuck those scumbags fuck them! But if you were really famous, there was the basement. 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. 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. One of Studio 54s main attractions was its complex lighting. Their uniform was a tiny pair of shorts and nothing else. If you found yourself fortunate enough to make it inside Studio 54 in 1978, you mightve come upon a scene like this one. In the 1970s, Studio 54 was a palace of excess and hedonism and on Halloween, this infamous nightclub opened its doors to the costumed ghouls of New York City. You might not think of famous authors as the rowdiest group of people, but Truman Capote didnt fit into any stereotypes. Studio 54 The Ultimate Den Of Vice Photography Guardian. 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. We had a circus ring with sand, and mermaids on trapezes, he told Vanity Fair. We were really totally dejected. Another employee, "Lenny 54," was open about the fact he wasn't going to just serve drinks. If there was one person who loved going out to Studio 54, it was Bianca Jagger. Originally opened as an opera house in 1927, Studio 54 became a popular nightclub in 1977. 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 According to the Guardian, the owners helpfully supplied mattresses and everything. When sex and money didn't work, people would get violent. My Studio 54 Story. In the four decades since Studio 54 first opened its doors, tales of what went on behind the velvet rope have become modern myths. She was real nervous about this whole deal and went up to the balcony and sat up there for a while. Sometimes thousands of dollars changed hands. I dont know what Im going to do without Studio! And everyone was crying and weeping.. 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. Unfortunately, the guest of honor was less than amused. But he could be generous with his cash. A man wears a gold costume, eyeliner, and a headdress while dancing. Benecke says he "sometimes" took them up on it. All very un-PC. 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. She wanted to interview us about recording her next album. For the younger generations who might not know, Elizabeth Taylor was a star like no other during her time. Studio 54 was the place to be in its heyday. Her hair is blonder and bigger than ever. Unlike most businesses who are fiddling the books, Studio 54 kept detailed records of their illegality. And then you went into the main part of the club and he had all these old convertible cars of the Fifties.. All Rights reserved. 74-year-old photographer Tod Papageorge is best known for capturing the buzzing streets of NYC and subtle moments in Central Park. A look back at the epicenter of NYC nightlife, presented by Getty Images. Right: People wait in line outside of Studio 54 in 1978. The most tragically desperate individual was found in an air vent in black tie attire, dead. One man was less lucky. 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. 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. Studio 54 started as it meant to go on. He'd gotten stuck and no one knew he was there until it was far too late. When New York published this list of party favors in November 1979, Warhol was horrified to discover that his pail had only contained $800. No one remembered him being there the first night. Cher wasnt the wildest partier on the scene, but she was known for being an independent and forward-thinking individual who didnt shy away from a good time. He infamously walked around wearing a padded coat that hid his stash of cocaine, Quaaludes, and poppers. There, "you could disappear into the shadows and get up to whatever." There was a 1950 Chevy convertible that got a bit trashed because people climbed in and burned the seats, says Reynolds. These two people, covered in silver, dance for onlookers inside Studio 54. Owner Steve Rubell is standing in his office in this photograph after, he claimed, federal police raided the area in search of drugs. But two people we know were flat-out rejected were disco legends Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards of the band Chic. Here is a collection of photos from only a few of the many successful events thrown at the venue, providing a glimpse into the nocturnal thrill that was Studio 54. 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. Studio 54: 10 Wild Stories From Clubs Debauched Heyday, How True Is Respect? Elizabeth Taylors birthday featured a performance by the Rockettes, which the star viewed while perched on a float of gardenias. Each vehicle had to be taken onto the street, where its tank was emptied, and then pushed back inside by hand. If youd gone to Studio 54 in the 1970s, however, this is exactly the type of scene you couldve enjoyed. After those three years, the experience of partying at Studio 54 just wasnt the same. Enjoy these Studio 54 photos? Many of the staff of Studio 54 including Rubell died as a result of it. The 100 Best Albums of 2022. Not only did she love a good time, but she also knew how to master the dance floor. Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager opened the legendary club in 1977, and while it only lasted under their management for three years, it quickly cemented itself as the quintessential enclave for celebrities, fashionable disco-lovers, and their favorite illicit activities. At this time, Fawcett had recently hit it big with her role in Charlies Angels, while MacLaine had just starred in The Turning Point. This meant the doormen had huge amounts of power. In case you dont recognize her, thats Dolly Parton at an afterparty in Studio 54. We dived onto the ground. Creative Breakfast Recipes from Andrew Zimmern, Alton Brown and Sunny Anderson, 14 Destination Races Perfect for Extending into a Vacation, Wild Office Pranks That Evil Coworkers Have Pulled on Each Other, 6 Sites to Design Custom Photo Mugs for Gifts or Keepsakes, Seasonal Sips: Totally Teetotal Winter Mocktails for Dry January. According to the Daily Beast, he and his friends had no problem getting in because they showed up unfashionably early and were basically first in line. Actress and model Margaux Hemingway celebrates her 24th birthday in style. The horse was granted entry. He was supplied with drugs and given a regular paycheck. The employee, stoned out of his mind, forgot to unlock her and went back to work. "I don't have only good memories. Why Is Friday the 13th Considered Unlucky? The club also had doves and a snake present for visitors on different nights. Studio 54 is the one nightclub from the '70s everyone remembers. documentary. It wasnt just actors and singers who showed up to party at Studio 54 sometimes it was political figures. Studio 54: Candid photography captures all the bacchanalian revelry, Oliver Reed as a prototype Alex from A Clockwork Orange in These are the Damned, I Have No Desire To Be Nico: Post-Punks Muse Of Manchester, Linder Sterling. Indeed, club regulars ranged from Mick Jagger and Andy Warhol to Elizabeth Taylor and David Bowie. I called everybody I knew in New York to come and blow up masses of white balloons and I went to the Claremont Stables to arrange for a horse., Related At the time, childish fun in a club like this couldnt be found in most other venues. 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. 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. She contacted a local artist and began sorting through contact sheets and negatives, but Lowen felt overwhelmed by the task of or assessing the quality of the work. From my parent's basement to VIP Host at Studio 54 Las Vegas. We kept saying, Gee, I wonder where everybody is? Studio 54 co-owner Steve Rubell stands in his office, which he claimed was ransacked by federal agents looking for drugs, in 1978. She was later presented with a life-size portrait of herself made of cake. At Studio 54, the taboo wasnt seen as undesirable instead, it was invited inside. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. About 30 people standing around us took them, and then everybody started having this mad sexual orgy. You walked in and the hallway was nothing but lockers, high school lockers on both sides, marveled the films producer, Allan Carr, in 1998. So they were willing to wait and hope to get noticed and invited past the velvet rope keeping them away from all the fun inside. 29 Wild Photos From The Drug-Fueled Heyday Of Studio 54. Nearby trash cans always had to be emptied of bottles and other things that could become dangerous projectiles. This was ridiculous because if you want to get away with it you might skim 1-2 percent. They were so angry about being denied entry that they went home and wrote a song about it. 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. 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. Copyright 2023 Penske Business Media, LLC. MSN called the drug-taking "endemic." Oddly, one of the first people ever in the club was Donald Trump. The next thing we knew, these guys were out of a car across the street. Other photographers didnt capture that. Studio opened on a Tuesday. Antoinette Norcia / Getty Images In this 1978 picture, crowds line up for entry into Manhattan's renowned disco and . Not even those who got inside the club could all make it into the basement. I personally tried to get very friendly with the underside of a car., Although their songs were must-plays on the dance floor, Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards of Chic found themselves unable to clear Beneckes ultra-strict door policy on New Years Eve 1977. 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. This exclusive event would have been the talk of the season. Giancarlo Giammetti threw a circus-themed birthday party for his business partner, fashion designer Valentino. Studio 54's golden age came to an end when the federal government came after Schrager and Rubell for tax evasion. Read 10 of the wildest stories from Studio 54, including the time Bianca Jagger rode a white horse across the dance floor. About a half an hour later there were 50 or 60 people in there. 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. She is even said to have enjoyed a night or two out with Mick Jagger and the rest of the Rolling Stones. Fact-Checking the Aretha Franklin Biopic, Jeff Buckleys Grace: 10 Things You Didnt Know, Flashback: Back to the Future Has Everyone Wanting to Play Johnny B Goode Like Michael J. One journalist who was there frequently said, "Even if you weren't having sex with someone every night, you felt like you could.". One of the men on the scene was Gene Spatz, a pioneering paparazzo and street photographer who most people have never heard about. Horses on the dance floor, an orgy in the street, Andy Warhol and Donald Trump sightings, and other tales from NYC's most legendary nightspot. 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. 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. 