oldroy Loc: Western Kansas (No longer in hiding)

I wanted to hear "Foul Owl on the Prowl" and ended up finding this wonderful example of two of my favorite actors of the period. One, my favorite, from the period and the other one of my favorite character actors of the period. Mr. Tibbs was so popular that they kept bringing him back. Many of my friends just couldn't stand him because of his skin color and I didn't give a damn about that, I just loved the man as an actor.

How many of you have seen the movie, "In the Heat of the Night"? I never pass a chance to see it these days. Sidney Poitier was just my favorite actor of those days and I had a great time seeing him change the thinking of Sheriff Gillespie concerning race. Rod Steiger, of course, was my favorite character actor of the day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3Mu-rpO8ws

lpnmajor Loc: Arkansas

I've seen the movie and really liked it. The social commentary from those times never "clicked" at the time, at least not that I could see. It's easier to see now.

oldroy Loc: Western Kansas (No longer in hiding)

How many times have you watched that one? I have seen it many times and part of what I liked about Virgil Tibbs was the fact that in Philadelphia he was one of their head investigators in 1967 and before he went back he had convinced Sheriff Gillespie that some black men really are superior to whites. I so well remember how proud I was of Tibbs when he slapped that old racist back. By 1967, I had seen so much change, racially in the nation and it wasn't all because of the law.

In 1962, I had to go to Kosciusko, Missippi to pick up a school bus. I rode Grey Hound from Kansas City to Greensboro, Miss and then had to layover for some time to go the 40 miles east to get the bus. I went to a barbershop for a haircut and while there got to talking with one of those poor white farmers that lived around there. He said he was going to Kosciusko and would save me at least an hour if I wanted to ride with him. Next to riding in a seat next to an old black man from St. Louis all night that was one of the most informative hours I have ever spent. The farmer said he would drop me off at a service station, remember those places, where I could get a cab out to the factory. Well now all the employees in the station were black and not scary at all. The man who managed the place for the white owner said we go back to our side of the tracks at quitting time and when we are all where we belong we spend the night. That 24 hours with black people and that old poor white farmer was one of the best days I have ever spent and I learned a lot about racial relations.