THE REBEL needs THE YANK! Writer/producer Andrew J. Fenady wanted a companion show to his Nick Adams series starring his friend, James Drury. The year was 1960 and Fenady, steeped in western history and Civil War lore, put together a terrific script, cast and production team for THE YANK. Fenady also enlisted the same director who had helmed THE REBEL’s first episode in 1959, Irvin Kershner.

Both pilots were loaded with hard cuts, violence, and interesting camera placement. THE REBEL, starring Nick Adams, had sold quickly. Fenady was hoping that lightning would strike twice. In addition to working together on THE REBEL, Fenady and Kershner had previously teamed on the low budget cult classic, STAKEOUT ON DOPE STREET. All were years before George Lucas tapped Kershner to direct the STAR WARS sequel, THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980).

Fenady, whether it was for his TV series THE REBEL, BRANDED or HONDO, always packed his programs, and movies like CHISUM, with very talented character actors we all know and love. In THE YANK, we see an array of the finest. John McIntire. L.Q. Jones. Harry Townes. Don Megowan. John Sutton. Jack Pennick. And, as a picked upon exYankee surgeon in a Southern town, James Drury is terrific, gives a very strong performance and shows why he became one of TV’s most popular performers. Lots of moral dilemma and compromised characters populate this solid half hour.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, THE YANK failed to get picked up. Unfortunate for Fenady, but fortunate for Jim Drury because he soon became the star of the 3rd longest running network western in TV history, THE VIRGINIAN (19621971).

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