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. Up above the balcony, there was the rubber room, with thick rubber walls that could be easily wiped down after all the powdery activity that went on. Studio 54 is a Broadway theater and a former disco nightclub at 254 West 54th Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. Studio 54 is immensely interesting just in terms of a sociological perspective. The owners were skimming millions, up to 80 percent of their profits. Sometimes the venue hired dancers or had fashion models walking the crowds. Operated by the Roundabout Theatre Company, Studio 54 has 1,006 seats on two levels. Via PAPER. Ian put it together in three days. Bokfrlaget Max Strm/Hasse Persson Studio 54. 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. Above our heads. 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. 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. Originally opened as an opera house in 1927, Studio 54 became a popular nightclub in 1977. Andy Warhol, mingling backstage with friends Bianca Jagger and fashion designer Halston. Debbie Harry of Blondie arrives with her friends to the nightclub in 1981. Extreme Record Collecting: Confessions of an analog vinyl snob, A long, rambling blog post about my Nico obsession (+ some astonishing, seldom seen TV performances). There was an anything goes attitude to sex at Studio 54. Cher, Margaux Hemingway and a young Brooke Shields made it inside, but Warren Beatty, Kate Jackson and Henry Winkler did not. She had not had a Studio 54 experience. The IRS was not fooled. The star-studded club, renowned for its debauched, Caligula-style orgies of excess, was seen as the height of glamour. The packed dance floor was the place to see and be seen, but not everything people got up to at Studio 54 was necessarily intended for an audience. In 1978, Rubell told New York magazine that only the mafia does better than us. Then . Well, this was big-time. They were hired for the New Years Eve party of 1977. 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. She was an actress and human rights activist who was married to Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger at the time. Rolling Stone reportedthat when Dolly Parton came to town for a concert, the owners decided the best way to make a country singer feel comfortable was to turn the club into a farm. And McCarthy was able to recognize the special collection Lowen had inherited and make sure his creative legacy remained alive. There were "horses and donkeys and mules running through the club," as well as chickens in a pen. A party was staged the night before their sentences began. For that reason, his photos are not only fine art, they are history. It wasn't that disco was dying or the club became uncool, it was that the owners were complete crooks. In 1973, upon the publication of the SoHo Weekly News, Tannenbaum became their Photo Editor and Chief Photographer covering the New York City art, music, politics, show business, and nightlife scene until 1982.In this capacity, he took thousands of pictures of events and icons such as Jack Nicholson . A car whizzed by. The stunt was one of the most effective in the history of publicity, as photos of Jagger on horseback instantly appeared in papers across the globe. Here he is enjoying an anniversary party for Andy Warhols magazine, Interview. That November they pled guilty to two counts of corporate and personal income-tax evasion. Amazingly, this worked, until it didn't. Unlike Ron Galellas work which has been exhibited and is collected as fine art after Spatz died in 2003 the archive of images was inherited by his younger sister, Amy Lowen, and packed away in filing cabinets in her Kentucky home. Lifelong memories were made within its walls every night. You were also welcomed with open arms if you were a drag queen. DJ Richie Kaczor dropped the needle on the first record of the night, Devils Gun by C.J. One bartender co-wrote a novel in 1980 about a Studio 54-like club that was so close to reality, Andy Warhol wondered how he didn't get sued. The spectacle is complete with their revealing outfits, but by Studio 54 standards, their dress is modest. Capote is the author of books like Other Voices, Other Rooms, Breakfast at Tiffanys and In Cold Blood. PHOTOS: Newly Released Studio 54 Collection Offers Rare Glimpse Into A Party Legend. The newly anointed nightclub king got cocky, joking to a radio host that what the IRS doesnt know wont hurt them, and bragging to New York magazine, Only the Mafia makes more money.. Life of a party (from left): Halston, Bianca Jagger, Jack Haley Jr and wife, Liza Minnelli and Andy Warhol. Benecke often needed an escort back to his apartment. According to him he actually took the trash out and swept up while his co-workers partied. 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. Still others would try to be sneaky. Mick Jagger and his then significant other Jerry Hall entering the club. Left: A dancer is swept into a spectrum of lights during 1978. Fashion designer Clovis Ruffin waits for a drink at the bar in 1980. My favorite shots though, are post-party. At a wild place like Studio 54, there werent lots of rules about what to wear or who to be. Left: A topless woman in a peacock feather headdress dances at Studio 54's Halloween party in 1977. A throwback to the heyday of authentic New York nightlife, the room also boasts wonderful lighting by Tony winner Ken Billington and the best sound in town . For most of his life, though, co-founder Ian Schrager has wanted to forget it. Steve Rubell, co-owner of Studio 54, and fashion designer Halston in the club's DJ booth, 1978. Here, see a selection of exclusive images of Spatzs work for the first time. Copyright 2023 Penske Business Media, LLC. Both famous celebrities and regular bystanders alike managed to have a rockin good time at Studio 54. I remember where this guy had really screwed himself up and they got a stretcher. Although he had broken