This way they avoided the extreme fees that came with a liquor license while still being kind of legal. Left: A clubgoer dressed as Jesus carries a large cross onto the dance floor in 1977. People partook in various questionable substances, and in this photo, theyre inhaling laughing gas in the middle of the dance floor. 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. Studio 54: heady daze of disco decadence in pictures, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. And, who can forget the iconic image of Bianca Jagger riding a white horse through the clubs entrance? People came back time and again during the life of Studio 54 for this openness and acceptance. All rights reserved. This photo shows a man dressed in drag with fake (and appropriately sequined) breasts on his chest. 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. This exclusive event would have been the talk of the season. Liza Minnelli and Mikhail Baryshnikov. The photographer that captured the disco and diamond dust of legendary club Studio 54. Apparently Studio 54 had a way of changing people. He captured it fantastically the fun and wackiness, the sweetness. We think of him as a gentleman of the paparazzi [of that era], she says. Not that theres anything wrong with that. The opening night of Studio 54 was huge mess. However, its likely that the club wouldnt have made the front page of the post if it werent for Cher. As long as you acted like you were supposed to be there youd probably get back in the next night to party with even more celebrities. Co-owner Ian Schrager told Variety: To work at Studio 54 a few things were required. 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. Studio 54s peak was intense but short-lived. Robin Williams dancing with his then-wife Valerie in 1979. Model Bianca Jagger, in an off-the-shoulder number, is seen riding a white horse at the entrance of the club. Her hair is blonder and bigger than ever. Left: Outside Studio 54, someone arrives to the club on a horse for the third annual Halloween party in 1978. 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. A woman wears nothing but pearls and a mask as she grinds on two men in jewels and makeup. A woman holds a makeshift pipe for a man as he attempts to smoke an unidentified substance in 1981. 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. If there was one person who loved going out to Studio 54, it was Bianca Jagger. Frontman for Sly and the Family Stone in a flashy ensemble. However, the notorious New York City nightclub encountered a fair share of obstacles while party-goers ravaged the dance floor . Rather than just put her on the payroll, Horowitz worked on a sliding scale that rated celebrities. Lifelong memories were made within its walls every night. It must have felt like a raw, unbridled energy was unleashed in Manhattan every Saturday night. 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. According to one of the doormen in a documentary about the club, they made sure that the club at least have 20% gay men, 10% lesbians and trans people, and the rest of the crowd could be whoever. 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?". On finding Studio 54s books, it was discovered that a skim was in operation on up to 80% of the profits. A photograph of Yoko Ono and John Lennon by Gene Spatz (year unknown). Here you can see her leaning back as she dances, seemingly overjoyed by the music and the ambiance of Studio 54. 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. Whether its 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. The son rose and set inside the club, literally. The young entertainer captured outside the club. Studio 54 photographer Hasse Persson said of this photo: "This may sound unusual today, but if you wanted to make love with somebody, people were making love on the balconies, and they were making love in the bathrooms. Studio 54 opened in NYC in 1977. It took owners Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager just six weeks to . . They told Vanity Fair. With the help of their financial backer the two were able to hire enough people to rebuild the inside of the theater, add the lights and designs, and paint the entire thing within six weeks. 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. With famous and wealthy people as the main guests of the venue, expensive drugs were seemingly in ample supply at all times. Described by some as Sodom and Gomorrah with a disco beat, New York City's delightfully depraved nightclub opened its doors in 1977. You might not think of famous authors as the rowdiest group of people, but Truman Capote didnt fit into any stereotypes. A look back at the epicenter of NYC nightlife, presented by Getty Images. Studio 54 is known for having been one of the world's most high-profile, exclusive discotheques during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Grace Jones wrote about it in her book, saying: Rick James of Super Freak fame was a legendary party monster throughout the 70s and 80. 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. Right: A costumed partygoer hits the dance floor in 1981. Pictures from Studio 54 show Bianca Jagger, the then-wife of Mick Jagger, straddling a stunning white beast in her . Regularly attended by celebrities such as Andy Warhol, Elizabeth Taylor, Mick Jagger, Bianca Jagger, Jerry Hall, Debbie Harry, Grace Jones, Michael Jackson . Schrager explained the concept to Vanity Fair: In order to keep things fresh inside the club, the co-owners often put together a series of theme nights. 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. The nightclub was typically packed full of people. This article originally appeared on Vogue US. Capote is the author of books like Other Voices, Other Rooms, Breakfast at Tiffanys and In Cold Blood. Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager opened Studio 54 40 years ago, and it soon became the . Both Rubell and Schrager were arrested and charged with taking millions of dollars off the top of the clubs gross. 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. Rebecca Schoenkopf. 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. What Gene has is a very different sensitivity, McCarthy says. Sometimes the venue hired dancers or had fashion models walking the crowds. Debbie Harry sticks out her tongue, while Steve Rubell is sprawled out on top of her and friends. This crowd is made up of well-known, successful individuals: Fashion designer Halston and actress Bianca Jagger are on the left, followed by film director Jack Haley Jr. and actress Liza Minnelli in the back right. But wait, is that a horse shes trying to pet? 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. If you came on a white horse, with almost no clothes on, you were guaranteed to get in. After Lowen uploaded digital versions of the photographs to a secure vault, POBA staff helped crop and curate the material, highlighting the value of his artistic eye. When the Guardian asked Harry which club she liked hanging out at the most she was honest about her allegiance to CBGBs in spite of brilliant outfit in this photo, she explained: It didnt matter if you were famous, straight, gay, or trans, you were welcome in Studio 54. Elizabeth Taylor shimmering in a glamorous iridescent bodysuit while chatting to legendary fashion designer Halston. Studio 54 Photos That Are No Longer Socially Acceptable! The stunt was well-planned and executed by experienced acrobats, so thankfully no one was hurt. Clubs have been using this idea for years. Even the celebrities at Studio 54 were known to get star struck from time to time. 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. Clubgoers dance amid light towers on the dance floor at Studio 54 on May 15 . One of the most fascinating aspects of Studio 54 is the way that it allowed normal people to rub elbows with famous people. Schrager was released on $50,000 bond and the disco was open the next night. Studio 54 produced many star-studded photo opportunities. 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