 Box 13. With the star of Paramount Pictures, Alan Ladd, as Dan Holiday. Box 13. Box 13. Box 13. Box 13. Well, this is great. I come to the park to get a hot idea, but the day turns out hot, and my idea turns out cold. I did. I thought I'd find something different in a public park, and I did. A small boy mashing his ice cream cone against my brand new trousers. And all to meet a deadline. Deadline. Story idea. Why didn't I do what I should have done in the first place? Copy. Copy, boy. Hi, Mr. Holiday. Hey, Smith. Where's the lead on that fire? Hiya, Mr. Holiday. What do you say, Bill? Come to us that interview. Hiya, Dan. How are you, Joe? Where's the make-up on page four? Hiya, Holiday. What's the good word, boy? Hiya, Mr. Holiday. Hiya, Susie. Anything in Box 13? Box 13. Starring Alan Ladd as Dan Holiday. Go to the park and get a story idea about romance. Sure, why not? What do I come back with? Gravel in my socks, sand in my shoes, and a June bug in my hatband. Holiday, why didn't you pick a different profession like driving a coal truck? Mr. Holiday. What's that, Susie? I said, there's nothing wrong with that. I don't know. I don't know. Whenever you have a solution like driving a coal truck. Mr. Holiday. What's that, Susie? I said, there's a message in Box 13 for you. Oh, thank you, Susie. Thanks so much. Don't mention it. Say, you got a far-away look in your eyes today. Yes, but only as far as the dry cleaners. Dry cleaners? Have you ever had a small boy wipe his ice cream cone off on your trousers? Oh, girls don't call them trousers. In our step, it's slack. Susie so it is well see you later okay if you say so but I still don't like that look in your eyes you look like you might get into trouble you know what I think after spending the day in the park what trouble will be a welcome relief why did I ever have to decide to be a fiction writer I could have stayed a newspaper reporter I could have kept on writing those snappy obituary notices and one of hat that turned up in front and shoes that did the same thing well better see what's in this envelope hmm if you want real adventure be at the corner of 7th and Main at 10 p.m. tonight a black limousine will pick you up at that time do not try to engage the show for in conversation what's this no signature oh no signature black limousines showpers who won't talk meetings on street corners at 10 o'clock at night well this should be interesting oh there it is a black limousine look at that show for this way mr. holiday oh thanks what a character this driver is he looks like he spent his nights on a nice cold slab down at the moor I wonder if I'm getting to talk driver I said driver oh show for oh you oh pardon me so you do talk I was beginning to wonder about that this way mr. holiday but who's that it's only me mr. holiday that black suit it makes you almost invisible you know yes I know follow me you're curious about the way you were brought here did it frighten you maybe maybe not this room please my office well this is very cozy I'm glad you find it so to eliminate a lot of questions I'd like to say this I know all about you all you're a successful writer apparently you fear nothing and I would presume that some of your adventures spring from that ad you run every week in the start times did you find it interesting adventure wanted will go any place do anything do you catch many people with that ad I caught you or is that vice versa I had you investigated holiday I know where you live what you do the newspapers have told me of your experiences hmm what are you leading up to you'll notice I had you brought here by a devious route I wanted to be sure no one knew you were here go on how much do you know about insurance holiday a great many people buy it great many don't and of those who do buy a great many intended to fraud to steal from their insurance company look this is a racket I'm not interested my name is abner Blake I'm the chief investigator for northern insurance oh you remember the disappearance of Dr. Max Alexander I read something about it why he carried a very large policy with us he's been gone almost seven years when his seven years are up the law will permit his widow to collect and holiday yes I don't think Alexander is dead this man has the coldest frosty eyes of any professional man trailer I've ever seen and he's loaded with energy energy which I'll bet has helped him track down the people who tried to cheat his insurance company oh I'm glad I'm on his side if you'll think back not to Alexander performed a very delicate brain surgery on a prominent man the operation was not successful I remember that he was criticized in some circles for taking a chance immediately after the patient died Alexander walked out of the operating room the hospital and so far as we've been able to prove right out of this world but I still feel that he's alive somewhere and you believe it's an insurance fraud I'm sure it is and I have a reputation holiday no one has ever attempted to defraud northern insurance and has been successful you suspect Mrs. Alexander hardly she's barely left her house in all these years she receives no mail except from her daughter her daughter she lives in New Mexico what about your regular men they've looked everywhere they've come up with absolutely nothing police same thing and you're afraid you'll have to pay off no not if I have a smart man a resourceful one a man who can be as relentless as I am and I think that man is you if Shakespeare were alive he would cast Abner Blake in the role of Macbeth and throw him an extra part as one of the witches but that's no affair of yours Mr. Holiday you've got to find a man who's been gone for almost seven years and if you were the hero of this story you'd go to the