Box 13 | Old Time Radio

Box 13 presents “Sealed Instructions,” episode 35 of the classic mystery-adventure series, originally broadcast April 17, 1949. Alan Ladd stars as writer-adventurer Dan Holiday, with Sylvia Picker as his secretary, Suzy.

A frightened visitor sends Holiday to Manila with sealed instructions, half a map, and the promise of a $10,000 recovery job. But when his intended contact is already dead, Holiday must unravel the purpose of his dangerous assignment. Produced for syndication by Mayfair Productions, Box 13 follows Holiday’s adventures sparked by replies to his newspaper advertisement.

Box 13 presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:51 Original Broadcast
27:24 Closing

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Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Box 13 presents “The Philanthropist,” episode 24, originally broadcast on January 30, 1949. Alan Ladd stars as mystery writer Dan Holiday in this syndicated radio drama, written by Russell Hughes and directed by Richard Sanville.

When a homeless railroad traveler asks Dan to find his missing companion, the search leads from a lakeside park and rail yards to the Hope Rescue Mission. Going undercover among the mission’s residents, Dan follows a troubling trail behind an organization that appears devoted to helping men in need.

Box 13 presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:54 Original Broadcast
27:30 Closing

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/box-13-old-time-radio--7222653/support.

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Box 13 presents “Hunt and Peck,” episode 29 of the classic mystery series, originally broadcast on March 6, 1949. Alan Ladd stars as mystery writer Dan Holiday, with Russell Hughes credited as writer and Vern Carstensen as director.

A condemned prisoner’s desperate letter gives Dan just 48 hours to re-examine a murder conviction. As execution nears, the investigation turns on a seemingly ordinary typed note—and the revealing difference between touch-typing and hunt-and-peck.

Box 13 presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:43 Original Broadcast
27:16 Closing

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/box-13-old-time-radio--7222653/support.

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Box 13 presents “Tempest in a Casserole,” episode 33 of the classic mystery series, originally broadcast on April 3, 1949. Alan Ladd stars as freelance writer and adventurer Dan Holiday, with Sylvia Picker as Suzi.

A simple errand for Suzi brings Dan to Nick’s Place, a restaurant on Tenth Street where owner Nick Nerakio is facing an unsettling problem: suspicious customers are occupying tables and driving away legitimate business. What first appears to be a minor neighborhood dispute soon calls for Dan’s investigative instincts.

Box 13 presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:50 Original Broadcast
27:23 Closing

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/box-13-old-time-radio--7222653/support.

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Box 13 presents “Death Is No Joke,” episode 40, originally broadcast May 22, 1949. Alan Ladd stars as mystery writer and reluctant adventurer Dan Holiday in this late-series mystery, written by Oran Blackstone and directed by Richard Sanville.

When Dan answers a plea from his friend Alex, he arrives at the Trendler country estate, where a long-missing heir’s return has reopened bitter tensions over a major inheritance. A series of increasingly cruel practical jokes has the household on edge, and Dan must determine who is turning family discord into genuine danger.

Box 13 presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:49 Original Broadcast
27:19 Closing

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/box-13-old-time-radio--7222653/support.

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Box 13 presents “The Clay Pigeon,” episode 51 of the syndicated mystery series, originally broadcast August 7, 1949. Alan Ladd stars as novelist and former newspaperman Dan Holiday, with Sylvia Picker as his secretary, Suzy.

An anonymous message sent to Box 13 leads Holiday to an ominous appointment with Dr. Ogden and a disturbing reference to a murdered mentalist. Following the clues with Suzy’s help, Holiday enters a shadowy world of deception, blackmail, and private vengeance. Written by Russell Hughes and directed by Richard Sanville.

Box 13 presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned and mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:46 Original Broadcast
27:20 Closing

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/box-13-old-time-radio--7222653/support.

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Box 13 presents “The Perfect Crime,” episode 49 of the classic mystery series, originally broadcast July 24, 1949. Alan Ladd stars as writer-adventurer Dan Holiday, with Sylvia Picker as Suzy.

Holiday receives an unsettling invitation from Dr. John H. Dobbs, a respected professor of criminology and abnormal psychology, to hear a theory about an unprovable murder. What begins as an academic challenge soon draws Holiday into a tense investigation of whether a crime can truly leave no trace.

