Sidney Poitier as Virgil Tibbs

Rod Steiger as Police Chief Bill Gillespie

Warren Oates as Deputy Sam Wood

Peter Whitney as Deputy Courtney

Lee Grant as Mrs. Leslie Colbert

Anthony James as Ralph

William Schallert as Mayor Schubert

Scott Wilson as Harvey Oberst

Larry Gates as Eric Endicott

James Patterson as Mr. Purdy

Quentin Dean as Delores Purdy

Kermit Murdock as Henderson

Larry D. Mann as Watkins

Matt Clark as Packy

Beah Richards as Mama Caleba

Arthur Malet as Ulam

Fred Stewart as Dr. Stuart

Timothy Scott as Shagbag

William Watson as McNeil

Eldon Quick as Charles Hawthorne

Jester Hairston as Endicott's Butler

Stuart Nisbet as Shuie

Khalil Bezaleel as Jess

Peter Masterson as Fryer

Phil Adams as 1st Tough

Nikita Knatz as 2nd Tough

Sam Reese as Clerk

Jack Teter as Philip Colbert (uncredited)

Alan Oppenheimer as Ted Appleton (uncredited)

Clegg Hoyt as Deputy (uncredited)

Buzz Barton as Conductor (uncredited)