Studio One (nightclub)
Studio One, currently known as The Factory, is an LGBT nightclub in West Hollywood, California.
History
The Studio One building was originally owned by William Fox and was used as a Norden bombsight facility during World War I. In 1968 the building was bought and transformed into The Factory nightclub, named after the furniture manufacturing business in the lower floor of the building. The Factory became a popular 1960s-style discothèque that was frequented by Hollywood celebrities, but it only lasted a few years. Studio One was founded on the same site in the early 1970s by part-owner Scott Forbes, a Boston optometrist.[1][2][3][4] In the 1990s it was bought by Sandy Sachs and renamed to Axis.[5] The space is currently called "The Robertson".[6]
Throughout its history, the club has been associated with the gay rights movement. Many celebrities graced the club either as guests or performers, especially during the late 1970s and most of the 1980s. Photos of those people were displayed in the hallway between the disco and cabaret. The club also had entertainers Sammy Davis, Jr., Peter Lawford and Paul Newman[7] on its board of directors.[8]
Notable performers
- Eve Arden
- Lucie Arnaz
- Patti Austin
- Jim Bailey
- Pearl Bailey
- Kaye Ballard
- Roseanne Barr
- Joy Behar
- Sandra Bernhard
- Laura Branigan
- Patti Brooks
- Jocelyn Brown
- Julie Brown
- Betty Buckley
- Julie Budd
- Jim J. Bullock
- Ruth Buzzi
- Mario Cantone
- Irene Cara
- Pat Carroll
- Carol Channing
- Charo
- Margaret Cho
- Linda Clifford
- Barbara Cook
- Sarah Dash
- Yvonne De Carlo
- Lea DeLaria
- The Del Rubio Triplets
- Patti Deutsch
- Phyllis Diller
- Divine
- Carol Douglas
- Lola Falana
- Alice Faye
- Frances Faye
- Totie Fields
- Geraldine Fitzgerald
- The Flirts
- Wayland Flowers[2]
- Connie Francis
- Eileen Fulton
- Mitzi Gaynor
- Whoopi Goldberg
- Lesley Gore
- Dolores Gray
- Kathryn Grayson
- Ellen Greene
- Kathy Griffin
- Grace Jones
- Sam Harris (shot his video for "Sugar Don't Bite" at Studio One)
- June Havoc
- Joey Heatherton
- Nona Hendryx
- Mimi Hines
- Jennifer Holliday
- Loleatta Holloway
- Georgia Holt
- Cissy Houston
- Thelma Houston
- Phyllis Hyman
- La Toya Jackson
- France Joli
- Grace Jones
- Madeline Kahn[9]
- Madleen Kane
- Lainie Kazan
- Sally Kellerman
- Paula Kelly
- Chaka Khan
- Roslyn Kind
- Evelyn "Champagne" King
- Morgana King
- Eartha Kitt
- Gladys Knight
- Patti LaBelle
- Cheryl Ladd
- Dorothy Lamour
- Elsa Lanchester
- Cyndi Lauper
- Vicki Lawrence
- Peggy Lee
- Jenifer Lewis
- Lorna Luft
- Patti LuPone
- Cheryl Lynn
- Madonna
- Rose Marie
- Johnny Mathis
- Marilyn Maye
- Ethel Merman
- Stephanie Mills
- Liza Minnelli
- Liliane Montevecchi
- Melba Moore
- Rita Moreno
- Jaye P. Morgan
- Phyllis Newman
- Virginia O'Brien
- Rosie O'Donnell
- Jane Olivor
- Janis Paige
- Bernadette Peters[9]
- Cassandra Peterson
- Charles Pierce
- Jane Powell
- Stacey Q
- Sheryl Lee Ralph
- Martha Raye
- Martha Reeves
- Sharon Redd
- Charles Nelson Reilly
- Debbie Reynolds
- The Ritchie Family (filmed their "Give Me a Break" number for Can't Stop the Music at Studio One)
- Chita Rivera[9]
- Joan Rivers[9]
- Vicki Sue Robinson
- Ginger Rogers
- Craig Russell
- Jane Russell
- Candi Staton
- Connie Stevens
- Yma Sumac
- Donna Summer
- Sylvester
- Rip Taylor
- Judy Tenuta
- Evelyn Thomas
- Lily Tomlin
- Mamie Van Doren
- Luther Vandross
- Sarah Vaughan
- The Village People
- Lesley Ann Warren
- The Weather Girls
- Wham!
- Margaret Whiting
- Viola Wills
- Pia Zadora
References
- ↑ THURBER, JON (7 February 2002). "Scott Forbes, 57; Ran Dance Palace" – via LA Times.
- 1 2 "Paper Trail: That '70s glow". advocate.com. 2006-09-25. Retrieved 2013-12-12.
- ↑ Faderman, Lillian; Timmons, Stuart (2006). Gay L.A.: A History of Sexual Outlaws, Power Politics, and Lipstick Lesbians. Basic Books. ISBN 046502288X. Retrieved 2013-12-12.
- ↑ Heully, Gustave (2013-09-23). "Ever Wonder: Was the Factory a Factory?". wehoville.com. Retrieved 2013-12-12.
- ↑ "Famous West Hollywod Club The Factory Changing Hands". curbed.com. 2010-09-17. Retrieved 2013-12-11.
- ↑ "Home Page - The Robertson".
- ↑ Levy, Shawn (2009). Paul Newman: A Life. Random House. ISBN 0307462536. Retrieved 2013-12-12.
- ↑ Alleman, Richard (2013). Hollywood: The Movie Lover's Guide: The Ultimate Insider Tour of Movie L.A. Random House. ISBN 0804137773. Retrieved 2013-12-12.
- 1 2 3 4 Thurber, Jon (2002-02-27). "Scott Forbes, 57; Ran Dance Palace". latimes.com. Retrieved 2013-12-12.
External links
Coordinates: 34°04′58″N 118°23′09″W / 34.082671°N 118.385907°W