The flow field induced in a cylindrical container by the rotation of the container and/or the end wall(s) about the axis of symmetry is highly vortical. If the container and the end walls are rotated at different angular velocities, a meridional flow develops due to the tilting and stretching of the axial vorticity created by the rotation of the bounding surfaces. In the present study, the flow field induced by the differential rotation of the container and one end wall while the other end wall remains fixed is numerically studied for a range of Reynolds numbers and ratios of the container to the end wall rotation rate. It is shown that the production of azimuthal vorticity by the tilting and stretching of axial vorticity causes the container side wall boundary layer to separate for a range of Reynolds numbers and ratios of the container to the end wall rotation rate.