The Western was the major genre on television in the late fifties and early sixties. 'Wagon Train', 'Gunsmoke', 'Cheyenne', 'Maverick', 'Rawhide', 'Laramie' and 'Bonanza' were rewarding their sponsors and networks with large audiences.

A revisionist version of Owen Wister's classic 1902 novel of the same name, the Virginian became a cult classic with a huge fan base all over the world. The series centered on a foreman, played by James Drury, who went by the name The Virginian; his real name was never revealed in the nine years the show was on the air. The series took place in Medicine Bow, Wyoming, and revolved around The Virginian's quest to maintain an orderly lifestyle for the ranch he worked on, which was called Shiloh Ranch.

The show attracted a host of first-rate performers, including Bette Davis, Lee Marvin, Charles Bronson, George C. Scott and Brandon De Wilde. It also served as a training ground for up and coming talent such as Robert Redford, Peter Deuel, Leonard Nimoy, Julie Sommars and Kurt Russell.