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In the Heat of the Night
S2.E9
All episodesAll
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Stranger in Town

  • Episode aired Jan 17, 1989
  • TV-PG
  • 1h
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
85
YOUR RATING
Carroll O'Connor, Alan Autry, Renée Jones, and Howard E. Rollins Jr. in In the Heat of the Night (1988)
CrimeDramaMysteryThriller

The investigation of a prostitute's murder is complicated when a traveling cook comes to Sparta and starts working at the Magnolia Cafe.The investigation of a prostitute's murder is complicated when a traveling cook comes to Sparta and starts working at the Magnolia Cafe.The investigation of a prostitute's murder is complicated when a traveling cook comes to Sparta and starts working at the Magnolia Cafe.

  • Director
    • Michael Ray Rhodes
  • Writers
    • Jordan Budde
    • John Ball
  • Stars
    • Carroll O'Connor
    • Howard E. Rollins Jr.
    • Alan Autry
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • IMDb RATING
    8.1/10
    85
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Michael Ray Rhodes
    • Writers
      • Jordan Budde
      • John Ball
    • Stars
      • Carroll O'Connor
      • Howard E. Rollins Jr.
      • Alan Autry
    • 2User reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro

    • Photos

    Top Cast19

    Edit
    Carroll O'Connor
    Carroll O'Connor
    • Chief William O. 'Bill' Gillespie
    Howard E. Rollins Jr.
    Howard E. Rollins Jr.
    • Chief of Detectives Virgil Tibbs
    • (as Howard Rollins)
    Alan Autry
    Alan Autry
    • Sgt. V. L. 'Bubba' Skinner
    Anne-Marie Johnson
    Anne-Marie Johnson
    • Althea Tibbs
    • (credit only)
    Lois Nettleton
    Lois Nettleton
    • Joanne St. John
    David Hart
    David Hart
    • Officer Parker Williams
    Geoffrey Thorne
    Geoffrey Thorne
    • Officer Wilson Sweet
    Hugh O'Connor
    Hugh O'Connor
    • Cpl. Lonnie Jamison
    Eric Pierpoint
    Eric Pierpoint
    • Clay Caulder
    Renée Jones
    Renée Jones
    • Topaz
    • (as Renee Jones)
    • …
    Maceo Walker
    • Atticus Paul
    Shilla Benning
    Shilla Benning
    • Angie Dupree
    Suzi Bass
    • Eula
    Bill Ash
    • Tom
    Jerry Campbell
    • Security Guard
    Marc Gowan
    Marc Gowan
    • Attorney Royce Johnson
    Gary Bullock
    Gary Bullock
    • Man #1
    Larry Mize
    • Man #2
    • Director
      • Michael Ray Rhodes
    • Writers
      • Jordan Budde
      • John Ball
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews2

    8.185
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    Featured reviews

    6bkoganbing

    Different suspects

    There's a difference of opinion between Carroll O'Connor and Howard Rollins on whom to focus on as a prime suspect in the death of a prostitute from the Bottoms in this episode.

    Rollins thinks that Maceo Walker who is a strong arm guy and would be pimp to Sparta's working girls.

    On the other hand that homicide coincides with he arrival of Eric Pierpont who is filling in as a short order cook at Lois Nettleton's cafe. There might be a bit of a personal angle for O'Connor here.

    All I can say is to some degree both are right.

    Related interests

    James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Sharon Angela, Max Casella, Dan Grimaldi, Joe Perrino, Donna Pescow, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico, and Michael Drayer in The Sopranos (1999)
    Crime
    Naomie Harris, Mahershala Ali, Janelle Monáe, André Holland, Herman Caheej McGloun, Edson Jean, Alex R. Hibbert, and Tanisha Cidel in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway in Chinatown (1974)
    Mystery
    Cho Yeo-jeong in Parasite (2019)
    Thriller

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Renee Jones returns in a later episode as a different character. She did this on the soap opera Days of our Lives too. In the early 80s she played Nikki Wade for a brief run and then returned for a few decades run as another cop turned doctor Lexie Carver.
    • Goofs
      When Clay fled from the room when Topaz began screaming, the camera showed him leaping from a ground floor window although the room was on the second floor.
    • Quotes

      Chief William O. 'Bill' Gillespie: Well don't give me the mad look. You can only go so far browbeating a kid then you don't get more you get less.

    • Connections
      Featured in The 41st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1989)

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 17, 1989 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Filming locations
      • Covington, Georgia, USA
    • Production companies
      • Fred Silverman Company
      • Juanita Bartlett Production
      • MGM Television
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h(60 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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