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
Phil Adams
1st Tough
Nikita Knatz
2nd Tough
Sam Reese
Clerk
Jack Teter
Philip Colbert (uncredited)
Alan Oppenheimer
Ted Appleton (uncredited)
Clegg Hoyt
Deputy (uncredited)
Buzz Barton
Conductor (uncredited)
Crew
Norman Jewison
Director
Stirling Silliphant
Screenplay
John Ball
Novel
Hal Ashby
Editor, Producer's Assistant
Byron 'Buzz' Brandt
Assistant Editor
Haskell Wexler
Director of Photography
Terry Morse Jr.
First Assistant Director
Newt Arnold
Second Assistant Director
Allen K. Wood
Production Supervisor
Walter Mirisch
Producer
Ralph Gerling
Camera Operator
Lynn Stalmaster
Casting
Alan Levine
Costume Design
Del Armstrong
Makeup Artist
James A. Richards
Sound Editor
Clem Portman
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Walter Goss
Sound
Kevin F. Cleary
Sound
Charles Cooper
Sound
Quincy Jones
Original Music Composer, Songs
Richard Carruth
Music Editor
Alan Bergman
Lyricist
Marilyn Bergman
Lyricist
Robert Priestley
Set Decoration
Stephen R. Ferry
Props
Meta Rebner
Script Supervisor
John Moio
Stunts
Joseph Musso
Production Illustrator
Morris Rosen
Grip
Ross A. Maehl
Gaffer
Don Stott
Gaffer
Jim Henderling
Production Manager
Howard Joslin
Unit Production Manager
Wayne Fitzgerald
Title Designer
Murray Naidich
Title Designer
Paul Groesse
Art Direction
Ray Charles
Vocals
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Narc
1992