March 14, 2025 • 32 mins
Original Release Date: December 28, 2009
Dan is asked to help a magician's assistant who's afraid that a jealous magician will create an accident during a dangerous trick.
Original Air Date: March 10, 1948
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Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715
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Dan is asked to help a magician's assistant who's afraid that a jealous magician will create an accident during a dangerous trick.
Original Air Date: March 10, 1948
Support the show monthly at patreon.greatdetectives.net
Support the show on a one-time basis at http://support.greatdetectives.net.‘
Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715
Take the listener survey…http://survey.greatdetectives.net
Give us a call 208-991-4783
Become one of our friends on Facebook.
Follow us on Twitter @radiodetectives
Check out our social media at https://www.greatdetectives.net
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:27):
Welcome to the Great Detectives of OldTime Radio from Boise, Idaho. This
is your host, Adam Graham,starting off another week with Box thirteen.
You got any comments on the show, feel free to email me Box thirteen
at Great Detectives dot net. Pleasecheck out our surveys survey dot Great Detectives
(00:48):
dot net. Encourage you to getthose results and in it as soon as
possible, and please cast your voteat podcast Alley dot Great Detectives dot net.
Um, we're gonna go ahead andget into today's program in just a
second. I do want to letyou know briefly that we that we strongly
(01:12):
encourage our listeners to try out Oneand one, the world's greatest rebos now
with nine million customers. How doyou get nine million customers? What's by
providing great service, reliable connection ata great and reasonable price. And you
(01:34):
can check it out discover the differencewith one and one with unlimited bandwidth,
so no need to worry that you'regetting against your upper limit. Just try
one on one at at our hostingdot Great Detectives dot net. Try it
out. You can get services forsmall, medium, large businesses as well
(01:57):
as for your home personal internet pagesand also they have got great deals on
domains, so check out one andone, the world's number one web post.
We're gonna get into today's episode ofBox thirteen. This one takes a
look inside the world of magic.Very exciting and and this reminds me of
(02:24):
another show we didn't end up doing. We'll talk about when we get back,
but let's go ahead and get intotoday's episode, The Great Torino,
which should not be confused with themovie recently The Grand Torino. All right,
now, let's seriously let's go aheadand take a listen, and then
(02:44):
we'll come back Box thirteen with thestyle Thomond fictures, Alan lad As Dan
Holiday Box thirteen care of Star Times. I know my life is in danger.
(03:10):
I think you can help me.I'm desperate and don't dare go to
the police. Please, if youwant to help, call at the Tivoy
Theater box office for the ticket leftthere. Our handbills, our handbill will
tell you more. Yeah, that'sthe way it started. A note from
(03:32):
the girl Maria, the theater ticket, and then murder, and now back
(03:59):
to Box thirteen. It was Thursdaywhen I received a letter from Maria through
Box thirteen. Some of the lettersI get up from cranks, some from
people who are just curious about areporter turn fiction writer who advertises adventure wanted,
will go any place, do anything. But with this one, it
(04:23):
was just like Susie said, gmister Holiday, it doesn't look like one
of those crank letters, or somebodythat's just curious thinks you crazy or something.
How can you tell, Susie?Oh, I don't know. Maybe
it's just female ignition. There's adictionary over there, Susie, look up
ignition. Don't you know what itmeans, mister Hallida, If it's when
a woman, if it's Susie skip, I'm supposed to pick up a ticket
(04:46):
for the night's show at the Tivoli. Take a look at this hand though,
Torino, the Great Torino like he'slooks Susie. Well, that's what
I thought. Okay, Susie goesup shop for the day. You can't
follow it up. Huh? That'sthe general idea. Yes, I want
to see what Maria has on hermind and why she's afraid. This was
(05:18):
it. I pick up the ticketat the Tivoli. A big poster told
me this was a charity affair withthe axe doing a two nights stand tickets
ten dollars a throw. I circledaround the lobby, looked at the axe,
advertised singers dances, a dog actand then there it was a big,
(05:38):
life size cut out of the GreatTorino, complete with mustache and goatee.
Nice looking guy, maybe too smoothlooking, but it was what he
was doing that made me think abetter look. He held a rifle to
his shoulder and was aiming it acrossthe lobby at another cutout, and this
one, this one was a girl, pretty m big guys, maybe a
(06:02):
little scared looking, and looking straightacross at the Great Torino and right into
the barrel of that rifle pointed ather head. Well, if this was
Maria, she had a right tohave something on her mind. Anybody who
stands up and lets a rifle befired at her is earning a living the
hard way. I was thinking aboutit when the call but desist in my
(06:24):
ear and didn't time with a crowdduring the overture and took my seat first.
We're all right on the aisle,easy to get in, and USh
Red shoved a program in my hands. The Great Areno was scheduled next to
closing. Oh kay, that man, I'd have to sit through the rest
of the ice I did. Itwas skipping. But the Great Arena was
(06:48):
something different. He had two assistants, a girl and a good looking young
guy. Was a magic to actwith class, and Torena was clever with
his hands. He did a trunkaffect. It was really great, and
the girl who helped was the samegirl whose cutout was in the lobby.
