In the Heat of the Night

Synopsis

African-American Philadelphia police detective Virgil Tibbs is arrested on suspicion of murder by Bill Gillespie, the racist police chief of tiny Sparta, Mississippi. After Tibbs proves not only his own innocence but that of another man, he joins forces with Gillespie to track down the real killer. Their investigation takes them through every social level of the town, with Tibbs making enemies as well as unlikely friends as he hunts for the truth.

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Cast

Sidney Poitier

Virgil Tibbs

Rod Steiger

Police Chief Bill Gillespie

Warren Oates

Deputy Sam Wood

Peter Whitney

Deputy Courtney

Lee Grant

Mrs. Leslie Colbert

Anthony James

Ralph

William Schallert

Mayor Schubert

Scott Wilson

Harvey Oberst

Larry Gates

Eric Endicott

James Patterson

Mr. Purdy

Quentin Dean

Delores Purdy

—

Kermit Murdock

Henderson

—

Larry D. Mann

Watkins

Matt Clark

Packy

Beah Richards

Mama Caleba

Arthur Malet

Ulam

Fred Stewart

Dr. Stuart

Timothy Scott

Shagbag

William Watson

McNeil

—

Eldon Quick

Charles Hawthorne

Crew

Art

• Robert Priestley Set Decoration
• Paul Groesse Art Direction
• Joseph Musso Production Illustrator
• Wayne Fitzgerald Title Designer
• Stephen R. Ferry Props
• Murray Naidich Title Designer

Camera

• Haskell Wexler Director of Photography
• Morris Rosen Grip
• Ralph Gerling Camera Operator

Costume & Make-Up

• Alan Levine Costume Design
• Del Armstrong Makeup Artist

Crew

• John Moio Stunts

Directing

• Norman Jewison Director
• Meta Rebner Script Supervisor
• Newt Arnold Second Assistant Director
• Terry Morse Jr. First Assistant Director

Editing

• Hal Ashby Editor
• Byron 'Buzz' Brandt Assistant Editor

Lighting

• Ross A. Maehl Gaffer
• Don Stott Gaffer

Production

• Walter Mirisch Producer
• Lynn Stalmaster Casting
• Jim Henderling Production Manager
• Howard Joslin Unit Production Manager
• Allen K. Wood Production Supervisor
• Hal Ashby Producer's Assistant

Sound

• Quincy Jones Original Music Composer
• Clem Portman Sound Re-Recording Mixer
• Kevin F. Cleary Sound
• Charles Cooper Sound
• Walter Goss Sound
• Richard Carruth Music Editor
• Quincy Jones Songs
• Ray Charles Vocals
• James A. Richards Sound Editor

Writing

• John Ball Novel
• Stirling Silliphant Screenplay
• Alan Bergman Lyricist
• Marilyn Bergman Lyricist

Photos