Box 13 presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:44 Original Broadcast
27:17 Closing

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/box-13-old-time-radio--7222653/support.

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Box 13 presents “The Sad Night,” episode 18 of the classic mystery series, originally broadcast December 19, 1948. Alan Ladd stars as adventure-seeking writer Dan Holiday, with Sylvia Picker as Suzy. The script is by Russell Hughes.

A child’s copybook arrives at Dan Holiday’s Star-Times Box 13, bearing the name Marina Layton and a drawing called “The Sad Night.” When Kyle Layton offers to buy it back, the ordinary-looking schoolbook points toward a troubling past and the possibility of a long-hidden fortune.

Box 13 presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned and mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:43 Original Broadcast
27:13 Closing

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/box-13-old-time-radio--7222653/support.

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Box 13 presents “The First Letter,” the first episode of the Alan Ladd mystery series, originally broadcast on August 22, 1948. In this opening adventure, Ladd stars as mystery writer Dan Holiday.

After placing a Star-Times classified ad seeking adventure, Holiday receives a serious reply from Carla Williams, who asks for help with a blackmail problem. A meeting at a French restaurant draws him into a case more perilous and complicated than it first appears. Written by Russell Hughes and directed by Vern Carstensen, the episode also features Sylvia Picker as Suzy.

Box 13 presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:40 Original Broadcast
27:16 Closing

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/box-13-old-time-radio--7222653/support.

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Box 13 presents “Blackmail Is Murder,” originally broadcast September 5, 1948. In episode 3, writer-adventurer Dan Holiday—played by Alan Ladd—answers a troubling letter that leads him to the Bradford Hotel.

An eccentric guest in room 718 refuses to involve the police in a suspicious death, drawing Holiday into a strange and escalating hotel-room mystery. Sylvia Picker co-stars as Suzy, with Edmund MacDonald as Lieutenant Kling.

Box 13 presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:44 Original Broadcast
27:42 Closing

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/box-13-old-time-radio--7222653/support.

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Box 13 presents “Three to Die,” episode 23 of the classic radio mystery series, originally broadcast January 23, 1949. Alan Ladd stars as troubleshooter Dan Holiday, with Sylvia Picker as Suzy.

When contractor Douglas MacIntosh reports deadly accidents and possible sabotage on a tunnel project beneath a major river, Dan goes undercover as a sandhog to investigate the danger facing the crew. Written for radio by Russell Hughes from an original story by Richard Sanville, who also directed, this tense underground mystery keeps the pressure on without revealing who may be responsible.

Box 13 presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:42 Original Broadcast
27:06 Closing

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/box-13-old-time-radio--7222653/support.

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

From Box 13: “Actor’s Alibi,” originally broadcast September 12, 1948. Episode 4 of the series stars Alan Ladd as writer-adventurer Dan Holiday, with Sylvia Picker as Suzy.

A ticket to a live radio drama leads Holiday to actress Jean Blake, who fears she is in danger. Strange calls, a tense meeting at the Mayfair restaurant, and veteran actor Marvin Masterson draw Dan into a theatrical mystery where appearances may be carefully staged.

Box 13 presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:49 Original Broadcast
27:04 Closing

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/box-13-old-time-radio--7222653/support.

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Box 13 presents “A Perfect Crime,” episode 49. The supplied release metadata lists 2012, while surviving broadcast catalogs date the episode to 1948 or, in several later listings, July 24, 1949.

Mystery writer Dan Holiday, played by Alan Ladd, receives an unsettling letter from Dr. John H. Dobbs, a respected professor of criminology and abnormal psychology. Invited to witness what Dobbs calls a planned “perfect” murder, Holiday must decide whether the professor’s challenge is deadly serious or the fixation of a troubled academic.

Box 13 presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned and mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:57 Original Broadcast
27:30 Closing

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/box-13-old-time-radio--7222653/support.

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Box 13 presents “Insurance Fraud,” originally broadcast August 29, 1948. In episode 2 of the series, Alan Ladd stars as writer-adventurer Dan Holiday.

