Studio 54 - Definition and Overview

Studio 54 was a legendary New York City disco located on West 54th St. It opened on April 16, 1977 and closed in December, 1979. It was operated by the flamboyant, openly gay, publicly visible Steve Rubell and retiring, straight silent partner Ian Schrager. Hedonistic Rubell was known for hand selecting guests from the always huge mobs outside, mixing beautiful "nobodies" with glamorous celebrities in the same venue. "Studio", as it came to be called, was inside of an old theater; the balconies were notorious for sexual encounters, and drug use was rampant. Its dance floor was decorated with a depiction of a man-in-the-moon that included an animated coke spoon.

During its heyday it played a formative role in the growth of disco music and nightclub culture in general, and was one of the first nightclubs to blur the distinction between "straight" and "gay" nightlife.

The disco was depicted in the 1998 movie 54 and the 2002 movie Austin Powers in Goldmember.

Example Usage of Studio