Box Thirteen, Volume 3

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Box Thirteen
Volume 3

Alan Ladd, a legend of the silver screen, brought his trademark tough guy with a heart to the airwaves in Box Thirteen, a pulpy mystery adventure radio program. Produced by his own Mayfair Productions from 1948-1949, Ladd returned to his radio roots as Dan Holiday, the central character in this thrilling show. For fifty two episodes, Holiday, a reporter turned fiction writer, checked Box Thirteen at the Star-Times, finding thrills and chills in every response to the want ad he placed stating 'Adventure Wanted.'

Working this incredibly produced series must have felt like old home week for Ladd; he had begun his acting career in 1935 at the Warner Brothers Studio-owned KFWB, working as many as 20 shows a week and, for a time, being heard as "The Richfield Reporter." While he spent seven years in radio, Ladd also strived to break into the movie business. Working as a grip on the Warner Bros. Studio lot, he also got on film as an extra and by playing bit parts. Ladd's big break came when he was cast as 'Raven', a psychotic killer with a conscience in Paramount's 'This Gun For Hire' in 1942.

Originally produced for local station syndication, 'Box Thirteen' ran on the West Coast Mutual network from March 1948 to March 1949, also playing on the East Coast from August 1948 to August 1949. Russell Hughes, who hired Ladd at KFWB, scripted most of the show's episodes. Rudy Schrager provided the often light, sometimes atmospheric music for Box Thirteen and Vern Carstensen doubled as the show's director and announcer. Well-known radio actors also contributed their voices over the entire run of Box Thirteen, adding to the high quality of this tightly budgeted program.

Although Box Thirteen bears similarities to other mystery and action programs of the time, something that stands out is how Ladd portrayed the show's mostly hard-boiled protagonist. Like many of his radio contemporaries, Dan Holiday had a secretary type. Suzy, played by actress Sylvia Picker, handled Holiday's correspondence and had the most unusual way of mangling the English language at least once every episode. Holiday also had the obligatory police contact, Lieutenant Kling as played by Edmond McDonald. Even with more trappings common to other shows, such as mysteries to solve, colorful bad guys, and plenty of fisticuffs and gunplay, Box Thirteen stood out for one reason-Dan Holiday.

Dan Holiday is a reporter trying to make his way as a fiction writer. He has no police training, no investigator's license, no skills that identify he could handle rough and tumble action and multitudes of thugs every episode. Yet, that's exactly what he did week in and week out and thanks to Alan Ladd, Holiday was more than believable. Over the show's run, he proved his worth as both a hard-boiled, ready for anything action hero and an everyman dealing with what troubles came his way with little more than his wits. Ladd gave his portrayal of Dan Holiday his sardonic wit as well the edge to his voice that added unpredictability to everything he said. He also provided a subdued ever-present sense of humanity. Listeners knew that Holiday would always win out, but sat on the edges of their seats anxiously, unsure of just how he would pull it off each show.

"Box Thirteen" stood out amongst its contemporaries for more than one reason, the greatest being the depth of character Alan Ladd brought to Dan Holiday. Listen to the fantastic episodes included in this third volume and ride along with Holiday as he uncovers the twists and turns each new response to his ad brings him. Thanks to Alan Ladd's inimitable acting and voice talents, the ride on the roller coaster of death and danger Holiday takes each week is fresh and exciting. Box Thirteen, Volume 3 contains the further adventures of this hard-boiled everyman, each show restored to the highest quality possible, thanks to Radio Archives.

#27 Flash of Light

Sunday, February 20, 1949 - 30:00 - Mayfair Transcription Company Syndication

#28 Hare and Hounds

Sunday, February 27, 1949 - 30:00 - Mayfair Transcription Company Syndication

#29 Hunt and Peck

Sunday, March 6, 1949 - 30:00 - Mayfair Transcription Company Syndication

#30 Death is a Doll

Sunday, March 13, 1949 - 30:00 - Mayfair Transcription Company Syndication

#31 113.5

Sunday, March 20, 1949 - 30:00 - Mayfair Transcription Company Syndication

#32 Dan and the Wonderful Lamp

Sunday, March 27, 1949 - 30:00 - Mayfair Transcription Company Syndication

#33 Tempest in a Casserole

Sunday, April 3, 1949 - 30:00 - Mayfair Transcription Company Syndication

#34 Mexican Maze

Sunday, April 10, 1949 - 30:00 - Mayfair Transcription Company Syndication

#35 Sealed Instructions

Sunday, April 17, 1949 - 30:00 - Mayfair Transcription Company Syndication

#12 Find Me, Find Death

Sunday, April 24, 1949 - 30:00 - Mayfair Transcription Company Syndication

#37 Much Too Lucky

Sunday, May 1, 1949 - 30:00 - Mayfair Transcription Company Syndication

#38 One of these Four

Sunday, May 08, 1949 - 30:00 - Mayfair Transcription Company Syndication

#39 Daytime Nightmare

Sunday, May 15, 1949 - 30:00 - Mayfair Transcription Company Syndication

#40 Death is No Joke

Sunday, May 22, 1949 - 30:00 - Mayfair Transcription Company Syndication

Average Customer Review: Average Customer Review: 5 of 5

5 of 5 Total Reviews: 5 Write a review

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

Good adventure/detective series	September 22, 2025
Reviewer: Stephen K Lau from Atlanta, GA United States

Very enjoyable series with Alan Ladd

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0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

	June 25, 2022
Reviewer: Richard Gruen from Gresham, OR United States

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

Box Thirteen, staring Alan Ladd	May 25, 2022
Reviewer: Margaret Piipke from Callahan, FL United States

They are great if you like old fashion radio.
I have are 4 volumes. I wished there were more

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0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

	May 25, 2022
Reviewer: Scott Biodrowski from Hurst, TX United States

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0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

	January 11, 2020
Reviewer: Gerida Brown from Houston, TX United States

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