In the Heat of the Night

Directed by Norman Jewison

Written by John Ball, Stirling Silliphant, Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman

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.

Cast

Sidney Poitier

Det. Virgil Tibbs

Rod Steiger

Police Chief Bill Gillespie

Warren Oates

Deputy Sam Wood

Lee Grant

Mrs. Leslie Colbert

Larry Gates

Eric Endicott

James Patterson

Mr. Purdy

William Schallert

Mayor Schubert

Beah Richards

Mama Caleba

Peter Whitney

Deputy Courtney

?

Kermit Murdock

Henderson

?

Larry D. Mann

Watkins

Matt Clark

Packy Harrison