Box 13


About the Series:

Dan Holiday (Alan Ladd), a reporter-turned-novelist has an usual idea for finding plots. He places an ad in his former paper, “Adventure wanted, will go anywhere, do anything — write Box 13, Star-Times.”

Like opening Forest Gump’s box of chocolates, Ladd never knows what he’ll find in Box 13: desperate people who really need the police, criminals planning to exploit Brown’s plot-seeking methods in order to gain cover for a crime, or people who were just plain crazy.  (Photo Courtesy: Digital Deli.)

Whatever the case, Holiday found some fascinating plots and you will too, as you enjoy Box 13.

Original Run: January, 1948-December, 1948

Total Episodes: 52 (No Lost Episodes)

Newtork: Syndicated

Characters:

Dan Holiday: Holiday isn’t in his adventures for the money-at least not directly. His bread and butter is writing. He occassionally bemoans his decision to leave the cushy world of journalism to pursue his dreams of becoming a novelist.  Holiday has basic values he lives by and a more positive view of police than other detectives of the time and suggests bringing the police in when he feels a case is a police matter.  And with his generally pleasant manner, Dan Holiday is probably a guy you’d be comfortable having over for dinner.

Suzie (Sylvia Picker): An office worker at the Star-Times for the first three episodes and Dan’s secretary for the rest of the series, Suzie serves as the series’ comic relief.

Lt. Kling (Edmund Macdonald): The primary policeman in Dan Holiday’s world. Kling is neither an antagonist nor Holiday’s buddy.  His driving motivator is doing his job and keeping civilians (Holidays included) out of police business.

About the Star:

Born in 1913 in Hot Springs, Arkansas, Ladd came to prominence in 1942 as a hitman in This Gun for Hire. However, his most famous role was as the title character in Shane, which was listed #69 on AFI’s 100 years, 100 Movies list, and Ladd’s character was ranked #16 on AFI’s “100 years, 100 heroes and villains list.”

Outside of Box 13, Ladd’s radio career was limited to guest appearances on Lux Radio Theater, and similar programs that re-enacted Hollywood hits, as well as four guest appearances on Suspsense. Ladd reprised his on-screen roles in Lux and other productions and also in 1944 Episode played the lead in Lux’s Production of Casablanca.

Despite his success, Ladd struggled with depression and alcoholism and passed away in 1964 at the age of 50.

Fun Fact

Alan Ladd played the hero in Appointment with Danger which featured Jack Webb of Dragnet, Pat Novak, and Jeff Regan fame as a villain. Also, in the cast was Stacy Harris, the first actor to play Batman on the Radio, and Webb’s future 1960s Dragnet partner, Harry Morgan.

Box 13 Episodes:

End of Log

  5 comments for “Box 13”

  1. smitty bolsinger
    April 6, 2011 at 1:45 pm

    I love your Dragnet the best and also box 13, Jeff Regan and Johnny Dollar( prefer Bob Bailey although in the roll of Johnny Dollar)Your commentaries are sometimes a bit long but still very interesting. I grew up with old time radio in the late 40’s and 50’s. Yes I’m a baby boomer.

  2. smitty bolsinger
    April 6, 2011 at 1:54 pm

    I grew up in Lakewood Colo.in the 50’s with our first TV in 1952 with 3 channels. We would just get in the morning just to look at the test pattern( the Indian Chief). My parents would look at Dragnet every week along with many other shows. Keep up the good work Adam.

  3. Pete in CA
    May 7, 2011 at 11:00 am

    I first found Box 13 on KNX1070 in Los Angeles, when that news station would devote two hours of programming each day to golden age of radio…they eventually stopped running the shows, unfortunately, but by then I had purchased cassettes of Box 13 through Radio Spirits. I’m thrilled that all these great shows are now available for free as downloads, and appreciate the good people who upload these shows via blogs and websites. My top 5 fave shows are: Box 13, Night Beat, Tales of the Texas Rangers, Dragnet, Richard Diamond

  4. Charles
    May 12, 2011 at 9:09 pm

    Where can I find the actual scripts of the shows for a local theater?

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