Toreno tied her with the ropes atthe big canvas bag over and locked her
(07:09):
in a trunk. He fired ashot and banged. The girl came running
down the aisle, and the trunkshe was put in well empty. All
done in a split second. Twothe Great Arena took his bow, but
I noticed something. When he reachedout to take the girl's hand and bow
(07:30):
with her, she managed to bebusy at something else. Okay, she
didn't like him. He gave hera funny look and walked to a rack
and picked up a nice nickel platedrifle. I sat up on my seat
because the girl threw a quick lookat me in a tiny nod. No
one would have noticed it, butmay I I looked back at Toreno,
who was speaking. Ladies and agentleman, I wish to call you the
(07:53):
tenth you to my final attack,a most dangerous one, so dangers that
you allusirists, we'll attempt it.The history of the magician art has recorded
several deaths during the fee. Myassistant will go into the audience now and
select a committee of volunteers. Willplease come upon the stage, Maria,
(08:18):
if you be so. The girlwas Maria. I guess, Mike,
you is to be selected as oneof the committee. I raised my hand,
she pecked me, went on thestage with fathers from the audience stood
there while Arena went to the footlightsand spoke again. Please to music,
No music, please, no music. Thank you. Now, ladies and
(08:43):
a gentleman, I shall give thegentleman of the committee this rifle. It
may be examined thoroughly. Also threebullets, which they may mark later for
identification. Gentlemen, drife, andhere the bullets. I please mark the
(09:03):
lead in any way you choose.Unmistakably, we took the rifle and the
bullets, and the great Toreno well, he had the audience sitting on the
edges of their seats. No oneknew exactly what was going to happen,
and Toreno wasn't going to tell themuntil the right time came. And one
of the other men on the committeespoke to him in bullets look okay to
(09:24):
you, as good as any bulletscan look twenty twos? Huh yeah,
how do we mark them? Initials? Yeah? Yeah, a good idea.
The three of us cut our initialsin the lid. That all right
with you, mister Good How aboutthe rest of you suits me. I've
got a knife here, let mesee the rifle. Yeah, sure,
here, rifle. Look okay,no gimmicks, not that I can see.
(09:46):
All right, My initials are cuttingthe bullet. You want to cut
yours? Oh? Yes, Icut my initials DH in one of the
bullets. So we had three bulletswith initials cut in the lead. No
chance for substitute. Then Trina tookthe rifle and the bullets. Thank you,
gentlemen, grat you are satisfied?Sure, yes, good, Now,
(10:09):
if you will all watch closely,I shall load the bullets in the
rifle. So, and what isyour name, sir Holiday? Good?
Then, mister Holiday, if youwill please hold the loaded rifle until I
am ready for it. In thisway there cannot be no trickery. Ladies
(10:33):
and gentlemen. You saw me loadthe market bullets. Yes so, and
you have the loaded rifle. GoodNow, ladies and gentlemen, may I
introduce once a more Maria. Maria, young lady, is as courageous as
she is, a lovely Maria.You will take your place, please,
(10:56):
mister Holiday, would you care toshoot out my Oh no, no,
thank you. Then that leaves itup to me. No the rifle please,
Oh here you are. Thank you, ladies and a gentlemen, I
shall ask for complete quiet. Thankyou, my dear. You are ready,
(11:20):
Yes, I'm ready. The greatTorino walked to the other side of
the stage. He raised the rifleto his shoulder, pointed at a Maria.
She was pale as death. Herarms were tense tight. Perspiration stood
out on a ford not mine,and on everyone in the audience. Then,
(11:48):
so help me, this is whathappened. A bullet appeared between Maria's
teeth. She let it drop toa plate she held in her hands.
Then and two more let's pop betweenher teeth and fell to the plate.
No one in the audience moved,nor applause, just that tense feeling.
Toreno walked over, took the plate. His hands never touched the bullets.
(12:11):
I'll sweat to it. He walkedto me and the other three men with
me, and gentlemen, you willplease do identify the bullets. Yes,
this one initials d gee that's me. Yeah, yeah, that's mine,
all right, thank you, Andthis one kay er mine, thank you,
(12:33):
And the third d H that's mine. How did he do it?
I don't know. All I knowis that when I walked off the stage,
Maria managed to get a note intomy hands when I read it later,
and asked me to meet her alittle coffee shot about three blocks from
(12:54):
the theater. All right, that'swhat I did. We sat on the
boot back out of the way,and Maria talked, thank you for coming,
mister Holiday. That's all right,Maria. I saw a great act.
But what am I doing in it? You can help me? Please
help me? How doing what youcan keep Toreno from killing me my coffee?
(13:16):
Didn't you hear me? Oh suresure, but I don't get it.
You saw the act, the rifletrick, Yeah, it was great.
Then you must see how easy itwould be for Torino to kill me
while doing it. Slow up alittle, Maria, Let's start from the
beginning. All right, you sawthe other assistant, mean, a good
(13:37):
looking kenner. That's Billy. Ilove him and he loves me. Then
what's your problem, Treen? No, he hates Billy and he hates me
for loving Billy. Jealous insanely?Well quit, then I will after tomorrow
night's performance. But why wait?If you're afraid, I won't be afraid.
If you're there, what could Ido? Be on looking again?
(14:00):
If I think anything's wrong, I'llsignal you and then do anything. Drop
the rifle, but don't give itback to Torena. Now wait a minute.
How could he kill you? He'dclaim it was an accident. Three
magicians, all their assistants have beenkilled accidentally doing the trick. The mechanism
of the gun goes wrong, givingaway secrets. Maria, I have to
there's a mechanism in the breach ofthe gun. He drops the real bullets
(14:24):
down into Torino's hand when he closesthe breech. Oh, then I get
an unloaded gun. There are blanksin it. The mechanism substitutes them for
the real bullet. That's good.And he slips the real bullets to you.
Yes, when he takes my handto introduce me, and you slip
them into your mouth while the audienceis watching Torena in the rifle, I
(14:45):
say, area, Yes, whydon't you go to the police. Torena
would know, he'd know how hewatches me. And aren't you afraid he's
watching? Now? No? Nottonight, I slipped away. I don't.