his neck and left wrist, he took pleasure in the fact that he had actually made it inside. And all of a sudden the guy starts choking me., That was a minor inconvenience compared to the trials of security chief Chuck Garelick, who tells Haden-Guest that a man once tried to literally crash the VIP entrance in his Oldsmobile. A doctor had thoughtfully brought a giant box of Quaaludes with him. So I found this little auto museum down somewhere in New Jersey. Andy Warhol's Polaroid of Mick Jagger Touching Tongues With a Woman Could Be Yours. (Quaaludes, a prescription sedative with hypnotic effects, were huge in the '70s and classily known as "panty droppers.") A pair of topless women parade across the dance floor during Folies Bergre night, circa 1977. Not having alcohol wasn't a problem, of course, because this was the 1970s. Trudeau frequented the nightclub more than once and earned herself a bit of a reputation among partiers. 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. 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. One of the most memorable soirees was held in honor of Dolly Parton. One second the light bulb went on and I sang Aaaaahh, freak out! At the Purple magazine party, a naked couple in a clear bathtub perform for an audience in 1977. Actress Jaid Barrymore, mother of Drew, bore witness to the ceaseless parade of lurid attire. In this picture, well-known English actor Michael Caine is laughing and dancing with his wife Shakira, while partygoers frolic on behind them. Studio 54 is a shadow of its former self. 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. Getting high low-down, Grace Jones wrote in her 2016 memoir. It seemed as though thrill-seekers young and old wanted nothing more than to get a taste of Studio 54s soaring reputation. Donald hadnt built Trump tower. Less exclusive was the balcony area, upholstered in rubber because it was deemed easy to clean. Other people openly smoked illegal substances or snorted drugs such as cocaine. This guy got stuck in the vent trying to get in, Jones confirmed. The owners knew they needed celebrities to keep coming, and they knew celebrities liked free drugs. The party went off without a hitch, save for a minor incident. He used to joke, If I wasnt the owner, I wouldnt be allowed in. Alcohol was not the main thing people were after. 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. The couple had been enjoying dinner a short time earlier with socialite Nikki Haskell and her date at the iconic Upper East Side eatery Elaines. They also didn't do very much work. Model Bianca Jagger holds doves at a party thrown by fashion designer Halston in 1977. We felt horrible., The men sulked back to Rodgers apartment just a few blocks away. They were trying to get into the courtyard. ' Released as Le Freak that September, the song would become Chics first Number One and biggest hit. If you thought youd seen it all when it came to crazy Studio 54 performances, youd be mistaken. Bodies sag, make-up is melted, and glamour gives way to fatigue. According to Rolling Stone, people would offer him anything to get in. 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. They had haystacks and horses and donkeys and mules running through the club. Renny Reynolds procured most of the animals from a farm he was renting in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Left: A performer on stilts manages to bust a move in 1981. At this point, the club had been closed down and reopened under new ownership. For many guests (celebrity or not), Studio 54 was a place to dance, discover, and dip into the unknown. A cheetah might be sitting at the bar. What Gene has is a very different sensitivity, McCarthy says. Capote was an occasional visitor to Studio 54 and got down with the best of them. It was "madness.". The birthday girl took the place of honor astride the horse, which trotted across the dance floor while cameras greedily snapped. He captured it fantastically the fun and wackiness, the sweetness. What made Studio 54 different, however, was that drugs were practically encouraged inside. It would be decades before New York City's smoking ban forbade smoking in indoor spaces. 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. 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The clubs explosive success had attracted attention from authorities, and they thought Studio 54 might be connected to organized crime. But soon the crowd started to build to ridiculous proportions. Maybe the most bacchanalian parties of the Greeks or Romans could give the club a run for its money, but that's about it. About fifteen minutes later we were just getting ready to leave, and they opened one of the doors. Oh, I knew I should have counted it, wrote Warhols colleague Bob Colacello in his memoir. When youre a wealthy celebrity, youre going to want to have the best of the best. Studio 54: heady daze of disco decadence in pictures, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. The clubs fortunes were reversed when Steve Rubell received a call from fashion designer Roy Halston Frowick, a.k.a. Behind The Scenes At Studio 54 Cnn Style. Ultimately, as the judge said, theirs was a crime of hubris. While the club wanted to attract as many celebrities as possible, just being famous didn't necessarily guarantee you entrance. We would have this situation where people would climb down from the building next door in full mountain-climbing gear with ropes tied around their shoulders, Studio 54 associate Baird Jones explained to Haden-Guest. 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.
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