20 Vintage Photos From NYC's Notoriously Wild Studio 54

Studio 54 is known for having been one of the world's most high-profile, exclusive discotheques during the late 1970s and early 1980s. However, the notorious New York City nightclub encountered a fair share of obstacles while party-goers ravaged the dance floor and their bodies, enjoying every drug imaginable and rubbing elbows with New York's most in-demand celebrities.

Studio 54 celebrated two opening nights. The first was in April of 1977 after the building that once housed a prestigious theater was converted into a dance hall; the new club suddenly broke onto the NYC nightclub scene with no idea of what the future might hold. In just under three years, Studio 54 garnered the attention of a variety of celebrities from Michael Jackson to Truman Capote - as well as some unwanted attention from the FBI. After evidence of money laundering and drug conspiracies put the two original owners, Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager, in prison with a hefty sentence, a new owner, Mark Fleischman, came into the fold and reopened the club shortly there after.

As a result, Studio 54 got a chance to throw itself a second grand opening on September 15, 1981, and a host of other parties afterward, continuing the legacy and exclusivity of the New York nightclub scene for another generation of party-goers. Here is a collection of photos from only a few of the many successful events thrown at the venue, providing a glimpse into the nocturnal thrill that was Studio 54.