I could manage it the game.Don't you see, mister Holiday,
You're my only chance I saw youhad in the paper Box thirteen. You
(15:07):
mean the police would ask him questionsand he'd lay low until he got the
chance to y Will you be theretomorrow night, mister Holiday? Look,
I have a ticket for you herethe same seer. Please please all right,
Maria, I'll be there, Thankyou, thank you, and we'll
try to keep the trick from beingtrump by the Great Torino. And now
(15:45):
back to Box thirteen with Allen laddas damn Holiday. Well, it sounded
like a great assignment from the wayto set up. Look from where I
sat, it gave the Great Trinaa perfect chance to kill Maria. I
checked on Maria's story about the accidentaldeath during the trick, and Jonesie at
(16:06):
the Star Times verified it. Thesmart cookie like Arena could take an accident.
And who's going to pin the blackribbon on him? Nobody? Okay,
it's up to you Holiday to figureit out. Next night, I
(16:27):
sat on the same seat and watchedArena go through his act. The trunk
things still great, knocked the audienceoff their seats. Me too, couldn't
figure it, but the big stuffwas still to come. The rifle trick
and went on the stage. Keptmy eyes on Maria. I marked one
of the bullets again. Oddly enough, Torena didn't seem to recognize me.
(16:48):
That was all right with me.Arena went through his same spiel, word
for word. I kept my eyeson Maria, but it was though she'd
never seen me before and alive.She looked Wow, it sounds silly,
but she looked hypnotized. Then Iheard Torena saying to me, mister Honeyday,
would you care to shoot at Maria? No, thank you. Torena
(17:12):
looked at me hard. My nameand my face together might have tipped him.
There was a funny look in hiseyes. I stared up Maria not
a sign from her. Maria,you are ready? Yeah, I'm ready.
I relaxed a little. She hadn'tgiven me a sign everything was all
right? And then Aria, shedropped. Maria dropped right between her eyes
(17:40):
was a little round hole love holiday? Is that straight? That story?
Sure? It has claimed she wasafraid she'd be killed, But you say
she didn't give you a high sign. No, she didn't even look at
me. But she told you ifthere was anything wrong, she'd tip you.
Yes, but she didn't tip me. Okay, gets arena over here.
(18:06):
Yes, it all right, yoetI the ideas holiday, I'm dry
bone, dry cling. And whatabout this guy Billy she told you about?
I told you was actually actually there'ssomething she was going wrong? Please
now accidents, the wrong accident tothe coppen. I am an artist.
(18:26):
Do you tell me I'll do somethingwrong? I no, no, no,
it's what this guy in his dressedhit him? Now, the close
off that head of scene. ButI went off from outside. Come on,
it's funny, cling, I'm hysterical. I don't think what's funny.
(18:48):
The girl Maria, I don't thinkshe knew me to night. She looked
right at me, didn't give mea tumble. Yeah. So she told
me she'd signal me if anything waswrong. I I don't get it,
but it looks as though she shewhat she deliberately let toreno fire a gun
she knew was set the killer.That makes great ex sense. I know
(19:11):
no sense at all. And besidesthat, there're gonna let him tell you
what's all an accident? We don'tbelieve it. He killer, that's Billy
Cling. Why let me ask mea couple of things. Look, Holiday,
I'm in charge of this case.You're in a rain check, okay,
but I'm in huh yeah, forthe one reason that Maria told you
about at night. It wasn't anaccident. I better go help the serge.
(19:32):
Any objections by Mosey along with you, none, Just keep your mouth
closed, that's all. Sure.So I listened a while, Cling asked
questions, but there was something knockingat the back of my head asking to
be let in me. Something I'dseen, heard, remembered. I didn't
know. But what bothered me wasMaria not giving me a signal when she
(19:57):
said you didn't know if Arena wasup to something. Billy answered Kling's question,
No, oh, I know it'sthe Torino bluff Maria. He said
he'd kill her if he saw mehanging around him. Who loads the rifle?
Was playing? Maria? Maria?She do it to night, she
always does it. Maria loaded theriflests she did before the performance. So
(20:22):
I got an idea. I leftthe stage where the investigation was going on,
and I walked back to stage towardthe dressing rooms. I wanted to
talk to Torino, but there wasa large blue cop sitting at the door.
He looked at me and well,Holiday, Hi, ammer, I
feel lousy. No, it's toobad, say y I think I could
talk to Torino. No, ohno, Look you can watch and listen,
(20:45):
tell Cling everything that goes on.Pray, introtect you Holiday, Nope,
playing aunch? What about? Whynot listening? Find out? And
if you learn anything, tell Clingand you might learn something and you mean
something that might break the case.Yeah, Mike, O, Hey,
(21:06):
what's the matter? Murph? Answerus A couple of stripes? Hey?
Sure, oh okay, but I'mstanding right here in the sand. Sure
right, Hey, you get uping? Oh brother, Look, h ain't
(21:26):
nobody going to ask him no questions? No, I don't think he's in
any shape to answer a promotion.You see a promotion. I'll be lucky
if I hold up for good.This guy's been knife right under my nose.
That's right. Somebody stabbed Torino.He was as dead as Maria.
(21:48):
And nobody saw anybody go in orout of the dressing room. There was
one window. It was open,but the officer outside, so he had
his eye on it. Nobody inor out, and nobody in the room
but Toreno. The knife was inhis back, so suicide was on.
(22:11):
Cling and his boys turned the roomupside down to Areno's apparatus and funks were
shoved around. Still nobody, andit turned out nobody had a motive for
killing Toreno except Billy me me,are you crazy? I never left the
stage. I was talking to you. I was answering questions. I can't
(22:32):
be in two places at once,can I? He was so right?
