The entertainment industry in Orangeburg is an old and traditional one. The city was the site of many traveling shows and, with the advent of silent movies around 1900, several silent motion picture theatres were soon opened to entertain its citizens.

In 1914, the Orangeburg Amusement Company announced the grand opening of The Reliance at 44 W. Russell St. The location was apparently the site of the former Andrae’sbuilding, adjoining the present BlueBird. In 1929, the installation of “talking Movies” at The Reliance was announced. The initial opening of The Bluebird Theatre in September1916 was announced by the Standard Entertainment Company, James Izlar Sims, president. It was located at 49 E. Russell St. and was the site for many vaudeville-type traveling shows. The Bluebird continued to operate until 1939, having been moved at some point, since The Ritz was reported to have occupied the former Bluebird Theatre in 1935. The Bluebird becamerenowned in later years as the site of Bob Hope’s first road show in this country after he arrived from England.

In 1941, a brand new movie theatre, The Edisto, was opened next door to the closed Reliance. The Edisto was operated by the Sims family until it was leased in the 1960’s to another operator. It was closed in the 1980’s, with the building used only for storage until late 1996.