files of a newspaper and look into the past well if it isn't Dan holiday what are you doing down the morgue at the start times but would anybody be doing down in the morgue Mac well some of them just lay there you know me did I just gotta have my little joke once in a while now what was it you're looking for oh the clips on a citizen named Dr. Max Alexander what have you got on him that works Dan the whole works prominent man dies following delicate operation doctor criticized for taking chance Dr. Alexander walks out of operating room and disappears grief stricken wife employees private investigators when police fail to find Dr. Alexander Dr. Alexander given up for dead not a bad-looking citizen of doctor he's been shot for more angles in this Philadelphia Atlantic City kindly eyes intelligent face strong chin yes doctor when I see you I'll know you and I hope to see you soon yes oh I'm Dan holiday Mr. Alexander I'd I'd like to talk to you about your husband my husband is dead well some people think he isn't they found something they think he's alive I mean now then Mr. Holiday who are you and why are you looking for the doctor commission from the insurance company I hoped you might give me some information it was on all the front pages that's exactly as it happened yes he was never seen again oh Mr. Holiday if only you could find some trace of him I'm going to try you don't know how terrible it is almost seven years but still I've had the feeling that he'll come back someday you look for me too well of course I miss him so what about your daughter after her father's disappearance she couldn't stand it here in town she went to our ranch in New Mexico oh her father's disappearance broke her heart I I pray you find him this is Alexander so do I this is Alexander is a grief-stricken old lady one who sincerely wants her husband back so where to look first this is the build up to the main story holiday and if you're smart you'll you'll bring in all the characters where to Mr. I want a drawing room to Albuquerque New Mexico well holiday you've got a railroad ticket and an hour to make the train you get back to your apartment a quick shower pack your bag and get on your way we've been waiting for you Mr. Holiday well gentlemen is this a pleasant intrusion and I hope you are gentlemen we were positive you wouldn't mind oh of course not people break in here regularly good sit down if you don't mind I like the air up here as you wish I understand you like to travel Mr. Holiday travel a wonderful pastime travel ever think of South America often you see I'm a common Miranda fan how would you like to go to South America for me all expenses paid for as long as you want to stay oh what I have to do just forget a few things like New Mexico particularly New Mexico give me about two weeks I'm your man you don't seem to understand you're leaving tonight well that's what I mean but I'm going west no so you and I would make a nice compass together now suppose you point north and walk right out of this apartment oh and don't forget your gorilla you mean Spencer that's his name I mean Spencer you'll hurt his feelings talking that way that makes us even just looking at him hurts mine is it South America in a way at least I'm showing you the open-door policy I get out you and your gorilla Spencer I wouldn't recommend that so I said get out have you ever stopped to consider something Mr. Holiday what you may never get to New Mexico you are listening to box 13 starring Alan Ladd as Dan holiday and now back to box 13 starring Alan Ladd as Dan holiday now you've got all the ingredients for a story insurance investigator doesn't believe doctors dead wife doesn't believe doctors dead two men try to stop writer from making further investigation all right holiday write the rest of the plot maybe it better hit the sack this is very pleasant I've got a comfortable drawing room and I'll bet it's got a thousand springs these my worries the man with the urge to send me to South America I've got something for him now follow it's the big idea breaking in here I'm sorry I must have come into the wrong drawing room you came into the wrong apartment a couple of hours ago now what do you want I just want to go to sleep my traveling bag I was looking for my razor I wanted to shave you just had a close one come on well to find out if you got space in this train if you haven't we'll make some for you under guard in the baggage car this is fine I couldn't prove a thing my friend had space into the conductor it seemed like a perfectly logical thing to mistake car 19 for car 18 I wonder who this man is and who's in back of him next stop Albuquerque Albuquerque well that's the end of the line for me I hope I don't mean that too literally long distance I I want to speak to Catherine Alexander at the bar cross bar ranch just outside of Valmont yes Miss Alexander yes this is Dan holiday wonder if I might come out to the ranch and see you oh you're the man who's looking for father mother wired me about you was it complimentary mother said she believed if anyone could find dad you could come right out I want to talk to you and I want to talk to you cab mister yeah I ever hear of Valmont sure it did no where it is sure do very far sure is can you take me there sure can you got enough money to pay for the trip sure have let's go then sure thing this is New Mexico holiday breathe deeply and teach your lungs to a shot of straight Ozone 20 miles to Valmont and all you've seen on the whole trip is four buzzards three in the air and the one driving and if he's a cab driver I'm a flying disc car behind yes I hear wants me to pull over don't do it know them fellas one of them is Spencer friend of yours that depends on what you mean by friend I got a pull