In the Heat of the Night is a 1967 American mystery drama film directed by Norman Jewison. It is based on John Ball's 1965 novel of the same name and tells the story of Virgil Tibbs, a black ...

His portrayal of Virgil Tibbs in the 1967 film In the Heat of the Night was no different. The movie, released amid the civil rights movement, tells the story of a Philadelphia detective that ...