Chief of Detectives Virgil Tibbs quotes from In the Heat of the Night

I want to like you people; and I want you people to like me. But there can be no liking without respect, and until there is that respect you will call me Mister Tibbs!

I guess you know everything about everybody here in this town, huh?

Virgil, if I was to sell all I know to one of them little newspapers at the checkout stand at the supermarket I'd have my fortune made. At the same time there be a whole lot of murders, mayhem, massacres, and suicides.

You're not going to like it.

That never stopped you before.

Ever since that woman came to town, Bubba... [sigh] I think he's in over his head. She's a beautiful, sophisticated young woman and Bubba, well...

You can't understand what she sees in him.

In a word, No.

Let me try to explain this to you Virgil. Bubba is a HUNK. He's manly, he's strong, he's considerate and just rippling with muscles.

Althea, Althea, you're a married woman.

Hey, I'm married, I'm not blind.

Well, if Bubba's a hunk, what does that make me?

I don't think there is anything more to be gained by this discussion. I'm going to go see a woman about some cornbread and a bowl of beans.

[to Himself as Gillespie is leaving] Lord I wish I had something I could throw.

You know what I see? I see a black man that I would not care to see any time, or any place.

Yeah, I see a man that I feel the exact same way about, not because he's a white man, but because he's a maggot.

Easy! Easy! Hold it! Bubba, arrest Mr. Rowen for assault and for being a maggot.

Oh, we're real tough on maggots around here.

I feel so ashamed.

That's alright honey. You can get up and put some clothes on anytime. I'm sure these boys will close their eyes.

Why don't you shut up, stop showing off, tell me where you got this? [Holds out a necklace] Yea, we found it in that pigpen you call "a room" hidden.

Yea, that's right, hidden from the maid. She will steal anything she'll get her hands on.

Question is where did you steal it, Useless?

Now, I talked with Mrs. Tibbs about you.

Why?

[Angrily] Because I wanted. That's why.

I hear you can be a good friend Virgil. Sorry I missed that.

[to himself, after Charlotte leaves] Me too. Me too.

Travis, do you know that you're the first black man I ever heard people call "Mister"? When I was a kid, I wanted to be like you, I wanted people to call me "Mister".

Don't matter what they call you down here, Virgil, you're still just a nigger like me.

I don't believe that.

Nothing ever changes.

You know, Travis, it seems to me that this town has changed, but you've remained the same. And I think that's a shame.

The black community will not accept anything less.

Mister Dutton, I didn't realize you had become such an expert on the black community.