7
/10
Chief of Detectives Virgil Tibbs is a fictional character portrayed by Howard E. Rollins Jr. in the TV series In the Heat of the Night.
In the first episode they appeared in, titled Pilot: Part 1 (season 1), they were 37 years old.
They appear in 121 episodes out of a total of 146 aired
The character of Chief of Detectives Virgil Tibbs is mainly associated with Chief William O. 'Bill' Gillespie, Capt. V.L. 'Bubba' Skinner and Althea Tibbs.

Chief of Detectives Virgil Tibbs

by Howard E. Rollins Jr.

character

Episodes121

  • 8.4
    /10

    Pilot: Part 1
    episode S1.E1 march 1988
    Chief Gillespie reluctantly accepts visiting Sparta native Virgil Tibbs as his new Chief of Detectives in the midst of a high-profile murder investigation.
  • 8.3
    /10

    Pilot: Part 2
    episode S1.E2 march 1988
    Gillespie and Tibbs learn to get used to each other's working habits and bond as workers and friends to solve the murder.
  • 8.1
    /10

    Road Kill
    episode S1.E3 march 1988
    Despite compelling evidence, Gillespie refuses to believe that his best friend used another person's playful gunfire to cover up for the murder of his alcoholic wife.
  • 8.1
    /10

    Fate
    episode S1.E4 march 1988
    Racial tensions boil over in Sparta when a married, white woman has an extramarital affair with a black businessman.
  • 8.3
    /10

    Blind Spot: Part 1
    episode S1.E5 march 1988
    When two local locksmiths uncover a cocaine fencing operation, all evidence points to the personal staff of Virgil Tibbs' former high school rival.
  • 8.4
    /10

    Blind Spot: Part 2
    episode S1.E6 april 1988
    Tibbs gets a long overdue dose of self-satisfaction when the Sparta Police close in on the masterminds of the drug trafficking operation.
  • 8.3
    /10

    A Necessary Evil
    episode S1.E7 april 1988
    Gillespie and Tibb's reluctant investigation of a bigamy case becomes absurd with the accused's half dozen wives, and serious when he is found dead in his cell.
  • 8.6
    /10

    ...And Then You Die
    episode S1.E8 may 1988
    Althea Tibbs is kidnapped and taken hostage by the prime suspect in a serial murder investigation.
  • 8.7
    /10

    Don't Look Back: Part 1
    episode S2.E1 december 1988
    A young woman is murdered in the exact same manner to a notorious murder Chief Gillespie investigated 20 years ago and he is threatened as well.
  • 8.7
    /10

    Don't Look Back: Part 2
    episode S2.E2 december 1988
    Tension is created between Tibbs & Gillespie when Tibbs is nominated to be the new Chief of Police. The party responsible for the murder is found to be surprisingly close.
  • 8.6
    /10

    The Family Secret
    episode S2.E3 december 1988
    After a prominent businessman is mysteriously murdered, evidence of incestuous relationships with his daughter and granddaughter are uncovered.
  • 8.2
    /10

    The Hammer and the Glove
    episode S2.E4 december 1988
    Virgil's ex-partner, who was also Althea's ex-lover, comes to Sparta for a reunion nobody will forget.
  • 8.8
    /10

    Prisoners
    episode S2.E5 december 1988
    When Officer Sweet's first bust, his best friend from childhood, dies in the Newman County Jail under mysterious circumstances, he presses Gillespie to investigate the matter.
  • 7.5
    /10

    Hot Nights
    episode S2.E6 december 1988
    Bubba Skinner enters into a whirlwind romance with a seductive author passing through Sparta.
  • 8.2
    /10

    Gunshot
    episode S2.E7 january 1989
    Virgil Tibbs shoots and kills a robbery suspect during a foot pursuit, unaware that it was a girl.
  • 8.3
    /10

    Country Mouse, City Mouse
    episode S2.E8 january 1989
    Bubba's nephew and Virgil's visiting niece become friendly and are chased by a dangerous criminal thought to have died in an explosion.
  • 8
    /10

    Stranger in Town
    episode S2.E9 january 1989
    The investigation of a prostitute's murder is complicated when a traveling cook comes to Sparta and starts working at the Magnolia Cafe.
  • 8
    /10

    Tear Down the Walls
    episode S2.E10 january 1989
    A skeleton in the closet of a local pastor surfaces after he mysteriously drops dead during a church service.
  • 8.9
    /10

