Disco Sally

Born in 1900, Sally Lippman earned her "Disco Sally" moniker through the crazy dance moves she brought to Studio 54 during her widowhood. The grand-matriarch of nightlife, known for her wild dancing even at an advanced age, was the ultimate club kid. She reinvented the cougar and brought Studio 54 to its knees. As New York magazine reported in 1991, "A tiny, 77-year-old lawyer named Sally Lippman was mourning the death of her husband when she happened upon the disco scene and changed her life. Dressed in tight pants and high-top sneakers, she became Disco Sally, a star of Studio 54 and Xenon who'd draw an audience of adoring fans as she got down on the dance floor." Apparently celebs like Dustin Hoffman and Bill Murray queued up to be her dance partner. A witty and brilliant attorney admitted to the New York State Bar in the 1920s. her husband, who died in 1975, had studied law and had worked for the Federation for Jewish Philanthropies and in public relations. Her husband never really liked to dance. They both liked "good music." Sally died, though, in May of 1982 in Mount Sinai Hospital, and despite repeated requests, no one played disco at her funeral. She represents the vivaciousness of the club scene and was a pioneer in authentic fame and charisma--without put-ons, or posturing, or affections. She had style and the moves to back it all up.