Harriet DeLong is a fictional character portrayed by Denise Nicholas in the TV series In the Heat of the Night.
In the first episode they appeared in, titled First Girl (season 3), they were 45 years old.
They appear in 69 episodes out of a total of 146 aired and have accumulated 15 positive votes.
Episodes69
First Girl
episode S3.E4 november 1989The Sparta Police Department welcome their first female officer.
Hello in There
episode S3.E13 january 1990A young boy refuses to speak after he witnesses his father's murder.
An Angry Woman
episode S3.E18 march 1990Althea grieves when an impoverished coworker dies in a hit-and-run accident, while the Police investigate the incident.
Night of the Killing
episode S3.E20 march 1990Gillespie and Tibbs clash over who the guilty party is in the murder of a cab driver, until a local informant provides some vital information.
Citizen Trundel: Part 1
episode S3.E21 may 1990Harriet Delong's sister is killed in a murder ordered by her married lover, the wealthiest man in Sparta. Harriet accuses the police department of not properly bringing the mam to justice.
Citizen Trundel: Part 2
episode S3.E22 may 1990Through a search of the killer's house, the smoking gun is found to pin the guilty party. Bill Gillespie and Harriet Delong are asked to be godparents to the Tibbs' expectant child.
Perversions of Justice
episode S4.E4 october 1990Tempers flare in Sparta when an elementary school teacher is accused of molesting one of his students.
Homecoming
episode S4.E8 november 1990When a paroled man returns to Sparta, the whole town becomes a suspect when the man is murdered.
A Problem Too Personal
episode S4.E9 november 1990Harriet Delong's son is implicated in the investigation of an armed robbery committed by her ex-husband.
Blessings
episode S4.E13 december 1990During the Christmas season, a flirtatious newspaper reporter prints an unflattering story about the Sparta Police Department.
Paper Castles
episode S4.E17 february 1991Virgil puts himself in a compromising position when he uses inside information to inform a friend that he was cheated when he invested in a building project.
No Other Road
episode S4.E21 march 1991Harriet's son tries to have his father's death row conviction overturned.
A Woman Much Admired
episode S5.E1 october 1991Gillespie receives a life altering shock when an old flame comes for a visit and is later murdered.
Liar's Poker
episode S5.E4 october 1991A man hosting his annual high stakes poker game is murdered.
The More Things Change
episode S5.E7 november 1991Cyrus Chambers threatens to sell his business and leave for an extended trip with his wife Irene, to the dismay of his junior partner, Tom Dalton, who is having a torrid affair with Irene. Chambers also has financial problems with his illegitimate African-American daughter, Faith Todd. Subsequent events bring disaster and redemption.
The Landlord
episode S5.E12 january 1992When a slumlord is mysteriously murdered, it is implied that he had dealings with dope pushers. Until informant Jimmy Dawes provides some vital information.
Odessa
episode S5.E15 february 1992Sparta Police is on guard to control racial tension when a ceremony is held to honor the first black woman who registered to vote in Sparta.
Trundel's Will Be Done
episode S5.E18 march 1992The wife of Harriet's sister's lover seeks custody of Harriet's nephew, the product of her late husband's affair.
The Law on Trial
episode S5.E22 may 1992The trio receives an outpouring of support from the town and the police department in the days leading up to their trial. Romance is in the air for Bill Gillespie and Harriet DeLong.
A Small War: Part 1
episode S6.E1 october 1992While Sparta's police chief William O. 'Bill' Gillespie celebrates a mis-trial with Harriet DeLong, they worry about her son Eugene Glendon, who is out on probation. He was tricked into waiting in his friend Byron's car while Byron bought cocaine from dealer Clay Wilson. The crack pusher gang 'the Crew' from Jackson kills both by shooting through the wall. Sparta's police investigates and tries to keep the drug pests from spreading from the city. The Crew returns to spread free drug samples, soon causing an OD wave.
A Small War: Part 2
episode S6.E2 november 1992Despite his disdain for Bill Gillespie, Harriet's son Eugene helps the Sparta Police bring down the crack house after he is an eyewitness to his best friend's drug-related murder.