up those guys are going to run me in the ditch and you fight nope then can you recommend a good dentist for something tells me that when this is over I'm gonna need a new set of teeth you feel better young man yeah thanks what happened after those two fellas jumped me who are you my name is Moran I'm the caretaker up at the bar crossbar ranch I was coming down this way when you were forced off the road what happened to the driver last I saw of him he was just a cloud of dust I remember now I got out of the car he drove away those two fellas started to beat you up good when they saw me coming they ran off to you had a mighty close call young man I had three of them after this my luck runs out somebody after you and vice versa say how far is the ranch half a mile up better take it easy come on I've got to get to the ranch feel you can make it my friend I've got to make it this is not good Spencer and his grill have followed me all the way out here trying to stop me at every turn maybe I'm getting warm if that's true why isn't someone else found Dr. Alexander here's the ranch house they say Miss Catherine was expecting yes but hardly in this condition you're Dan holiday what happened you're all beaten up so this is Catherine Alexander what a beautiful girl and what beautiful eyes you'd better lie down mr. holiday you're badly hurt oh no thanks miss Alexander I I don't feel that bad I just look that way anything more I could do miss Kathy oh no no thank you so much if you hadn't come along mr. holiday might have been badly injured perhaps fatally thank you miss Kathy now then how about a hot shower you can get a rub down and change of clothes as Alexander you read a man's mind sometimes that's a pleasure depending on the man you're depending on me what do you think this is more like it hot shower brisk rub down little iodine on a few out things Catherine was kind enough to loan me some riding clothes that should indicate a soldier in the saddle out on the desert with the stars blinking their approval of my companion blinking approval holiday you're an incurable romantic isn't this beautiful a gorgeous sky in the stars you love it don't you I always have always will have been here long the bar crossbar belong to my dad we used to come out during the summer now I live here all the time alone there's always more and more and he's a strange old fellow people around here say he's a little touched but he's been wonderful to me oh I'll say those men who jumped me down the road Mariah never seen before how could he they were strangers oh your mother told me you've been searching for your father a long time yes mother and I've spent a fortune on private detectives investigators following up leaves but nothing ever happened yes I know oh tell me miss Alexander Cathy please Cathy have you any idea where I might begin to look I thought you might give me a starting point not unless it would be back in the city he just walked out one day no one ever saw him again well I'd better go back there and start from scratch you don't have to leave right away I'd enjoy staying a while maybe I have been lonesome perhaps I've forgotten what companionship can be perhaps he'll stay a while a while good say the time we'll be much too late for dinner come on I'll race you you're on I'll beat you I'm at the corral gate already Cathy look out Mr. Holliday what happened you're racing the horse stumble over that lower bar and through her that gash in her head she's unconscious I hope she isn't seriously her stand there man get in the house call a doctor yes doctor a doctor hurry will you of course get into the medicine cabinet in the house I need some bandages she may be suffering from multiple contusions or even a compound skull fracture hurry will you compound skull fracture I don't know if you can find it hurry I said there isn't much time okay Dr. Alexander you are listening to box 13 starring Alan Ladd as Dan Holliday and I'm back in the city again walking up the street towards that same grim gray house where I first met Abner Blake up the steps Holliday right the final chapter that was a nice job Holliday I was nice about it what do you mean you didn't see the look in Dr. Alexander's eyes when he recovered his mind and that lovely lovely girl being mixed up in a deal like this if you feel sorry for her you're making a big mistake yes I know she was following him the day walked out into the country she'd almost caught up with him when a hit-and-run driver knocked him down that's when she got the idea for the disappearance act why not the doctor's face had been so damaged no one would ever recognize him and he'd lost his memory to top it off we've got the daughter and the mother in custody just think if she hadn't fallen off that horse I might never have been able to prove that Dr. Alexander was alive I know hiding him on his own ranch was a daughter's idea to why not no one would pay attention to an old man puttering around the place I've got a story and I don't like it mother and daughter hide amnesia victim to collect insurance excuse me Blake speaking now yes he's here for you Holliday oh thanks hello Mr. Holliday this is Susie oh yes Susie there's a message for you in box 13 shall I read it to you now Susie you know you're not supposed to open my mail but this is already open it's a postcard oh is it interesting I think it is all right come on come on tell me what it says it says rental for box 13 $15 oh fine goodbye Susie next week same time Alan Ladd stars as Dan Holliday in box 13 Alan Ladd appears through the courtesy of Paramount Pictures and may currently be seen in Wild Harvest box 13 is written and directed by Ted Hediger original music was composed and conducted by Rudy Schrager this is a Mayfair production