When did Studio 54 close its doors?
While disco reigned supreme on the pop charts, Studio 54 reigned supreme among discotheques, enjoying a golden era that lasted from its opening on this day in 1977 to its closing-night party on February 4, 1980—a party called, appropriately enough, “The End of Modern-day Gomorrah.”
Why did Studio 54 close?
Studio 54 was skimming 80% of profits. The club owners were investigated by the IRS and eventually convicted for tax evasion. They even had cocaine sales on the books, listed as "party favors ...
Who owned Studio 54 in New York?
Steve Rubell (December 2, 1943 – July 25, 1989) was an American entrepreneur and co-owner of the New York disco Studio 54 . Rubell and his brother Donald grew up in a Jewish family in New York, New York. His father worked as a postal worker and later became a tennis pro.
Who owned Studio 54?
From the years of 1977 to 1980, Studio 54 became a nightclub that welcomed the world’s hottest ... When the club opened in 1977, it had already been functioning as a TV studio owned by CBS since the 1940s, attracting celebrity attention already.
How long did Studio 54 still open?
The club closed in 1986 and became a venue for rock concerts until it eventually closed completely in the late 1980s. The space remained vacant until 1998, when Roundabout moved its landmark production of Cabaret into the neglected theatre-turned-studio-turned-nightclub.
How much did it cost to get into Studio 54?
The $20 entrance fee to enter Studio 54 would be more than a band of four or five people would likely make to split between them from a gig at CBGB's. Prior to being a nightclub, Studio 54 was a CBS television and radio studio.
When did Studio 54 Close Down?
February 4, 1980While disco reigned supreme on the pop charts, Studio 54 reigned supreme among discotheques, enjoying a golden era that lasted from its opening on this day in 1977 to its closing-night party on February 4, 1980—a party called, appropriately enough, “The End of Modern-day Gomorrah.”
What was the demise of Studio 54?
Rubell and Schrager pleaded guilty to tax evasion in 1979 and served 20 months in jail. Rubell and Schrager's mystical Studio 54 shut down in January of 1980, less than three years after it had opened. Liza Minelli sang at the final party, the night before the co-owners went to prison.
What did Studio 54 drink?
The year Bianca Jagger rode a horse through crowds of glam socialites at Studio 54 and The Ramones destroyed microphones at CBGB. Barflies drank Tequila Sunrises and 25-cent nip beers in five-ounce glasses.
Did Studio 54 serve food?
The menu included Chicken Vegetable Picks, Miniature Crab Cakes, Cheeseburger Sliders, Sweet Potato and Beet Chips, Salmon Teriyaki and more! Thank you to all the rad vendors that helped turn this evening into one of time travel and entertainment!
Who hung out at Studio 54?
7 of the Most Famous People Who Frequented Studio 54Liza Minnelli. Yes, the Emmy, Oscar, Tony, and Grammy winner frequented Studio 54. ... Debbie Harry. Debbie Harry – Blondie's lead singer — also frequented the club. ... Elizabeth Taylor. ... Cher. ... Michael Jackson. ... Freddie Mercury. ... Salvador Dali.
What was the most famous NY nightclub in the 1970s?
Studio 54Studio 54. At 254 West 54th Street, Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager converted a former opera house into the most notorious nightclub of the disco era.
Can you visit Studio 54?
A separate restaurant and nightclub, Feinstein's/54 Below, operates in the basement of the building....Studio 54, New York City.SundayClosedMonday10am - 6pmTuesday10am - 6pmWednesday10am - 6pmThursday10am - 6pm2 more rows
How long did Studio 54 owners go to jail?
three and a half yearsThe pair hired Roy Cohn to defend them, but on January 18, 1980, they were sentenced to three and a half years in prison and a $20,000 fine each for the tax evasion charge. On February 4, 1980, Rubell and Schrager went to prison and Studio 54 was sold in November of that year for $4.75 million.
Are the owners of Studio 54 alive?
Mark Fleischman, the owner of legendary Midtown nightclub Studio 54, died by assisted suicide in Switzerland, a report said. He was 82. Fleischman was unable to walk and his speech was impaired after getting sick in 2016.
Why was Studio 54 so popular?
The club opened on April 26, 1977, at the peak of the disco dancing and music trend and quickly became popular. The original iteration of Studio 54 was noted for its celebrity guest lists, restrictive and subjective entry policies, extravagant events, rampant club drug use, and open sexual activity.
What was the most famous NY nightclub in the 1970s?
Studio 54Studio 54. At 254 West 54th Street, Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager converted a former opera house into the most notorious nightclub of the disco era.
Can you visit Studio 54?
A separate restaurant and nightclub, Feinstein's/54 Below, operates in the basement of the building....Studio 54, New York City.SundayClosedMonday10am - 6pmTuesday10am - 6pmWednesday10am - 6pmThursday10am - 6pm2 more rows
Are the owners of Studio 54 Still Alive?
Steve Rubell (December 2, 1943 – July 25, 1989) was an American entrepreneur and co-owner of the New York City disco Studio 54....Steve RubellDiedJuly 25, 1989 (aged 45) New York City, U.S.Resting placeBeth Moses CemeteryAlma materSyracuse UniversityOccupationEntrepreneur, nightclub owner1 more row
What should I wear to a Studio 54 party?