Brother's Keeper
episode S6.E3 november 1992Luann is furious when her slacker brother returns and is immediately accused of robbing a shady sports bar. Her mother is in denial and insists her son has changed.
A Frenzied Affair
episode S6.E4 november 1992A troubled high school student murders his ex-girlfriend's lover, then fixes it so her stepfather is blamed for the crime. Althea suffers a nervous breakdown after witnessing the student's suicide.
Discovery
episode S6.E5 november 1992Virgil enlists the help of Dr. Levi Atwill to help bring Althea out of her funk and return to her teaching job. The murder investigation is complicated when the dead student's ex-girlfriend acquires yet another boyfriend who murders her stepfather and seriously injured one of Gillespie's good friends.
Random's Child
episode S6.E6 november 1992Bill Gillespie makes peace with his estranged daughter after she comes to Sparta to settle her deceased mother's affairs.
An Occupational Hazard
episode S6.E7 december 1992Computer thieves provide a man with a window of opportunity to cover up for his wife's violent retaliation against her abusive boss.
Last Rights
episode S6.E8 december 1992The doctor treating Virgil's dying aunt is the chief suspect in a series of mercy killings.
When the Music Stopped
episode S6.E9 december 1992A washed up country singer, whose biggest fan is Bubba Skinner, is accused of the murder of his former road manager.
Flowers from a Lady
episode S6.E10 january 1993Bubba is first on the scene of a carjacking and first in the heart of the victim, a city council woman with a history of "man problems".
Private Sessions
episode S6.E11 january 1993When a young woman takes her life by jumping off a bridge, her boyfriend, who is also Virgil's law school classmate, stands accused of her murder.
Judgment Day
episode S6.E12 january 1993A prominent judge's wife threatens to reveal a skeleton in his closet unless he grants her a lucrative divorce.
Falsely Accused
episode S6.E13 february 1993Wilson Sweet's job is put on the line when he is accused of soliciting a bribe from a shady used car salesman.
A Step Removed
episode S6.E14 february 1993A threat made in anger makes Parker's stepfather the prime suspect in the murder of his former boss.
Deadly Affection
episode S6.E15 february 1993A single mother is harassed by her landlord, who also happens to be her ex-boyfriend.
Leftover Man: Part 1
episode S6.E16 march 1993When a racist politician visits Sparta during his political rally, a staged assassination attempt intended to make him look better to his perspective voters goes horribly wrong.
Leftover Man: Part 2
episode S6.E17 march 1993The Sparta Police investigate when it is discovered that the murder attempt may not have been staged after all.
A Dish Best Served Cold
episode S6.E18 march 1993When an embezzler returns to Sparta after serving a prison sentence, quite a few people become suspects when the man is killed.
Legacy
episode S6.E19 march 1993A man is determined to make sure a young woman does not receive her inheritance, promised by his grandfather 3 decades earlier.
Even Nice People
episode S6.E20 april 1993Shady real estate developers try to drive Gillespie's daughter out of her property, in order to make way for a new development project.
Lake Winahatchie
episode S6.E21 may 1993The common-law husband of Lana's mother returns to Sparta and tries to extort money from the land developers, who are eventually driven out of town.
A Correct Settling
episode S6.E22 may 1993Sparta Police investigate the possibility of a prison bishop being forced off the road being racially motivated. Bill Gillespie and Harriet Delong discuss taking their relationship to the next level.
Child's Play
episode S7.E1 september 1993Many changes come to Sparta. Virgil Tibbs has left the Sparta Police Department and he, Althea and their twins have returned to Philadelphia, PA so Virgil can complete his law school studies. Bill Gillespie has been voted out as chief and is replaced by FBI Agent Hampton Forbes from Memphis, TN. Forbes inherits the case of a reclusive man who is murdered as he is awaiting trial for manslaughter.
Hatton's Turn: Part 1
episode S7.E2 september 1993Gillespie gets the last laugh against the city council when he is named Newman County Sheriff to replace an ailing Will McComb, who has suffered a heart attack. As county sheriff, Gillespie's first case is that of a triple murder, where the investigation points to a good natured, mentally challenged teenage boy.
