The Way back when I first got into old time radio, one of the first detective shows I heard was Box 13,

and the gimmick of the show immediately captured my imagination.

Box 13 followed Dan Holiday, a newspaper reporter turned novelist who came up with a unique

way of finding inspiration for his mystery plots.

Holiday ran a classified ad in his old newspaper that simply stated,

Adventure Wanted, will go any place, do anything, write Box 13. And the letters came in. Letters from people in trouble and from people looking for a fall guy.

For 52 syndicated episodes, Dan Holliday answered the mail and embarked on a series of exciting

exploits.

And today on the podcast, we'll hear two episodes from the program, each featuring another letter addressed to Box 13.

Dan Holliday was played by Alan Ladd, a big screen star who was at the height of his popularity in Hollywood.

He broke out in the 1942 film Noir Classic This Gun for Higher, and he spent the rest of

the 1940s in noirs like the Blue Dahlia and the Glass Key.

Given his bona fides as a big screen tough guy,

Dan Hollity was an unusual role for Ladd.

Hollity wasn't well versed in the world of crime. He didn't carry a gun and he was

often a step or two behind the eight ball. In some respects he was the antithesis of Ladd's most

memorable big screen roles including the part he's best known for, the titular role in Shane.

However, Ladd handles himself very well as Dan Holliday with a relaxed easy-going performance.

Ladd was more than just the star of Box 13.

He also produced the show through his Mayfair Productions company and he wrote an episode as well.

Before Box 13, Ladd had made multiple appearances on suspense,

and he'd guessed it on Burns and Allen, Duffy's Tavern, and other radio comedies.

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