In the Heat of the Night
1967 film by Norman Jewison · Released 1967
In the Heat of the Night is a 1967 American Southern Gothic neo-noir film directed by Norman Jewison, produced by Walter Mirisch, and starring Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger. It tells the story of Virgil Tibbs (Poitier), a black police detective from Philadelphia, who becomes embroiled in a murder investigation in a small town in Mississippi. The film was adapted by Stirling Silliphant from John Ball's 1965 novel of the same name. Released by United Artists in August 1967, the film was a widespread critical and commercial success.
Cast ages at release (1967)
- Sidney Poitier, as Detective Virgil Tibbs: 39–40
- Rod Steiger, as Police Chief Bill Gillespie: 41–42
- Warren Oates, as Officer Sam Wood: 38–39
- Lee Grant, as Mrs: 39–40
- James Patterson, as Lloyd Purdy: 19–20
- Beah Richards, as Mama Caleba: 46–47
- Larry Gates, as Eric Endicott: 51–52
- Scott Wilson, as Harvey Oberst: 24–25
- Peter Masterson, as Fryer: 32–33
- Arthur Malet, as Ulam: 39–40
- Larry D. Mann, as Watkins: 44–45
- Peter Whitney, as Courtney: 50–51
- Quentin Dean, as Delores Purdy: 22–23
- William Schallert, as Mayor Schubert: 44–45
- Matt Clark, as "Packy" Harrison: 30–31
- Alan Oppenheimer, as Ted Appleton: 36–37
- Timothy Scott, as Shagbag: 29–30
- Anthony James, as Ralph Henshaw: 24–25