Kling was tearing his hair, thenmore questions. The rest of the acts
were strangers to Toreno. Knew nothingabout him. I was thinking about it
when something hit me, something Billyhad said. While Kling was still firing
questions. I got to a phone. Hello, Hia, Kenny still running
(23:06):
that private eye, So well,do something funny, will you? M
hmm, okay, put a manon the Tivoli theater right now and get
him to tell a guy named BillyHuh. Here's what he looks like,
about five nine, stucky like complexion, wearing grapes. Good morning, mister
(23:33):
Holiday. Hio sous you any messages? Uh? Huh? The detective agency
called? And why what's a message? I wrote it cam' shorthand here uh
trailed Billy in shoe No moment,terrible ink Uh oh, I got two
insurance company this morning. He playsclaim for double indemnity policy for his wife,
(23:57):
Maria's baker. Wait a minute,mister Hiday, that's not all.
That's enough. I see you letterjusie tourno Turina step on Jonesy. Oh
you want odd facts, it takestime to find them, even in the
mortgatter start times. Okay, Jonesy, Okay, but hurry up with you.
(24:18):
Ah. Here we are Tono bornItaly. Skip that how long has
been in the country? Six months? Noted magician in Italy and Europe before
the war. Only six months,Jonesy. If you were a magician,
you wanted assistance. How would youget them advertising a billboard magazine for show
folks? What else where can Isee? The last six months copies of
(24:40):
the Billboard? And I got alocal office in town. All the copies
you want? Hey, where areyou going? Thanks? Jonesy be saying
I've got a lot of reading todo. Six months copies of the Billboard.
I looked through every one of them, and when my eyes were falling
out of my head, I thoughtan advertisement, the one I wanted,
(25:02):
and the one that tied up withsomething Billy said and something I saw during
Torino's act. I tried to getplaying on the phone, but no dice.
He was out. I left wordfor him to meet me at the
Tivoli and I went there myself.There was nobody there but the watchman five
(25:23):
dollar bill got me in. Oh, there's no place gloomier than backstage in
an empty theater. I headed forTorino's dressing room because I had a good
idea how someone got in and stabbedto arena, then disappeared. I opened
the door, stepped inside. Wasdark. The shade on the window must
(25:48):
have been done. That was fumblingfor the light switch when somebody pulled a
shade on me. Got any ideawho slugged your holiday? Yeah? Cling,
I have all right? Who delly? Maybe no dice. He didn't
(26:08):
come near this place. We hada tail on him, you know about
the insurance. Sure, but hecouldn't have killed his wife because she loaded
the blanks in her again and themedical examiners reported on the bullet that killed
her. What about that twenty two? No initials on it? No?
None, So it looks like thisMaria deliberately planned her own death. It
wasn't an accident. If it hadbeen, the bullet in her head would
(26:30):
have been marked. Cling put outa dragnan for who, But no one
is slugged me. I'll cut itholiday, you know aning spilet before I
lose my temper. Who do youwant to pick up? Here's a description?
Young woman about twenty six six,brown hair, lovely blue eyes,
about five foot two. Worked asa magician's assistant. Hey what are you
(26:52):
giving me? That's Maria? Maria? She's dead, you're dope? You
mean her twin sisters dead? Clingit? What are you talking about? The
trunk effect areno work could have onlybeen done with twins. Billy tipped me
off on it Billie sure when hesaid nobody could be in two places at
once and Toreno advertised in the billboardfor twins. You aren't dreaming, miss
(27:15):
put out a dragon. It forMaria who stabbed Arena. Maria, she
got her twin sister to take herplace in the rifle trick last night.
That's why I didn't get a signalfrom her. The sister didn't know me
from Adam. Now, look Holiday, we searched this dressing room. There
was nobody in it when Torino wasstabbed. Maria was here, Look false
(27:38):
back in his cabinet, good oldmagician's gimmick. She was here all the
while. Maria and Billy took outan insurance policy on her and planned to
make me the patsy because I'd testifythat he told me to. Areno hated
her, that she was scared toArena was nice to keep him from spilling
about the twins. Billy was inthe clear on that because he had an
(28:03):
alibi when Farina was killed. Okay, clan I, Okay, we'll put
out a dragnet and they got her, mister Holiday, Yeah, Susie,
(28:37):
they got her. He sounds justlike a story huh, only nobody will
believe it. Look, I've gotan out on my fore to prove it.
But I was just thinking reckless,Susie. I was just thinking,
with that bump, you'll have towear off the safe hat for a while.
You're a great help. Good Nightsnext week, same time. Alan
(29:06):
Ladd stars as Dan Holiday in Boxthirteen. Alan Ladd appears through the courtesy
of Paramount Pictures and may currently beseen in Wild Harvest. Box thirteen is
directed by Richard Sandville, with originalstory by Russell Hughes and original music composed
(29:29):
and conducted by Rudy Schrager. Thepart of Suzie is played by Sylvia Picker.
This is a Mayfair production. Well, welcome back, m I've got
I've got to say, the waythis plot work out, I'm I'm trying.
(29:55):
I think that there were some greatdeductions here by Dan, by Dan
Holliday Holiday to solve this mystery.Just great detective legwork. I was totally
I was totally surprised by by theending and the way that the way that
(30:15):
it was written. Uh though,if they actually performed that second scene rather
than um just inserting the same audiotwice, that may have been a little
bit repetitive for the actors. Well, one show, one show that um
(30:37):
we let that I looked at tosee if it'ld be of any interest was
blank Stone The Magic Detective. Iwas a fifteen minute radio show focusing on
a magician who solved mysteries pretty selfexplanatory. Well, a few minutes of
(31:00):
the show would be dedicated to theactual mystery and then Blackstone explaining his solution.
So you didn't have very much mysterybecause then he did a magic trick
over the radio. He told youhow to do it. You know,
the thing with an illusion is you'rereally amazed when you see it magic over
(31:22):
the radio. I don't necessarily buyit, but I gotta say that,
all things considered, it was done. It was done. It was done
very well here, particularly with thatbox trick in the ways that Holiday unlocked
the key to the whole mystery byfiguring out how that was done. So
(31:45):
very nicely done for Dan Holiday.Or we'll see what Pat Melvak's gonna do
tomorrow and please join us then,got any comments? Send it to Box
thirteen at Great Detectives dot net andalso Policecaster vote over at podcast Alley podcast
alley Dot Great Detectives dot net,and remember to check out one and one
(32:08):
at hosting dot great Detectives dot net. But from Boise, Idaho, this
is your host, Adam Graham signingoff.
