In the Heat of the Night [10633] Released: 1967-08-02 Revenue: $27,379,978 Budget: $2,000,000 Profit: $25,379,978 Runtime: 109 mins Popularity: 3.4062 Vote Average: 7.644 Vote Count: 1,135 Overview: 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 [31] Sidney PoitierVirgil Tibbs Rod SteigerPolice Chief Bil Warren OatesDeputy Sam Wood Peter WhitneyDeputy Courtney Lee GrantMrs. Leslie Colb Anthony JamesRalph William SchallertMayor Schubert Scott WilsonHarvey Oberst Larry GatesEric Endicott James PattersonMr. Purdy Quentin DeanDelores Purdy Kermit MurdockHenderson Larry D. MannWatkins Matt ClarkPacky Beah RichardsMama Caleba Arthur MaletUlam Fred StewartDr. Stuart Timothy ScottShagbag William WatsonMcNeil Eldon QuickCharles Hawthorn Jester HairstonEndicott's Butle Stuart NisbetShuie Khalil BezaleelJess Peter MastersonFryer Phil Adams1st Tough Nikita Knatz2nd Tough Sam ReeseClerk Jack TeterPhilip Colbert Alan OppenheimerTed Appleton Clegg HoytDeputy Buzz BartonConductor Trailers Detective Tibbs Outsmarts the Coroner | In the Heat of the Night (1967) | TCM "I'm A Police Officer" Train Station Scene Autopsy Scene TCM Big Screen Classics 55th Anniversary Spot Mr. Tibbs Slaps Endicott Official Trailer Laurence Fishburne on IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT In the Heat of the Night (1967) Discussion with Lee Grant, Walter Mirisch and Norman Jewison Rod Steiger winning an OscarĀ® for Best Actor