Richie Kaczor

{{Short description |American DJ (1952 – 1993)}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Richie Kaczor

| image =

| alt =

| caption =

| birth_name = Richard Paul Kaczor

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1952|12|9}}

| birth_place = Elizabeth, New Jersey, U.S.

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1993|04|09|1952|12|09}}

| death_place =

| occupation = DJ

| years_active = 1970s–1993

| known_for = Resident DJ at Studio 54

| notable_works = Popularizing Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive"

}}

Richard Paul Kaczor (December 9, 1952 – April 1993) was an American DJ whose career spanned from disco's infancy in the 1970s until his death in 1993. He was born on December 9, 1952, in Elizabeth, New Jersey.

Kaczor’s DJ career began in New Jersey, where he played in several nightclubs, including One Sane Man (also known as The Alamo). In 1973, Kaczor began working at the Hollywood Discotheque in Manhattan, New York. During his four years at the nightclub, Kaczor developed skills in beat mixing. After leaving Hollywood Discotheque in 1977, Kaczor briefly played at the Second Story in Philadelphia before being approached by Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager. The duo were the owners of Studio 54, a newly established nightclub in Manhattan.

Rubell and Schrager offered Kaczor a residency at the nightclub, which he accepted. On April 26, 1977, Studio 54 opened. Nicky Siano was also a resident DJ at the nightclub.{{cite web |title=Nicky Siano on disco, drugs and DJing at Studio 54 |url=https://thevinylfactory.com/features/nicky-siano-studio-54-interview/ |website=The Vinyl Factory |access-date=18 February 2025}} Kaczor played on weekends, and Siano played weekday nights. James Opdyke, a friend of Kaczor (who had played at the Underground and the Saint), was also hired as a fill-in during set breaks.[http://www.disco-disco.com/djs/richie.shtml Richie Kaczor @ Disco-Disco.com]

Kaczor was credited by fellow DJs for popularizing Gloria Gaynor's track "I Will Survive," which reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.{{cite book|title=Disco Dance|first= Lori|last= Ortiz|date= 2011|url={{Google Books |zZ6MnqQD-H4C|page=73|plain-url=yes}}|isbn=9780313377464|pages=72–73 |publisher= Bloomsbury Academic|via=Google Books}} Siano said that Kaczor was the first in the industry to acknowledge the track (originally a B-side track on Substitute").{{Cite web |title=Richie Kaczor @ Disco-Disco.com |url=https://www.disco-disco.com/djs/richie.shtml |access-date=2024-05-16 |website=www.disco-disco.com}}

On March 4, 1980, Kaczor and Studio 54 lighting engineer, Robert DeSilva, opened the upper-level Disco 40 in Hamilton, Bermuda.{{Cite web |title=List of Famous Disc Jockeys |url=https://www.ranker.com/list/notable-disc-jockey_s)/reference |access-date=2024-05-16 |website=Ranker |language=en}}

Richard Kaczor died in April 1993 at age 40 from AIDS.{{Cite journal |last=Dorr |first=Roberta E. |date=October 2006 |title=Something Old Is New Again: Revisiting Language Experience |url=https://doi.org/10.1598/rt.60.2.4 |journal=The Reading Teacher |volume=60 |issue=2 |pages=138–146 |doi=10.1598/rt.60.2.4 |issn=0034-0561|url-access=subscription }}{{Cite web |title=Brooklyn Museum |url=https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/exhibitions/3392 |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=www.brooklynmuseum.org}}