🎙️ ABOUT THE SHOW — BOX 13 Starring Alan Ladd as Dan Holiday
Box 13 was one of radio's most inventive mystery series — a clever blend of noir, adventure, and psychological suspense. Alan Ladd stars as Dan Holiday, a former newspaper reporter turned mystery novelist who rents a post office box — Box 13 — and places an ad in the paper:
"Adventure wanted — will go anywhere, do anything."
The letters that arrive pull Holiday into a new case each week:
Holiday's curiosity — and his need for fresh story material — drives him into situations ranging from classic noir crime to psychological thrillers, international intrigue, and even the occasional supernatural tease.
The show is remembered for:
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Alan Ladd's cool, understated performance
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tight, fast‑moving scripts
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strong atmosphere and twist endings
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a unique premise that allowed for endless story variety
It remains one of the most stylish and consistently entertaining detective shows of the late 1940s.
🎙️ SHOW NOTES — 1001 Radio Crime Solvers BOX 13 Starring Alan Ladd as Dan Holiday
This week's double feature brings two gripping adventures — one set inside a mansion filled with secrets and shadows, and another where a simple request for help turns into a deadly case of mistaken identity.
🏚️ Episode 1: "House of Darkness" A strange, unsettling letter arrives in Box 13, inviting Dan Holiday to a secluded mansion known only as the House of Darkness. The writer claims to be in danger — but offers no name, no details, and no explanation.
When Holiday arrives, he finds a household filled with tension, fear, and whispered secrets. The residents seem terrified of something — or someone — inside the house, and every conversation feels like a clue wrapped in a warning.
As Holiday digs deeper, he uncovers a psychological maze of manipulation, hidden motives, and a truth that has been buried in the shadows for far too long. The danger grows with every step, and Holiday soon realizes that the "darkness" in the house is more than just a name.
A moody, atmospheric thriller that plays like a gothic noir — one of the series' most haunting stories.
🎭 Episode 2: "Double Trouble" A letter arrives asking Dan Holiday to help a man who claims he's being followed — and fears for his life. But when Holiday meets him, the man insists he never wrote the letter at all.
Before Holiday can sort out the confusion, the case explodes into violence, and he finds himself caught between two men who look alike, sound alike… and may be connected by a secret someone is willing to kill for.
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