    A Trip Upstate
    episode S2.E11 february 1989
    Gillespie is asked by a condemned prisoner to be present at his execution.
  • 8.1
    /10

    A.K.A. Kelly Kay
    episode S2.E12 february 1989
    Joanne must reveal a painful part of her past to Gillespie after a long lost acquaintance escapes from prison.
  • 8
    /10

    These Things Take Time
    episode S2.E13 february 1989
    Tibbs tries to help a teenage mother who was abandoned by her baby's father.
  • 8
    /10

    Intruders
    episode S2.E14 march 1989
    The son of a city councilwoman is accused of a string of robbery/murders.
  • 8
    /10

    The Creek
    episode S2.E15 march 1989
    Virgil is disturbed by the investigation of a battered woman.
  • 8.2
    /10

    Sister, Sister
    episode S2.E16 march 1989
    Sibling rivalry between two sisters intensifies when their bedridden father dies.
  • 8.3
    /10

    Walkout
    episode S2.E17 march 1989
    Sparta becomes a battleground in the midst of a violent union strike.
  • 8
    /10

    Accused
    episode S2.E18 april 1989
    Bubba and Virgil bond as friends and coworkers is tested when Bubba is accused of rape by two different women.
  • 8
    /10

    Fifteen Forever
    episode S2.E19 april 1989
    The town of Sparta grieves when a horrific drunk driving accident claims the lives of the entire Sparta High School cheerleading squad.
  • 7.6
    /10

    Ladybug, Ladybug
    episode S2.E20 may 1989
    A handicapped woman tricks her boyfriend into murdering her husband.
  • 7.3
    /10

    The Pig Woman of Sparta
    episode S2.E21 may 1989
    A crabby and reclusive woman shoots and kills anyone who sets foot onto her property.
  • 8.2
    /10

    Missing
    episode S2.E22 may 1989
    Chief Gillespie returns from a convention, only to be kidnapped and presumed dead.
  • 9.2
    /10

    Rape
    episode S3.E1 october 1989
    When Althea is raped by a colleague, Gillespie and the Sparta PD must solve the case before a furious Virgil gets revenge on his own.
  • 7.8
    /10

    Fairest of Them All
    episode S3.E2 october 1989
    Murder takes center stage when the Sparta PD discover that the death of a beauty pageant contestant was no accident.
  • 8.2
    /10

    Murder Most Ancient
    episode S3.E3 november 1989
    A young man stands accused of his abusive father's murder.
  • 8.6
    /10

    First Girl
    episode S3.E4 november 1989
    The Sparta Police Department welcome their first female officer.
  • 8.5
    /10

    Crackdown
    episode S3.E5 november 1989
    Wilson Sweet puts his job on the line when he takes a personal stake in the case of a 13-year-old drug addict.
  • 8.4
    /10

    Anniversary
    episode S3.E6 november 1989
    Chief Gillespie recounts the events surrounding his kidnapping and the killing of his temporary replacement.
  • 7.8
    /10

    Time of the Stranger
    episode S3.E7 december 1989
    Parker puts himself in a compromising position when he becomes protective of a friend who is accused of the murder of a private investigator.
  • 8.6
    /10

    Vengeance
    episode S3.E8 december 1989
    Bubba Skinner is trailed by the family of a man he killed during an armed robbery attempt.
  • 7.6
    /10

    My Name Is Hank
    episode S3.E9 december 1989
    A Vietnamese teenager comes to town, claiming to be the son of one of Chief Gillespie's GI friends. The Chief must help the boy when he gets himself accused of the murder of a comvienence store owner.
  • 7
    /10

    King's Ransom
    episode S3.E10 january 1990
    A former prize fighter chooses blackmail over testimony when he is called upon by the FBI to testify against an old mob boss.
  • 7.4
    /10

    Epitaph for a Lady
    episode S3.E11 january 1990
    Chief Gillespie's close friend stands accused of the murder of the doctor who misdiagnosed his wife's terminal cancer.
  • 8
    /10

    Triangle
    episode S3.E12 january 1990
    A local man, thought to be quiet and reserved, murders his wife and her lover when he walks in on them, then holds his daughter hostage.
  • 8.4
    /10

    Hello in There
    episode S3.E13 january 1990
    A young boy refuses to speak after he witnesses his father's murder.
  • 8.1
    /10