Dresses with a high slit and an open back, very low cut tops, jumpsuits, velvet anything, fur coats, glittery tiny dresses. Stilettos, and thigh high boots, and bare legs or fishnets – all are party details meant to give a bit of racy retro vibes to today;s night glamour.
What was Studio 54 known for?
From a musical standpoint, Studio 54 did not seek to break new ground, but rather to feed its patrons a familiar diet of dance hits. Artists like Grace Jones, Donna Summer and Gloria Gaynor all made live appearances there, but Studio 54 belonged to the DJs and to the free entertainment provided by the club’s flamboyant staff and clientele. While disco reigned supreme on the pop charts, Studio 54 reigned supreme among discotheques, enjoying a golden era that lasted from its opening on this day in 1977 to its closing-night party on February 4, 1980—a party called, appropriately enough, “The End of Modern-day Gomorrah.”
Where is Studio 54?
Studio 54 opens in New York City. The crowd outside 254 West 54th Street in New York City on this day in 1927 would have been waiting for the curtain of a Puccini opera.
Who was the woman who opened Studio 54?
The woman who deserves the lion’s share of the credit for making 54 into the celebrity playground that it became was Carmen D’Alessio, a public-relations entrepreneur in the fashion industry, whose Rolodex included names like Bianca Jagger, Liza Minnelli, Andy Warhol and Truman Capote. Her buzz-building turned the grand opening into a major item in the New York gossip columns, and her later efforts—like having Bianca Jagger pose atop a white horse at her 30th birthday party—stoked the public’s fascination with Studio 54 even further. Not just the usual celebrity suspects—actors, models, musicians and athletes—but also political figures like Margaret Trudeau, Jackie Onassis and, infamously, White House Chief of Staff Hamilton Jordan came out to be seen during the club’s brief heyday.
Who was the guy who sat on the velvet rope in Studio 54?
”It was a dictatorship at the door and democracy on the floor,” said Andy Warhol, who, with Bianca Jagger, Liza Minnelli, and Halston, made up the club’s ”Four Horsemen of Fame.”.
What club did Andy Warhol and Bianca Jagger hang out in?
Studio 54 closes its door -- The famous club, where Andy Warhol and Bianca Jagger hung out, had its share of troubles
How much did Rubell and Schrager get in prison?
The favors were generally in the $80 range — the price of a gram of cocaine. Rubell, 36, and Schrager, 32, were each fined $20,000 and sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison, later reduced to 20 months when they cooperated in investigations against other crooked club owners. As for Studio 54, it limped along for a while after its founders sold it.
Did Rubell say only the Mafia does better than Studio 54?
Rubell once bragged that ”only the Mafia does better” than Studio 54 — not the most prudent statement, since he and Schrager paid only $8,000 in taxes in 1977. And in a raid on Dec. 14, 1978, federal agents reportedly found $600,000 in garbage bags stuffed into the club’s basement ceiling.
What happened to Studio 54?
But eventually the club was raided and its owners went to jail. Schrager is now opening up about those years for a new documentary about the legendary night spot.
What is Studio 54?
Studio 54 is the one nightclub from the '70s everyone remembers. For most of his life, though, co-founder Ian Schrager has wanted to forget it. "I don't have only good memories. I have bittersweet memories. It was an embarrassment to me. It still is," Schrager told "CBS This Morning: Saturday" co-host Anthony Mason.
How long did Rubell and Schrager stay in prison?
During their time in prison, reduced to 13 months , Schrager and Rubell sold Studio 54. But the business partners would later redeem themselves, launching a boutique hotel business before Rubell died of AIDS in 1989.
How long has Studio 54 been around?
The salacious 40-year history of Studio 54. On a frigid night in February 1978, I had my first illicit taste of the creepy magic that made Studio 54 the world’s most celebrated, most notorious nightlife venue. The colossal disco at 254 W. 54th St. was so hard to penetrate for those neither boldfaced nor “connected” that I had little confidence ...
What is Studio 54?
Today’s Studio 54, now a Broadway theater with many appendages closed off, gives only a hint of what it was like.
What is the significance of the Studio 54?
It’s worth celebrating this on its 40th anniversary: “Studio” (the “54” was mainly used by tourists and Tony Manero-wannabes from Bensonhurst) gave the city a tonic of glamour and excitement when it sorely needed it.
What was the secret of Studio 54?
The secret of Studio 54 was that the doormen let in just about anyone who was gay, while male-female couples and women alone faced tough scrutiny at the velvet rope. In the pre-AIDS era, the gay club scene accounted for no small part of Studio 54’s clientele.
When did Studio 54 go to prison?
It was unique to its terrible time — one of the worst chapters in New York City’s history. After Rubell and Schrager lost Studio 54 in 1980 and went to prison, it limped on under several different owners until 1991, shorn of its sinister allure that only a hell-bound city could love.
When was disco Granny at Studio 54?
Enlarge Image. "Disco Granny" at Studio 54 in 1978 Getty Images. On a frigid night in February 1978, I had my first illicit taste of the creepy magic that made Studio 54 the world’s most celebrated, most notorious nightlife venue. The colossal disco at 254 W. 54th St. was so hard to penetrate for those neither boldfaced nor “connected” ...
Did you need coke to get high on Studio 54?
Studio 54 — which celebrates its 40th anniversary this Wedneday — had that effect on people. You didn’t need coke or furtive sex to get high on its singular allure of depravity and decadence, although many denizens merrily and regularly doped themselves up and indulged in high-risk amorous encounters.
