Norman JewisonDirector
Sidney PoitierVirgil Tibbs
Rod SteigerBill Gillespie
Warren OatesSam Wood
Quentin DeanDelores Purdy
James PattersonPurdy, Delores' brother
William SchallertMayor Webb Schubert
Lee GrantMrs. Leslie Colbert
Scott WilsonHarvey Oberst
Matt ClarkPacky Harrison
Anthony JamesRalph Henshaw
Larry GatesEric Endicott
Kermit MurdockH.E. Henderson
Khalil BezaleelJess
Beah RichardsMama Caleba
Peter WhitneyGeorge Courtney
William WatsonMcNeil
Timothy Scott"Shagbag" Martin
Jack TeterPhilip Colbert (uncredited)
Alan OppenheimerTed Appleton (uncredited)