    December Days
    episode S3.E14 february 1990
    When Chief Gillespie investigates a death at a nursing home, he receives assistance from another resident there who is a former cop.
  • 7.9
    /10

    A Loss of Innocence
    episode S3.E15 february 1990
    The Sparta Police uncover the shocking living conditions of a high school student, after Althea Tibbs asks them to investigate the residence after the girl's fifth truancy.
  • 8.3
    /10

    Bubba's Baby
    episode S3.E16 february 1990
    Bubba's former acquaintance leaves a baby on his doorstep.
  • 7.5
    /10

    Home Is Where the Heart Is
    episode S3.E17 march 1990
    A minister is killed when he attempts to close down a brothel in Sparta.
  • 7.6
    /10

    An Angry Woman
    episode S3.E18 march 1990
    Althea grieves when an impoverished coworker dies in a hit-and-run accident, while the Police investigate the incident.
  • 8.4
    /10

    Indiscretions
    episode S3.E19 march 1990
    Althea's friend comes to town and becomes attracted to Officer Sweet while she is on the run for murdering her married lover.
  • 8.3
    /10

    Night of the Killing
    episode S3.E20 march 1990
    Gillespie and Tibbs clash over who the guilty party is in the murder of a cab driver, until a local informant provides some vital information.
  • 8.3
    /10

    Citizen Trundel: Part 1
    episode S3.E21 may 1990
    Harriet 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.
  • 8.7
    /10

    Citizen Trundel: Part 2
    episode S3.E22 may 1990
    Through 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.
  • 8.5
    /10

    Brotherly Love: Part 1
    episode S4.E1 september 1990
    Virgil Tibbs returns to Philadelphia to investigate his best man's death and uncovers police corruption within his friend's precinct.
  • 8.3
    /10

    Brotherly Love: Part 2
    episode S4.E2 september 1990
    When Gillespie travels to Philadelphia to assist Virgil in his investigation, they are able to bring down the vigilante cops and clear his friend's name. The two return to Sparta just in time for Virgil to welcome his children, William & Sarah, into the world.
  • 8.1
    /10

    Lessons Learned
    episode S4.E3 september 1990
    A father is overcome with guilt when his daughter is killed after he disowned her.
  • 8.7
    /10

    Perversions of Justice
    episode S4.E4 october 1990
    Tempers flare in Sparta when an elementary school teacher is accused of molesting one of his students.
  • 8.9
    /10

    And Justice for Some
    episode S4.E5 october 1990
    Virgil's young neighbor is badly injured in a hit-and-run accident caused by a cocky drug trafficker.
  • 8.2
    /10

    Heart of Gold
    episode S4.E6 october 1990
    Bubba Skinner rekindles an old romance, then finds himself hurt and confused when she stands accused of murder.
  • 8
    /10

    Quick Fix
    episode S4.E7 november 1990
    While spending his day off fishing, Bubba's dog unearths a dead infant, found to have been born to a mentally-challenged teenager.
  • 8
    /10

    Homecoming
    episode S4.E8 november 1990
    When a paroled man returns to Sparta, the whole town becomes a suspect when the man is murdered.
  • 7.8
    /10

    A Problem Too Personal
    episode S4.E9 november 1990
    Harriet Delong's son is implicated in the investigation of an armed robbery committed by her ex-husband.
  • 8.4
    /10

    A Final Arrangement
    episode S4.E10 november 1990
    Wilson Sweet has a hard time believing that his good friend murdered his wife, who had been diagnosed with cancer.
  • 7.6
    /10

    Family Matters
    episode S4.E11 december 1990
    Virgil's cousin is accused of a string of robberies in the midst of him trying to bring some peace back to the family.
  • 8.3
    /10

    Bounty Hunter
    episode S4.E12 december 1990
    Bubba's friend is put in danger when a bounty hunter is on the trail of her brother.
  • 8.1
    /10

    Blessings
    episode S4.E13 december 1990
    During the Christmas season, a flirtatious newspaper reporter prints an unflattering story about the Sparta Police Department.
  • 8.3
    /10

    Shine on Sparta Moon
    episode S4.E14 january 1991
    A teenage girl is killed and her boyfriend blinded in a car accident caused by spiked moonshine.
  • 8
    /10

    An Execution of Trust
    episode S4.E15 january 1991
    A psychiatrist, bound by her own rule of confidentiality, holds information proving that a man about to be executed for murder may actually be innocent.
  • 8.1
    /10