Hatton's Turn: Part 2
episode S7.E3 september 1993Gillespie and Forbes become fast friends when both police forces team up and solve the triple murder. Attorney Wade Hatton returns to Sparta and hopes to rekindle a romance from the past with Sarah Hallisey.
A Depraved Heart
episode S7.E4 september 1993Bubba Skinner is determined to have a womanizing real estate agent charged with attempted murder after the man knowingly infected Bubba's friend with HIV.
Incident at Brewer's Pond
episode S7.E5 september 1993A local drunk kills the man he believed was having an affair with his wife.
A Love Lost
episode S7.E6 october 1993When Lana's ex-boyfriend comes to Sparta, dim-witted Randy Calhoun stumbles upon the real reason for his visit: an illegal gun running operation.
Singin' the Blues
episode S7.E7 october 1993Luann moonlights as a singer at her boyfriend's new nightclub and she unwittingly uncovers a drug dealing operation run by the bartender.
Virgil Tibbs: Attorney at Law
episode S7.E8 november 1993Virgil Tibbs returns to Sparta with a law degree, news of his failed marriage and a murder suspect to defend.
Every Man's Family
episode S7.E9 november 1993Bubba travels to Atlanta, GA in an attempt to improve his drug addicted nephew's quality of life.
A Baby Called Rocket
episode S7.E10 november 1993Luann tries desperately to adopt a baby that was abandoned in a crack house raid.
Little Girl Lost
episode S7.E11 december 1993A hit-and-run accident caused by an alcoholic teenager claims the life of a 10-year-old girl.
Your Own Kind
episode S7.E12 december 1993An interracial high school couple is the target of a racist sniper on the Sparta High School field.
Good Cop, Bad Cop
episode S7.E13 january 1994Virgil defends Parker Williams when he is accused of police brutality during an arrest involving Parker's ex-fiance.
Maybelle Returns
episode S7.E14 january 1994Former madam Maybelle Chesboro returns to Sparta and opens up a phone sex operation disguised as a communications business.
The Last Round
episode S7.E15 january 1994Angela Dolphy, Chief Forbes's fiancée, is in Sparta from Memphis for a week to entice Forbes to change professions before they get married. The chief arranges a dinner with Bill Gillespie and Harriet DeLong to coax Angela to relocate to Sparta. An example of Forbes's work is the new boxing program for at risk young men. Unfortunately, the finest boxer, African-American Kevin "Cat" Brooks, is involved with a professional burglar, Caucasian Dennis Cantrell, in a series of home invasions and robberies. Forbes and Angela must come to terms with their personal goals and the impact on their relationship.
Ches and the Grand Lady
episode S7.E16 january 1994Jazz musician Ches Collins returns to Sparta and it is soon evident that he has a history with Cordelia, the grande dame of Sparta. Cordelia's nephew, Raoul, will stop at nothing to put an end to any hope of a union between the two. It is up to Cordelia's other nephew, Lonnie Jameson, to put an end to Raoul's antics.
Conspiracy of One
episode S7.E17 february 1994Virgil Tibbs finds himself on both sides of the law when he is asked to handle the probate of a verbally abusive alcoholic woman, whose death may not have been an accident.
The Rabbi
episode S7.E18 february 1994A synagogue comes to Sparta and is quickly vandalized and robbed. The Rabbi does not believe Sheriff Gillespie is worthy of investigating the incident.
Hard Choices
episode S7.E19 march 1994Eugene Glendon is accused of committing a robbery after he tries to persuade the real suspect not to go through with it.
Time's Long Shadow
episode S7.E20 march 1994Womanizer Frank Davenport is the general contractor on a large residential project in Sparta that threatens an area of slave artifacts. He is also having a torrid affair with his new secretary, Cindy Jenk, whose father Gus is a protective hot head. There are hard feelings, even fights, among the townspeople who either support or oppose stopping the construction project to save the antiquities. It is a toss-up who will get to Davenport first.
Poor Relations
episode S7.E21 march 1994In a somewhat comical episode, Parker's stepfather returns to Sparta with his new wife and runs Parker out of house and home. Among Roy's possessions is an ornate painting, the value of which Roy is unaware.
