Author: Yours Truly Johnny Blogger

Did Agatha Christie Inspire the Creators of Box 13 and Let George Do It?

The great Agatha Christie may have inspired the creation of two of vintage radio’s best mystery detective series.

In Box 13, Dan Holiday ran an ad to get his adventures, “Adventure wanted — will go anywhere, do anything ”

In Let George Do It, George Valentine got his cases through a similar newspaper ad. Throughout the series, the exact wording changed, but the most famous version was, “Personal Notice: Danger is my stock-in-trade. If the job is too tough for you to handle, you’ve got a job for me, George Valentine. Write full details.”

While doing some research regarding a listener question about Agatha Christie in Old Time Radio, I may have stumbled on what inspired both sets of writers.

Agatha Christie wrote a book in 1922, featuring two detectives Tommy and Tuppence, a young man and young woman that set out to find work after the first World War. They formed the Young Adventurers, Ltd. How did  they propose to make their business work? Advertising in the newspaper. And what did their advertisement read?

“‘Two young adventurers for hire. Willing to do anything, go anywhere. Pay must be good. No unreasonable offer refused.”

Sounds very close to what George Valentine and Dan Holiday offered, and given the popularity of Christie, it seems quite likely that she inspired the use of this particular device.

The Secret Adversary, in which the Young Adventurers was formed is one of only two Agatha Christie works in the public domain in the United States and is available for reading at Project Gutenberg.

EP0060: Yours Truly Johnny Dollar: Murder Ain’t Minor

Johnny Dollar makes a rare exception and takes on a private client seeking for a 19-year old woman he wants to remove as a beneficiary from his life insurance policy.

Original Air Date: August 7, 1949

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EP0059: Sherlock Holmes: Mrs. Warren’s Key

Sherlock Holmes investigates a mysterious lodger.

Original Air Date: December 7, 1941

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EP0058: Let George Do It: The Spirit World

George investigates a fraudulent medium. When she accuses a young woman of murdering her mother, and the woman confesses, George has to figure out what really happened.

Original Air Date: May 10, 1948

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EP0057: Pat Novak for Hire: Wendy Morris

Pat Novak is hired by an attorney to keep an eye on a woman whose husband has returned from the Navy. The Attorney alleges the husband is an imposter.
“She was right about that hotel. In a good season, they couldn’t draw trenchant mice.”
Original Air Date: May 8, 1949
 
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Our New #1 Show

Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar has overtaken Sherlock Holmes as the most downloaded show on our podcast. Here are the current standings:

1) Yours Truly Johnny Dollar

2) Box 13

3) Pat Novak for Hire

4) Sherlock Holmes

5) Let George Do It

EP0056: Box 13: Triple Cross

A letter in Box 13 leads Dan Holiday to a Nevada casino where he wins $100,000 at a rigged roulette wheel. Trouble comes when the $100,000 is stolen and the man who rigged the game wants the money from Holiday.
Original Air Date: March 24, 1948
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Click here to download, click here to add this podcast to your Itunes, click here to subscribe to this podcast on Zune, click here to subscribe to this feed using any other feed reader.