    A Child of Promise
    episode S4.E16 february 1991
    A promising high school student is determined to encourage his younger brother to make positive choices in his life.
  • 7.8
    /10

    Paper Castles
    episode S4.E17 february 1991
    Virgil 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.
  • 8.3
    /10

    Laid to Waste
    episode S4.E18 february 1991
    Parker finds himself attracted to the main witness of a murder investigation, a beautiful blind girl who overheard her neighbor's murder.
  • 8.2
    /10

    First Deadly Sin
    episode S4.E19 february 1991
    Althea's colleague is the latest victim of a serial rapist who preys on single, blonde women.
  • 7.6
    /10

    Just a Country Boy
    episode S4.E20 march 1991
    Bubba travels to Los Angeles to extradite a prisoner to Sparta to stand trial and finds himself the target of the man's accusers.
  • 7.5
    /10

    No Other Road
    episode S4.E21 march 1991
    Harriet's son tries to have his father's death row conviction overturned.
  • 7.6
    /10

    A Turning
    episode S4.E22 april 1991
    Althea is starting to feel the strain of being the wife of one police officer and the daughter of another.
  • 8.6
    /10

    A Woman Much Admired
    episode S5.E1 october 1991
    Gillespie receives a life altering shock when an old flame comes for a visit and is later murdered.
  • 7.9
    /10

    Baby for Sale
    episode S5.E2 october 1991
    Bubba discovers that his cousins have adopted their baby under questionable circumstances.
  • 8.1
    /10

    Obsession
    episode S5.E3 october 1991
    A promiscuous high school teacher is stalked by her dangerous ex-boyfriend.
  • 7.8
    /10

    Liar's Poker
    episode S5.E4 october 1991
    A man hosting his annual high stakes poker game is murdered.
  • 8.3
    /10

    Ruda's Awakening
    episode S5.E5 november 1991
    When Virgil's estranged aunt is eyewitness to a teenager killed in a botched arrest, her resentment for Virgil clouds her better judgement as to what really happened.
  • 7.9
    /10

    Unfinished Business
    episode S5.E6 november 1991
    Bubba returns to Los Angeles to tie up some loose ends from his last trip there.
  • 8.8
    /10

    The More Things Change
    episode S5.E7 november 1991
    Cyrus 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.
  • 8.8
    /10

    Sweet, Sweet Blues
    episode S5.E8 november 1991
    A local jazz musician reveals information about the murder of Officer Sweet's grandfather, which reopens the 40-year-old case.
  • 8.3
    /10

    Sparta Gold
    episode S5.E9 december 1991
    Bubba stumbles upon a marijuana growing operation, later found to be led by a Sheriff's Office deputy.
  • 8.3
    /10

    An Eye for an Eye
    episode S5.E10 december 1991
    D.A. Darnell's daughter is kidnapped by the father of a man Darnelle sent to prison, who committed suicide.
  • 7.9
    /10

    The Littlest Victim
    episode S5.E11 december 1991
    Lonnie Jamison is saddened to discover that his high school girlfriend is now an impoverished, single mother.
  • 7.6
    /10

    The Landlord
    episode S5.E12 january 1992
    When a slumlord is mysteriously murdered, it is implied that he had dealings with dope pushers. Until informant Jimmy Dawes provides some vital information.
  • 8
    /10

    Fool for Love
    episode S5.E13 january 1992
    When a doctor's disabled wife discovers his affair with one of his patients, he takes matters into his own hands to correct the situation.
  • 8.7
    /10

    Love, Honor and Obey
    episode S5.E14 february 1992
    Parker's friend takes matters into her own hands when she is fed up with her husband's physical abuse.
  • 7.7
    /10

    Odessa
    episode S5.E15 february 1992
    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.
  • 7.7
    /10

    A Time to Trust
    episode S5.E16 february 1992
    The stepfather of one of Althea's students is implicated in a drug trafficking investigation.
  • 8
    /10

    By Means Most Foul
    episode S5.E17 february 1992
    When a woman plots to kill her husband in order to continue her torrid love affair, things don't go exactly as planned.
  • 8.3
    /10

    Trundel's Will Be Done
    episode S5.E18 march 1992
    The wife of Harriet's sister's lover seeks custody of Harriet's nephew, the product of her late husband's affair.
  • 7.9
    /10