Welcome to the Great Detectives of OldTime Radio from Boise, Idaho. This
is your host, Adam Graham,starting off another week with Box thirteen.
You got any comments on the show, feel free to email me Box thirteen
at Great Detectives dot net. Pleasecheck out our surveys survey dot Great Detectives
(00:48):
dot net. Encourage you to getthose results and in it as soon as
possible, and please cast your voteat podcast Alley dot Great Detectives dot net.
Um, we're gonna go ahead andget into today's program in just a
second. I do want to letyou know briefly that we that we strongly
(01:12):
encourage our listeners to try out Oneand one, the world's greatest rebos now
with nine million customers. How doyou get nine million customers? What's by
providing great service, reliable connection ata great and reasonable price. And you
(01:34):
can check it out discover the differencewith one and one with unlimited bandwidth,
so no need to worry that you'regetting against your upper limit. Just try
one on one at at our hostingdot Great Detectives dot net. Try it
out. You can get services forsmall, medium, large businesses as well
(01:57):
as for your home personal internet pagesand also they have got great deals on
domains, so check out one andone, the world's number one web post.
We're gonna get into today's episode ofBox thirteen. This one takes a
look inside the world of magic.Very exciting and and this reminds me of
(02:24):
another show we didn't end up doing. We'll talk about when we get back,
but let's go ahead and get intotoday's episode, The Great Torino,
which should not be confused with themovie recently The Grand Torino. All right,
now, let's seriously let's go aheadand take a listen, and then
(02:44):
we'll come back Box thirteen with thestyle Thomond fictures, Alan lad As Dan
Holiday Box thirteen care of Star Times. I know my life is in danger.
(03:10):
I think you can help me.I'm desperate and don't dare go to
the police. Please, if youwant to help, call at the Tivoy
Theater box office for the ticket leftthere. Our handbills, our handbill will
tell you more. Yeah, that'sthe way it started. A note from
(03:32):
the girl Maria, the theater ticket, and then murder, and now back
(03:59):
to Box thirteen. It was Thursdaywhen I received a letter from Maria through
Box thirteen. Some of the lettersI get up from cranks, some from
people who are just curious about areporter turn fiction writer who advertises adventure wanted,
will go any place, do anything. But with this one, it
(04:23):
was just like Susie said, gmister Holiday, it doesn't look like one
of those crank letters, or somebodythat's just curious thinks you crazy or something.
How can you tell, Susie?Oh, I don't know. Maybe
it's just female ignition. There's adictionary over there, Susie, look up
ignition. Don't you know what itmeans, mister Hallida, If it's when
a woman, if it's Susie skip, I'm supposed to pick up a ticket
(04:46):
for the night's show at the Tivoli. Take a look at this hand though,
Torino, the Great Torino like he'slooks Susie. Well, that's what
I thought. Okay, Susie goesup shop for the day. You can't
follow it up. Huh? That'sthe general idea. Yes, I want
to see what Maria has on hermind and why she's afraid. This was
(05:18):
it. I pick up the ticketat the Tivoli. A big poster told
me this was a charity affair withthe axe doing a two nights stand tickets
ten dollars a throw. I circledaround the lobby, looked at the axe,
advertised singers dances, a dog actand then there it was a big,
(05:38):
life size cut out of the GreatTorino, complete with mustache and goatee.
Nice looking guy, maybe too smoothlooking, but it was what he
was doing that made me think abetter look. He held a rifle to
his shoulder and was aiming it acrossthe lobby at another cutout, and this
one, this one was a girl, pretty m big guys, maybe a
(06:02):
little scared looking, and looking straightacross at the Great Torino and right into
the barrel of that rifle pointed ather head. Well, if this was
Maria, she had a right tohave something on her mind. Anybody who
stands up and lets a rifle befired at her is earning a living the
hard way. I was thinking aboutit when the call but desist in my
(06:24):
ear and didn't time with a crowdduring the overture and took my seat first.
We're all right on the aisle,easy to get in, and USh
Red shoved a program in my hands. The Great Areno was scheduled next to
closing. Oh kay, that man, I'd have to sit through the rest
of the ice I did. Itwas skipping. But the Great Arena was
(06:48):
something different. He had two assistants, a girl and a good looking young
guy. Was a magic to actwith class, and Torena was clever with
his hands. He did a trunkaffect. It was really great, and
the girl who helped was the samegirl whose cutout was in the lobby.
Toreno tied her with the ropes atthe big canvas bag over and locked her
(07:09):
in a trunk. He fired ashot and banged. The girl came running
down the aisle, and the trunkshe was put in well empty. All
done in a split second. Twothe Great Arena took his bow, but
I noticed something. When he reachedout to take the girl's hand and bow
(07:30):
with her, she managed to bebusy at something else. Okay, she
didn't like him. He gave hera funny look and walked to a rack
and picked up a nice nickel platedrifle. I sat up on my seat
because the girl threw a quick lookat me in a tiny nod. No
one would have noticed it, butmay I I looked back at Toreno,
who was speaking. Ladies and agentleman, I wish to call you the
(07:53):
tenth you to my final attack,a most dangerous one, so dangers that
you allusirists, we'll attempt it.The history of the magician art has recorded
several deaths during the fee. Myassistant will go into the audience now and
select a committee of volunteers. Willplease come upon the stage, Maria,
(08:18):
if you be so. The girlwas Maria. I guess, Mike,
you is to be selected as oneof the committee. I raised my hand,
she pecked me, went on thestage with fathers from the audience stood
there while Arena went to the footlightsand spoke again. Please to music,
No music, please, no music. Thank you. Now, ladies and
(08:43):
a gentleman, I shall give thegentleman of the committee this rifle. It
may be examined thoroughly. Also threebullets, which they may mark later for
identification. Gentlemen, drife, andhere the bullets. I please mark the
(09:03):
lead in any way you choose.Unmistakably, we took the rifle and the
bullets, and the great Toreno well, he had the audience sitting on the
edges of their seats. No oneknew exactly what was going to happen,
and Toreno wasn't going to tell themuntil the right time came. And one
of the other men on the committeespoke to him in bullets look okay to
(09:24):
you, as good as any bulletscan look twenty twos? Huh yeah,
how do we mark them? Initials? Yeah? Yeah, a good idea.
