Old Time Radio (OTR) - Box 13
In Box 13 Dan Holiday, newspaper reporter turned fiction writer, puts an advert in his old paper The Star Times, in search of ideas for his story. The ad reads 'Adventure wanted, will go anyplace, do anything. Write to Box 13.' The replies therefore arrived at the Newspapers Box 13, and with them always brought troubles and adventures for Mr Holiday. The part of Dan Holiday was played by Alan Ladd, with Slyvia Picker playing his scatterbrain secretary Suzy. There were also a host of other guest stars (Lurene Tuttle, Marsha Hunt to name but a couple) rotating throughout the programme, and whilst there were also many writers who co – wrote the programme's, Ladd was the main writer.
This radio programme was a syndicated series, heard on Sunday evenings on the Mutual Network. It was the product of Alan Ladd and Richard Sandville, two owners of the famous Mayfare restaurants in Los Angeles during the second world war. Ladd's ambition to get on the radio in his own series was thwarted in part because he was under contract to Paramount, who did not allow him to appear on radio, except on occasions when he appeared as a guest on programme's such as Lucky Jordan. At the end of the war Ladd and Sandville sold the Mayfare restaurant and formed Mayfare productions, of which two mainstay shows were Box 13 and The Unexpected. Sandville and Ladd eventually parted company but shows such as Box 13 remain as the legacy of Mayfare.
For me this was my first taste of Old Time Radio - stumbling across these episodes on Radio 5 as a thirteen or fourteen year old boy - and dont ask me why - I just took to these episodes and then expanded to other OTR shows - which included Dragnet, the Black Museum and X Minus One among others in these early days. Box 13 is something I can listen to over and over again, and Ladd really nailed his part. My favourite episodes include 'Three to Die,' 'Shangheid,' 'Triple Cross' and 'Death is a Doll.' Below is the shows log and you can listen to all 52 episodes....
Box 13
The first show was broadcast on the 22/08/1948 and the last show date was 14/08/1949. There were 52 shows in total.