    Moseley's Lot
    episode S5.E19 march 1992
    The son of a local electrical contractor resents the fact that his father is always bailing his younger brother out of financial messes.
  • 8.3
    /10

    Family Reunion
    episode S5.E20 april 1992
    A paroled robber returns to Sparta in search of a $750,000 stash.
  • 8.2
    /10

    Sanctuary
    episode S5.E21 may 1992
    Gillespie & Tibbs, along with the abbot of a local monastery, stand accused of harboring a fugitive who escaped from a chain gang.
  • 8
    /10

    The Law on Trial
    episode S5.E22 may 1992
    The 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.
  • 8.7
    /10

    A Small War: Part 1
    episode S6.E1 october 1992
    While 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.
  • 8.5
    /10

    A Small War: Part 2
    episode S6.E2 november 1992
    Despite 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.
  • 8.3
    /10

    Brother's Keeper
    episode S6.E3 november 1992
    Luann 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.
  • 8.1
    /10

    A Frenzied Affair
    episode S6.E4 november 1992
    A 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.
  • 8.2
    /10

    Discovery
    episode S6.E5 november 1992
    Virgil 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.
  • 8.5
    /10

    Random's Child
    episode S6.E6 november 1992
    Bill Gillespie makes peace with his estranged daughter after she comes to Sparta to settle her deceased mother's affairs.
  • 7.8
    /10

    An Occupational Hazard
    episode S6.E7 december 1992
    Computer thieves provide a man with a window of opportunity to cover up for his wife's violent retaliation against her abusive boss.
  • 7.8
    /10

    Last Rights
    episode S6.E8 december 1992
    The doctor treating Virgil's dying aunt is the chief suspect in a series of mercy killings.
  • 7.2
    /10

    When the Music Stopped
    episode S6.E9 december 1992
    A washed up country singer, whose biggest fan is Bubba Skinner, is accused of the murder of his former road manager.
  • 8.2
    /10

    Flowers from a Lady
    episode S6.E10 january 1993
    Bubba 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".
  • 8.5
    /10

    Private Sessions
    episode S6.E11 january 1993
    When 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.
  • 8.1
    /10

    Judgment Day
    episode S6.E12 january 1993
    A prominent judge's wife threatens to reveal a skeleton in his closet unless he grants her a lucrative divorce.
  • 8.1
    /10

    Falsely Accused
    episode S6.E13 february 1993
    Wilson Sweet's job is put on the line when he is accused of soliciting a bribe from a shady used car salesman.
  • 7.5
    /10

    A Step Removed
    episode S6.E14 february 1993
    A threat made in anger makes Parker's stepfather the prime suspect in the murder of his former boss.
  • 7.7
    /10

    Deadly Affection
    episode S6.E15 february 1993
    A single mother is harassed by her landlord, who also happens to be her ex-boyfriend.
  • 7.8
    /10

    Leftover Man: Part 1
    episode S6.E16 march 1993
    When 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.
  • 7.8
    /10

    Leftover Man: Part 2
    episode S6.E17 march 1993
    The Sparta Police investigate when it is discovered that the murder attempt may not have been staged after all.
  • 7.8
    /10

    A Dish Best Served Cold
    episode S6.E18 march 1993
    When an embezzler returns to Sparta after serving a prison sentence, quite a few people become suspects when the man is killed.
  • 7.7
    /10

    Legacy
    episode S6.E19 march 1993
    A man is determined to make sure a young woman does not receive her inheritance, promised by his grandfather 3 decades earlier.
  • 7.6
    /10

    Even Nice People
    episode S6.E20 april 1993
    Shady real estate developers try to drive Gillespie's daughter out of her property, in order to make way for a new development project.
  • 8.2
    /10

    Lake Winahatchie
    episode S6.E21 may 1993
    The 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.
  • 8.3
    /10

    A Correct Settling
    episode S6.E22 may 1993
    Sparta 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.
  • 8.2
    /10

    Virgil Tibbs: Attorney at Law
    episode S7.E8 november 1993
    Virgil Tibbs returns to Sparta with a law degree, news of his failed marriage and a murder suspect to defend.
  • 8.1
    /10

    Good Cop, Bad Cop
    episode S7.E13 january 1994
    Virgil defends Parker Williams when he is accused of police brutality during an arrest involving Parker's ex-fiance.
  • 7.7
    /10

    Conspiracy of One
    episode S7.E17 february 1994
    Virgil 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.