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Home / Entertainment

40 years on: Inside Studio 54

NZ Herald
27 Apr, 2017 07:30 AMQuick Read

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Source: AP

Studio 54 was the place to be in the late 70s, hosting the world's biggest stars at the most extravagant parties.

Like all true hot spots, it burned bright and it burned fast. Within three years, the iconic club was closed, following a raid by the US tax department.

The wild success of the Manhattan club has forever been put down to owner Steve Rubell's first rule of partying: "The key to a good party is filling a room with guests more interesting than you."

Bianca Jagger was a regular - once riding a horse through the club on her 30th birthday - along with other 70s A-listers like Liza Minnelli , Diane von Furstenberg, Rod Stewart, Woody Allen and Michael Jackson.

While the club later reopened and continued to operate until 1991, it was never quite the same. But the legend of those first three years continues to live on.

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A young Elton John, left, Lana Hamilton and Rod Stewart arrive at New York's Studio 54 in July, 1978. Photo / AP
A young Elton John, left, Lana Hamilton and Rod Stewart arrive at New York's Studio 54 in July, 1978. Photo / AP
Brooke Shields and Debbie Harry at New York's Studio 54 in 1978. Photo / Getty
Brooke Shields and Debbie Harry at New York's Studio 54 in 1978. Photo / Getty
Sylvester Stallone and Sheryl Slocum at Studio 54 in 1977. Photo / Getty Images
Sylvester Stallone and Sheryl Slocum at Studio 54 in 1977. Photo / Getty Images
Cher dances at Studio 54 in 1977. Photo / Getty
Cher dances at Studio 54 in 1977. Photo / Getty
Diane Von Furstenberg lounging intimately with boyfriend, media mogul Barry Diller, at Studio 54. Photo /Getty Images
Diane Von Furstenberg lounging intimately with boyfriend, media mogul Barry Diller, at Studio 54. Photo /Getty Images
Jerry Hall, Andy Warhol, Debbie Harry, Truman Capote and Paloma Picasso at Studio 54 in New York City. Photo / Getty
Jerry Hall, Andy Warhol, Debbie Harry, Truman Capote and Paloma Picasso at Studio 54 in New York City. Photo / Getty
Shirley MacLaine, Farrah Fawcett and Steve Rubell at Studio 54 in 1977. Photo / Getty
Shirley MacLaine, Farrah Fawcett and Steve Rubell at Studio 54 in 1977. Photo / Getty
Suzanne Somers and husband Alan Hamel at Studio 54 circa 1978. Photo / Getty
Suzanne Somers and husband Alan Hamel at Studio 54 circa 1978. Photo / Getty
Liza Minnelli hugs husband Jack Haley Jr at Studio 54 in 1977. Photo / Getty
Liza Minnelli hugs husband Jack Haley Jr at Studio 54 in 1977. Photo / Getty
Liza Minnelli and Sterling St. Jacques hit the dance floor at Studio 54 in 1977. Photo / Getty
Liza Minnelli and Sterling St. Jacques hit the dance floor at Studio 54 in 1977. Photo / Getty
Mick Jagger and model Jerry Hall at Studio 54 in 1978. Photo / Getty
Mick Jagger and model Jerry Hall at Studio 54 in 1978. Photo / Getty

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