A cryptic message sends Dan to Abner Blake, chief investigator for Northern Insurance, where a long-delayed claim involving missing surgeon Dr. Max Alexander raises troubling questions. Following a thin trail from the Star-Times office toward New Mexico, Dan finds that someone is determined to discourage his inquiries. Written and directed by Ted Hediger, this early Mutual/Mayfair installment also features Sylvia Picker as Suzy.

Box 13 presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:53 Original Broadcast
27:32 Closing

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/box-13-old-time-radio--7222653/support.

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Box 13 presents “Look Pleasant, Please,” episode 16 of the Mutual Broadcasting System mystery series, originally broadcast December 5, 1948. Alan Ladd stars as adventure-seeking mystery writer Dan Holiday.

An unsigned request sends Dan to the Mercantile Building for what appears to be an innocent photograph with a young woman. But when the picture turns up beside an engagement announcement in the newspaper, Dan finds himself drawn into a far more dangerous mystery.

Box 13 presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned and mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:44 Original Broadcast
27:33 Closing

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/box-13-old-time-radio--7222653/support.

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Box 13 presents “Actor’s Alibi,” originally broadcast September 12, 1948. This is episode 4 of the series, starring Alan Ladd as writer-adventurer Dan Holiday.

A mysterious note sends Dan to a live radio-drama broadcast, where an encounter with aging actor Marvin Masterson leads to the Mayfair restaurant and a worried performer who fears for her life. A threatening phone call draws Dan into a tense theatrical-world investigation where appearances—and alibis—may be deceptive.

Box 13 presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:41 Original Broadcast
26:56 Closing

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/box-13-old-time-radio--7222653/support.

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Box 13 presents “The Better Man,” episode 20 of the classic mystery-adventure series, originally broadcast January 2, 1949. Alan Ladd stars as mystery writer Dan Holiday, with Sylvia Picker as his secretary, Suzy.

When wealthy Charles Winthrop invites Holiday into an unusual $100,000 contest, Dan and Suzy follow a trail of cryptic clues across the city. Written by Russell Hughes and directed by Vern Carstensen, this suspenseful installment turns a promising adventure into a dangerous race.

Box 13 presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned and mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:54 Original Broadcast
27:54 Closing

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/box-13-old-time-radio--7222653/support.

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Box 13 presents “One of These Four,” episode 38 of the syndicated mystery series, originally broadcast May 8, 1949. Alan Ladd stars as adventure writer Dan Holiday in this episode written by Russell Hughes and directed by Vern Carstensen.

An anonymous invitation sends Holiday from Pier 9 to a private yacht, where he joins three equally puzzled strangers. Their host claims that one of the four guests is tied to an old murder, setting off a tense voyage of suspicion, observation, and deduction.

Box 13 presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:35 Original Broadcast
27:05 Closing

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/box-13-old-time-radio--7222653/support.

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Box 13 presents “Killer at Large,” episode 44 of the syndicated mystery-adventure series starring Alan Ladd as novelist-adventurer Dan Holiday. Originally broadcast June 19, 1949, this episode is listed in supplied source metadata as a 2012 release.

A sealed letter offers Holiday $50,000 to stop a murder—one arranged by the sender himself, who has suddenly changed his mind. With the intended killer unknown and time running short, Holiday follows the scant clues to a darkened house on South Marvin Boulevard. Sylvia Picker appears as Suzy.

Box 13 presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:49 Original Broadcast
27:20 Closing

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/box-13-old-time-radio--7222653/support.

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio

Box 13 presents “Round Robin,” originally broadcast August 14, 1949. Identified as episode 52 and the series finale, this syndicated Mayfair Productions mystery stars Alan Ladd as adventure-seeking writer Dan Holiday, with Sylvia Picker as Suzy.

Asked to register at the Morris Hotel under the name John Johnson and await a $500 payment, Holiday instead finds himself drawn into a dangerous blackmail affair involving gambling debts and a valuable diamond necklace. Written by Arthur Boland and directed by Richard Sanville, the episode builds its suspense amid hotel lobbies, anonymous messages, and room 502.

Box 13 presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:50 Original Broadcast
27:21 Closing

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/box-13-old-time-radio--7222653/support.

Support Old Time Retro Radio at https://www.patreon.com/oldtimeretroradio