I’ve recently started listening to an old radio drama I’ve never really checked out before. It’s called Box 13 and is an adventure series starring Alan Ladd. It began in 1947 and ran for 52 episodes. Ladd’s character, Dan Holiday, is a writer of mystery novels who, in an effort to garner plot ideas, solicits adventures through a newspaper advertisement. The ad runs as follows:

“Adventure wanted, will go anywhere, do anything – write Box 13, Star-Times”

Holiday, once a newspaper writer before turning to fiction, becomes essentially a pseudo-gumshoe, semi-reluctant adventurer-for-hire (albeit free of charge). The letters he receives requesting his help lead him into all sorts of hairy situations.

I’m a few episodes in and so far they are quite a lot of fun. Like many similar shows, Holiday’s both a bit of a thorn in the side of and, over time, a mutually beneficial almost-partner to a local police inspector. Holiday’s slightly self-deprecatory side-talk is part of the charm, and Ladd is a perfect fit for the role.

Here is a link, in case you’d like to give it a try:

Box 13 single episodes at the Internet Archive