The Whistler
For self-contained mysteries shaped by deception and consequences, with a framing narrator rather than Dan's investigations.
Box 13
The First Letter.
The first reply brings a murder accusation.
Dan Holiday wanted adventure for his fiction. His first client, Carla Williams, brings him something far more dangerous: a murder accusation with Dan himself caught in the frame.
OFFICIAL HERITAGE RADIO VAULT RECORDING
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- Recording 1
26:36 · Published 18 October 2026
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26:36 · Published 18 October 2026
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THE STORY, WITHOUT THE ENDING
An invitation turns into an accusation.
Carla Williams is Dan Holiday's first client. What begins as the answer to his search for adventure soon places him at the centre of a murder accusation.
This opening story makes the danger in Dan's advertisement immediate. He has invited strangers into his life for the sake of a story, and his first encounter leaves him needing answers of his own.
Historical context.
This is programme 1 in the RadioGold Index’s Box Thirteen sequence. Its first-client story makes it a natural starting point for the series, with Alan Ladd and Sylvia Picker listed among the performers.
The archive explicitly distinguishes 22 August 1948 on the East Coast from 15 March 1948 on Mutual’s West Coast stations. The dates describe different transmissions of this transcribed opening story, not the modern publication dates of the recordings below.
Episode credits.
- Programme number
- 1
- Music
- Rudy Schrager
- Production supervisor
- Vern Carstensen
- Story characters
- Dan Holiday, Carla Williams
More from Box 13.
Browse another episode from this collection.
If you enjoy Box 13.
The Adventures of Frank Race
For a recurring adventurer whose investigations move into insurance intrigue and international danger.
The Adventures of Rocky Jordan
For another resourceful civilian drawn into trouble, this time around a Cairo cafe.
More letters, more mysteries.
Before you listen.
Why begin Box 13 with The First Letter?
The archive identifies it as programme 1 and describes Carla Williams as Dan Holiday’s first client. It is a useful introduction to the danger behind his search for story ideas. [1]
Does 22 August 1948 mean the story first aired everywhere that day?
No. The UMKC entry identifies that as an East Coast broadcast reference and also documents 15 March 1948 on Mutual’s West Coast stations. [1]
Who plays Dan Holiday in this story?
The archive lists Alan Ladd and Sylvia Picker among the performers. Ladd plays Dan Holiday, with Picker as Suzy in the series. [1]
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Sources and recording notes.
Programme and historical references
Heritage Radio Vault recordings
Recording 1 on Spreaker ↗ · Recording 2 on Spreaker ↗. Recording 1 was published 18 October 2026 and is listed at 26:36. Recording 2 was published 18 October 2026 and is listed at 26:36. Dynamic advertising can change the running time heard in the player.
Both existing Spreaker uploads remain available under this episode’s canonical URL. Matching titles and catalogue durations do not establish identical complete audio or alternate performances. The historical reference describes the documented story; neither modern file has been authenticated against an original transmission master. The archive reference copy runs 26:39, which is not substituted for the selected Spreaker recording’s running time.
Historical references and modern publication dates describe different events. Sources checked 4 November 2026. Original scripts, recordings, performances and music may carry rights belonging to their respective owners. For corrections or rights enquiries: markwilliams@heritageradiovault.com.
Recording references
- Spreaker programme reference
- 7075394
- Recording 1
- Box 13: The First Letter | Old Time Radio Mysteries · Spreaker reference 72276339
- Heritage Radio Vault publication
- · 26:36
- Recording 2
- Box 13: The First Letter | Old Time Radio Mysteries · Spreaker reference 72276416
- Heritage Radio Vault publication
- · 26:36