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.
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

Jester Hairston
Endicott's Butler

Stuart Nisbet
Shuie
Khalil Bezaleel
Jess

Peter Masterson
Fryer
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