The three of us cut our initialsin the lid. That all right
with you, mister Good How aboutthe rest of you suits me. I've
got a knife here, let mesee the rifle. Yeah, sure,
here, rifle. Look okay,no gimmicks, not that I can see.
(09:46):
All right, My initials are cuttingthe bullet. You want to cut
yours? Oh? Yes, Icut my initials DH in one of the
bullets. So we had three bulletswith initials cut in the lead. No
chance for substitute. Then Trina tookthe rifle and the bullets. Thank you,
gentlemen, grat you are satisfied?Sure, yes, good, Now,
(10:09):
if you will all watch closely,I shall load the bullets in the
rifle. So, and what isyour name, sir Holiday? Good?
Then, mister Holiday, if youwill please hold the loaded rifle until I
am ready for it. In thisway there cannot be no trickery. Ladies
(10:33):
and gentlemen. You saw me loadthe market bullets. Yes so, and
you have the loaded rifle. GoodNow, ladies and gentlemen, may I
introduce once a more Maria. Maria, young lady, is as courageous as
she is, a lovely Maria.You will take your place, please,
(10:56):
mister Holiday, would you care toshoot out my Oh no, no,
thank you. Then that leaves itup to me. No the rifle please,
Oh here you are. Thank you, ladies and a gentlemen, I
shall ask for complete quiet. Thankyou, my dear. You are ready,
(11:20):
Yes, I'm ready. The greatTorino walked to the other side of
the stage. He raised the rifleto his shoulder, pointed at a Maria.
She was pale as death. Herarms were tense tight. Perspiration stood
out on a ford not mine,and on everyone in the audience. Then,
(11:48):
so help me, this is whathappened. A bullet appeared between Maria's
teeth. She let it drop toa plate she held in her hands.
Then and two more let's pop betweenher teeth and fell to the plate.
No one in the audience moved,nor applause, just that tense feeling.
Toreno walked over, took the plate. His hands never touched the bullets.
(12:11):
I'll sweat to it. He walkedto me and the other three men with
me, and gentlemen, you willplease do identify the bullets. Yes,
this one initials d gee that's me. Yeah, yeah, that's mine,
all right, thank you, Andthis one kay er mine, thank you,
(12:33):
And the third d H that's mine. How did he do it?
I don't know. All I knowis that when I walked off the stage,
Maria managed to get a note intomy hands when I read it later,
and asked me to meet her alittle coffee shot about three blocks from
(12:54):
the theater. All right, that'swhat I did. We sat on the
boot back out of the way,and Maria talked, thank you for coming,
mister Holiday. That's all right,Maria. I saw a great act.
But what am I doing in it? You can help me? Please
help me? How doing what youcan keep Toreno from killing me my coffee?
(13:16):
Didn't you hear me? Oh suresure, but I don't get it.
You saw the act, the rifletrick, Yeah, it was great.
Then you must see how easy itwould be for Torino to kill me
while doing it. Slow up alittle, Maria, Let's start from the
beginning. All right, you sawthe other assistant, mean, a good
(13:37):
looking kenner. That's Billy. Ilove him and he loves me. Then
what's your problem, Treen? No, he hates Billy and he hates me
for loving Billy. Jealous insanely?Well quit, then I will after tomorrow
night's performance. But why wait?If you're afraid, I won't be afraid.
If you're there, what could Ido? Be on looking again?
(14:00):
If I think anything's wrong, I'llsignal you and then do anything. Drop
the rifle, but don't give itback to Torena. Now wait a minute.
How could he kill you? He'dclaim it was an accident. Three
magicians, all their assistants have beenkilled accidentally doing the trick. The mechanism
of the gun goes wrong, givingaway secrets. Maria, I have to
there's a mechanism in the breach ofthe gun. He drops the real bullets
(14:24):
down into Torino's hand when he closesthe breech. Oh, then I get
an unloaded gun. There are blanksin it. The mechanism substitutes them for
the real bullet. That's good.And he slips the real bullets to you.
Yes, when he takes my handto introduce me, and you slip
them into your mouth while the audienceis watching Torena in the rifle, I
(14:45):
say, area, Yes, whydon't you go to the police. Torena
would know, he'd know how hewatches me. And aren't you afraid he's
watching? Now? No? Nottonight, I slipped away. I don't.
I could manage it the game.Don't you see, mister Holiday,
You're my only chance I saw youhad in the paper Box thirteen. You
(15:07):
mean the police would ask him questionsand he'd lay low until he got the
chance to y Will you be theretomorrow night, mister Holiday? Look,
I have a ticket for you herethe same seer. Please please all right,
Maria, I'll be there, Thankyou, thank you, and we'll
try to keep the trick from beingtrump by the Great Torino. And now
(15:45):
back to Box thirteen with Allen laddas damn Holiday. Well, it sounded
like a great assignment from the wayto set up. Look from where I
sat, it gave the Great Trinaa perfect chance to kill Maria. I
checked on Maria's story about the accidentaldeath during the trick, and Jonesie at
(16:06):
the Star Times verified it. Thesmart cookie like Arena could take an accident.
