In the Heat of the Night_
"They got a murder on their hands. They don’t know what to do with it."
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.
Starring
Sidney Poitier, Rod Steiger, Warren Oates
Box Office
$27.4M
Updated Feb 16, 2026
WHERE TO WATCH
DROPTHE_ GOSSIP
Box office
In the Heat of the Night earned $27.4M worldwide on a $2.0M budget — a 1,269% return on investment.
Year context
In the Heat of the Night was released 59 years ago in 1967.
In the Heat of the Night is a Crime, Drama, Mystery film with a runtime of 1h 49m.
CAST (20)
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
KM
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
EQ
Eldon Quick
Charles Hawthorne
BOX OFFICE
$2.0M
Budget
$27.4M
Revenue
+1269%
ROI
MASSIVE HIT
Verdict
DETAILS
Release
Status
Released
Runtime
109 min (1h 49m)
Language
English
Country
Rating
7.7/10 (1,199 votes)
Popularity
3
Budget
$2,000,000
Box Office
$27,379,978
Profit
+$25,379,978
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is In the Heat of the Night about?
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.
How long is In the Heat of the Night?
In the Heat of the Night has a runtime of 109 minutes (1h 49m).
Who stars in In the Heat of the Night?
The cast of In the Heat of the Night includes Sidney Poitier, Rod Steiger, Warren Oates, Peter Whitney, Lee Grant.
How much did In the Heat of the Night make at the box office?
In the Heat of the Night earned $27,379,978 worldwide at the box office. The production budget was $2,000,000.
What is the rating of In the Heat of the Night?
In the Heat of the Night has a rating of 7.7 out of 10 based on 1,199 votes on TMDB.
GENRES (4)
Crime
Drama
Mystery
Thriller