Episode 61: Andy Warhol: When The Factory Meets Studio 54
Andy Warhol once said, “The key of the success of Studio 54 is that it's a dictatorship at the door and a democracy on the dance floor.” We begin this episode with Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager on the evening of April 26, 1977 as they open the doors to Studio 54, smack-dab in the middle of the glitter and grime in and around Midtown Manhattan. We discuss Warhol moving from being the darling of academic art nerds to mainstream provocateur and celebrity worshiper, bringing his scene with him.
E X T R A S :
(Top to bottom): Ian Schrager and Steve Rubell, the founders of Studio 54; Interview cover with portrait of Rubell; pictures of Warhol with Monique van Vooren and John Lennon
(Top to bottom): Andy Warhol with Debbie Harry of Blondie at an Interview magazine party at Studio 54, Warhol with Calvin Klein, Brooke Shields and Rubell, the line outside of Studio 54 on opening night and a typical night of patrons enjoying the dance floor
Andy Warhol Timeline (Rebecca Lowrey)
Andy Warhol Biography
(MoMA, The Andy Warhol Museum, Wikipedia)
“Andy Warhol: A Documentary Film” by Ric Burns
- Part 1 (YouTube), Part 2 (YouTube)
- “Studio 54 | Behind the Scenes” documentary (YouTube)
- “A History of Studio 54, This Time Told by the Quiet Partner” (NY Times article)
- Studio 54 photos (Business Insider, The Guardian, Fashioning Rocks)