And who's going to pin the blackribbon on him? Nobody? Okay,
it's up to you Holiday to figureit out. Next night, I
(16:27):
sat on the same seat and watchedArena go through his act. The trunk
things still great, knocked the audienceoff their seats. Me too, couldn't
figure it, but the big stuffwas still to come. The rifle trick
and went on the stage. Keptmy eyes on Maria. I marked one
of the bullets again. Oddly enough, Torena didn't seem to recognize me.
(16:48):
That was all right with me.Arena went through his same spiel, word
for word. I kept my eyeson Maria, but it was though she'd
never seen me before and alive.She looked Wow, it sounds silly,
but she looked hypnotized. Then Iheard Torena saying to me, mister Honeyday,
would you care to shoot at Maria? No, thank you. Torena
(17:12):
looked at me hard. My nameand my face together might have tipped him.
There was a funny look in hiseyes. I stared up Maria not
a sign from her. Maria,you are ready? Yeah, I'm ready.
I relaxed a little. She hadn'tgiven me a sign everything was all
right? And then Aria, shedropped. Maria dropped right between her eyes
(17:40):
was a little round hole love holiday? Is that straight? That story?
Sure? It has claimed she wasafraid she'd be killed, But you say
she didn't give you a high sign. No, she didn't even look at
me. But she told you ifthere was anything wrong, she'd tip you.
Yes, but she didn't tip me. Okay, gets arena over here.
(18:06):
Yes, it all right, yoetI the ideas holiday, I'm dry
bone, dry cling. And whatabout this guy Billy she told you about?
I told you was actually actually there'ssomething she was going wrong? Please
now accidents, the wrong accident tothe coppen. I am an artist.
(18:26):
Do you tell me I'll do somethingwrong? I no, no, no,
it's what this guy in his dressedhit him? Now, the close
off that head of scene. ButI went off from outside. Come on,
it's funny, cling, I'm hysterical. I don't think what's funny.
(18:48):
The girl Maria, I don't thinkshe knew me to night. She looked
right at me, didn't give mea tumble. Yeah. So she told
me she'd signal me if anything waswrong. I I don't get it,
but it looks as though she shewhat she deliberately let toreno fire a gun
she knew was set the killer.That makes great ex sense. I know
(19:11):
no sense at all. And besidesthat, there're gonna let him tell you
what's all an accident? We don'tbelieve it. He killer, that's Billy
Cling. Why let me ask mea couple of things. Look, Holiday,
I'm in charge of this case.You're in a rain check, okay,
but I'm in huh yeah, forthe one reason that Maria told you
about at night. It wasn't anaccident. I better go help the serge.
(19:32):
Any objections by Mosey along with you, none, Just keep your mouth
closed, that's all. Sure.So I listened a while, Cling asked
questions, but there was something knockingat the back of my head asking to
be let in me. Something I'dseen, heard, remembered. I didn't
know. But what bothered me wasMaria not giving me a signal when she
(19:57):
said you didn't know if Arena wasup to something. Billy answered Kling's question,
No, oh, I know it'sthe Torino bluff Maria. He said
he'd kill her if he saw mehanging around him. Who loads the rifle?
Was playing? Maria? Maria?She do it to night, she
always does it. Maria loaded theriflests she did before the performance. So
(20:22):
I got an idea. I leftthe stage where the investigation was going on,
and I walked back to stage towardthe dressing rooms. I wanted to
talk to Torino, but there wasa large blue cop sitting at the door.
He looked at me and well,Holiday, Hi, ammer, I
feel lousy. No, it's toobad, say y I think I could
talk to Torino. No, ohno, Look you can watch and listen,
(20:45):
tell Cling everything that goes on.Pray, introtect you Holiday, Nope,
playing aunch? What about? Whynot listening? Find out? And
if you learn anything, tell Clingand you might learn something and you mean
something that might break the case.Yeah, Mike, O, Hey,
(21:06):
what's the matter? Murph? Answerus A couple of stripes? Hey?
Sure, oh okay, but I'mstanding right here in the sand. Sure
right, Hey, you get uping? Oh brother, Look, h ain't
(21:26):
nobody going to ask him no questions? No, I don't think he's in
any shape to answer a promotion.You see a promotion. I'll be lucky
if I hold up for good.This guy's been knife right under my nose.
That's right. Somebody stabbed Torino.He was as dead as Maria.
(21:48):
And nobody saw anybody go in orout of the dressing room. There was
one window. It was open,but the officer outside, so he had
his eye on it. Nobody inor out, and nobody in the room
but Toreno. The knife was inhis back, so suicide was on.
(22:11):
Cling and his boys turned the roomupside down to Areno's apparatus and funks were
shoved around. Still nobody, andit turned out nobody had a motive for
killing Toreno except Billy me me,are you crazy? I never left the
stage. I was talking to you. I was answering questions. I can't
(22:32):
be in two places at once,can I? He was so right?
Kling was tearing his hair, thenmore questions. The rest of the acts
were strangers to Toreno. Knew nothingabout him. I was thinking about it
when something hit me, something Billyhad said. While Kling was still firing
questions. I got to a phone. Hello, Hia, Kenny still running
(23:06):
that private eye, So well,do something funny, will you? M
hmm, okay, put a manon the Tivoli theater right now and get
him to tell a guy named BillyHuh. Here's what he looks like,
about five nine, stucky like complexion, wearing grapes. Good morning, mister
(23:33):
Holiday. Hio sous you any messages? Uh? Huh? The detective agency
called? And why what's a message? I wrote it cam' shorthand here uh
trailed Billy in shoe No moment,terrible ink Uh oh, I got two
insurance company this morning. He playsclaim for double indemnity policy for his wife,
(23:57):
Maria's baker. Wait a minute,mister Hiday, that's not all.
