In the Heat of the Night

In the Heat of the Night is a 1967 film which tells the story of a Northern African-American police detective who becomes involved in a murder investigation in a small Southern town. It stars Sidney Poitier, Rod Steiger, Warren Oates, Lee Grant, Larry Gates, James Patterson, William Schallert and Beah Richards.

The movie was adapted by Stirling Silliphant from the novel by John Ball. It was directed by Norman Jewison.

It won Academy Awards for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Rod Steiger), Best Film Editing, Best Picture, Best Sound and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium. It was nominated for Best Director and Best Effects, Sound Effects.

In the Heat of the Night was followed by two sequels, They Call Me MISTER Tibbs in 1970, and The Organization in 1971. In 1988, a television series based on the original movie premiered, starring Carroll O'Connor and Howard Rollins.

In 2002 the United States Library of Congress deemed the original film "culturally significant" and selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry.