The Rebel, a Western television series starring Nick Adams as ex-Confederate soldier Johnny Yuma, ran for two seasons on ABC before being cancelled, despite airing during the Western genre's peak popularity in film and television. The show followed Yuma as he wandered the post-Civil War American West hunting down criminals in search of inner peace, and it earned a lasting reputation in the industry thanks to its striking use of guest stars rather than a large regular cast.

Nick Adams was the only permanent cast member, allowing each episode to introduce fresh characters, and the roster of guest performers included Johnny Cash, who both sang the show's theme tune and appeared on screen, as well as Leonard Nimoy and Robert Vaughn. Several episodes were directed by Irwin Kershner, who later directed Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, underscoring the calibre of talent involved both in front of and behind the camera despite the series' short run.