That's enough. I see you letterjusie tourno Turina step on Jonesy. Oh
you want odd facts, it takestime to find them, even in the
mortgatter start times. Okay, Jonesy, Okay, but hurry up with you.
(24:18):
Ah. Here we are Tono bornItaly. Skip that how long has
been in the country? Six months? Noted magician in Italy and Europe before
the war. Only six months,Jonesy. If you were a magician,
you wanted assistance. How would youget them advertising a billboard magazine for show
folks? What else where can Isee? The last six months copies of
(24:40):
the Billboard? And I got alocal office in town. All the copies
you want? Hey, where areyou going? Thanks? Jonesy be saying
I've got a lot of reading todo. Six months copies of the Billboard.
I looked through every one of them, and when my eyes were falling
out of my head, I thoughtan advertisement, the one I wanted,
(25:02):
and the one that tied up withsomething Billy said and something I saw during
Torino's act. I tried to getplaying on the phone, but no dice.
He was out. I left wordfor him to meet me at the
Tivoli and I went there myself.There was nobody there but the watchman five
(25:23):
dollar bill got me in. Oh, there's no place gloomier than backstage in
an empty theater. I headed forTorino's dressing room because I had a good
idea how someone got in and stabbedto arena, then disappeared. I opened
the door, stepped inside. Wasdark. The shade on the window must
(25:48):
have been done. That was fumblingfor the light switch when somebody pulled a
shade on me. Got any ideawho slugged your holiday? Yeah? Cling,
I have all right? Who delly? Maybe no dice. He didn't
(26:08):
come near this place. We hada tail on him, you know about
the insurance. Sure, but hecouldn't have killed his wife because she loaded
the blanks in her again and themedical examiners reported on the bullet that killed
her. What about that twenty two? No initials on it? No?
None, So it looks like thisMaria deliberately planned her own death. It
wasn't an accident. If it hadbeen, the bullet in her head would
(26:30):
have been marked. Cling put outa dragnan for who, But no one
is slugged me. I'll cut itholiday, you know aning spilet before I
lose my temper. Who do youwant to pick up? Here's a description?
Young woman about twenty six six,brown hair, lovely blue eyes,
about five foot two. Worked asa magician's assistant. Hey what are you
(26:52):
giving me? That's Maria? Maria? She's dead, you're dope? You
mean her twin sisters dead? Clingit? What are you talking about? The
trunk effect areno work could have onlybeen done with twins. Billy tipped me
off on it Billie sure when hesaid nobody could be in two places at
once and Toreno advertised in the billboardfor twins. You aren't dreaming, miss
(27:15):
put out a dragon. It forMaria who stabbed Arena. Maria, she
got her twin sister to take herplace in the rifle trick last night.
That's why I didn't get a signalfrom her. The sister didn't know me
from Adam. Now, look Holiday, we searched this dressing room. There
was nobody in it when Torino wasstabbed. Maria was here, Look false
(27:38):
back in his cabinet, good oldmagician's gimmick. She was here all the
while. Maria and Billy took outan insurance policy on her and planned to
make me the patsy because I'd testifythat he told me to. Areno hated
her, that she was scared toArena was nice to keep him from spilling
about the twins. Billy was inthe clear on that because he had an
(28:03):
alibi when Farina was killed. Okay, clan I, Okay, we'll put
out a dragnet and they got her, mister Holiday, Yeah, Susie,
(28:37):
they got her. He sounds justlike a story huh, only nobody will
believe it. Look, I've gotan out on my fore to prove it.
But I was just thinking reckless,Susie. I was just thinking,
with that bump, you'll have towear off the safe hat for a while.
You're a great help. Good Nightsnext week, same time. Alan
(29:06):
Ladd stars as Dan Holiday in Boxthirteen. Alan Ladd appears through the courtesy
of Paramount Pictures and may currently beseen in Wild Harvest. Box thirteen is
directed by Richard Sandville, with originalstory by Russell Hughes and original music composed
(29:29):
and conducted by Rudy Schrager. Thepart of Suzie is played by Sylvia Picker.
This is a Mayfair production. Well, welcome back, m I've got
I've got to say, the waythis plot work out, I'm I'm trying.
(29:55):
I think that there were some greatdeductions here by Dan, by Dan
Holliday Holiday to solve this mystery.Just great detective legwork. I was totally
I was totally surprised by by theending and the way that the way that
(30:15):
it was written. Uh though,if they actually performed that second scene rather
than um just inserting the same audiotwice, that may have been a little
bit repetitive for the actors. Well, one show, one show that um
(30:37):
we let that I looked at tosee if it'ld be of any interest was
blank Stone The Magic Detective. Iwas a fifteen minute radio show focusing on
a magician who solved mysteries pretty selfexplanatory. Well, a few minutes of
(31:00):
the show would be dedicated to theactual mystery and then Blackstone explaining his solution.
So you didn't have very much mysterybecause then he did a magic trick
over the radio. He told youhow to do it. You know,
the thing with an illusion is you'rereally amazed when you see it magic over
(31:22):
the radio. I don't necessarily buyit, but I gotta say that,
all things considered, it was done. It was done. It was done
very well here, particularly with thatbox trick in the ways that Holiday unlocked
the key to the whole mystery byfiguring out how that was done. So
(31:45):
very nicely done for Dan Holiday.Or we'll see what Pat Melvak's gonna do
tomorrow and please join us then,got any comments? Send it to Box
thirteen at Great Detectives dot net andalso Policecaster vote over at podcast Alley podcast
alley Dot Great Detectives dot net,and remember to check out one and one
(32:08):
at hosting dot great Detectives dot net. But from Boise, Idaho, this
is your host, Adam Graham signingoff.
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