Question 1

Why was 'In the Heat of the Night' filmed in Illinois instead of Mississippi?

Accepted Answer

Sidney Poitier insisted on filming in the North due to a near-fatal incident with the Ku Klux Klan in Mississippi, so Sparta, IL, was chosen. The crew briefly went to Tennessee for cotton plantation scenes.

Question 2

What lighting innovation was used for Sidney Poitier in this film?

Accepted Answer

It was the first major Hollywood color film lit properly for dark skin, with Haskell Wexler toning down standard lighting to reduce glare on Poitier.

Question 3

How much gum did Rod Steiger chew while playing Chief Bill Gillespie?

Accepted Answer

Rod Steiger went through 263 packs of gum during shooting, after initially resisting director Norman Jewison's request to chew gum for the role.

Question 4

What unusual technique did actors use to hide their breath in night scenes?

Accepted Answer

Actors kept ice chips in their mouths and removed them before takes to prevent exhalation vapor from appearing on camera, as the film was shot in autumn Illinois but set in a hot Mississippi summer.

Question 5

Which major awards did 'In the Heat of the Night' win?

Accepted Answer

It won awards at the New York Film Critics Circle Awards (1967), BAFTA Awards (1968), Directors Guild of America (1968), Golden Globes (1968), Academy Awards (1968), and Writers Guild of America (1968).

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In the Heat of the Night

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