The owner of swank swingers’ lounge Plato’s Retreat, Larry Levenson, epitomized late 1970s hedonism in NYC—and even made partner-swapping mainstream. The wild tale of his reign as the “King of Swing” is being revisited as part of Vice TV’s “Sex Before the Internet” series. “Plato’s Retreat is part of New York City’s history,” said Levenson’s son, adding, “It was where everyone wanted to be. It was an attraction that everyone wanted to see—even if they weren’t swingers.”
Celebrities such as Richard Dreyfuss, John Wayne, Sammy Davis Jr., Paul Newman, and Madonna were said to have dropped by—but mainly, it was porn stars, hordes of heterosexual couples, and single women who flocked to Plato’s for sexual exhibitionism. Once inside, they were welcome to enjoy the lounge, which featured an Olympic-sized pool, a 60-person jacuzzi, and the legendary “mat room”—where a sea of mattresses accommodated orgies. Levenson, who often donned a plush black bathrobe embroidered with the moniker “King of Swing,” would frequently sit perched atop a throne to better survey the XXX scene.
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