Dangerous Engagement
episode S7.E22 may 1994A newspaper misprint makes Bill Gillespie the target of an escaped killer in the days leading up to he and Harriet's wedding. Bill and Harriet are married in a beautiful, simple ceremony with Chief Forbes serving as best man.
Give Me Your Life: Part 1
episode S7.E23 may 1994Sparta Police and the Newman County Sheriff's Department join forces to investigate the antics of a religious cult that has taken up residence in an abandoned school building.-
Give Me Your Life: Part 2
episode S7.E24 may 1994The investigation uncovers evidence of statutory rape and drug dealing within the cult. It is further complicated by the actions of an overly aggressive newspaper reporter, as well as the discovery of school age children being members of the cult. But in the end, teamwork pays off and everyone is driven out. 
A Matter of Justice
episode S8.E1 october 1994An local retired judge's depraved grandson goes on a serial killing spree in Sparta.-
Who Was Geli Bendl?
episode S8.E2 december 1994A former resident of the bottoms, who is now a famous movie star, returns to Sparta to try to persuaded her sister to go after a better quality of life. 
By Duty Bound
episode S8.E3 february 1995When Gillespie runs for a permanent position as county sheriff, his running mate is investigated for allegations of insurance fraud, corruption and murder.-
Grow Old Along with Me
episode S8.E4 may 1995When a former cop marries a wealthy widow, his ex-girlfriend sees an opportunity for blackmail. But their plan to keep her quiet and out of their lives does not exactly go as planned.
- First Girl
- Hello in There
- An Angry Woman
- Night of the Killing
- Citizen Trundel: Part 1
- Citizen Trundel: Part 2
- Perversions of Justice
- Homecoming
- A Problem Too Personal
- Blessings
- Paper Castles
- No Other Road
- A Woman Much Admired
- Liar's Poker
- The More Things Change
- The Landlord
- Odessa
- Trundel's Will Be Done
- The Law on Trial
- A Small War: Part 1
- A Small War: Part 2
- Brother's Keeper
- A Frenzied Affair
- Discovery
- Random's Child
- An Occupational Hazard
- Last Rights
- When the Music Stopped
- Flowers from a Lady
- Private Sessions
- Judgment Day
- Falsely Accused
- A Step Removed
- Deadly Affection
- Leftover Man: Part 1
- Leftover Man: Part 2
- A Dish Best Served Cold
- Legacy
- Even Nice People
- Lake Winahatchie
- A Correct Settling
- Child's Play
- Hatton's Turn: Part 1
- Hatton's Turn: Part 2
- A Depraved Heart
- Incident at Brewer's Pond
- A Love Lost
- Singin' the Blues
- Virgil Tibbs: Attorney at Law
- Every Man's Family
- A Baby Called Rocket
- Little Girl Lost
- Your Own Kind
- Good Cop, Bad Cop
- Maybelle Returns
- The Last Round
- Ches and the Grand Lady
- Conspiracy of One
- The Rabbi
- Hard Choices
- Time's Long Shadow
- Poor Relations
- Dangerous Engagement
- Give Me Your Life: Part 1
- Give Me Your Life: Part 2
- A Matter of Justice
- Who Was Geli Bendl?
- By Duty Bound
- Grow Old Along with Me
Best moments5
- Womanizer Frank Davenport is the general contractor on a large residential project in Sparta that threatens an area of slave artifacts. He is also having a torrid affair with his new secretary, Cindy Jenk, whose father Gus is a protective hot head. There are hard feelings, even fights, among the townspeople who either support or oppose stopping the construction project to save the antiquities. It is a toss-up who will get to Davenport first.
- Sparta Police is on guard to control racial tension when a ceremony is held to honor the first black woman who registered to vote in Sparta.
- The wife of Harriet's sister's lover seeks custody of Harriet's nephew, the product of her late husband's affair.
- Harriet's son tries to have his father's death row conviction overturned.
- A single mother is harassed by her landlord, who also happens to be her ex-boyfriend.
- Time's Long Shadow
- Odessa
- Trundel's Will Be Done
- No Other Road
- Deadly Affection