IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT (1967) Filming Locations | Sparta, IL & More! THEN AND NOW | Sidney Poitier
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- čas přidán 6. 02. 2021
- Today we head to Sparta, Chester, and Freeburg, IL as well as Dyersburg, TN to find the locations from the 1968 BEST PICTURE Winner, In the Heat of the Night starring Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger.
#intheheatofthenight #filminglocations #sidneypoitier
LOCATIONS
COMPTON CAFE
N State St & Peabody Rd
Freeburg Township, IL 62243
TRAIN STATION
611 W 2nd St
Sparta, IL 62286
BRIDGE ESCAPE ATTEMPT
37.90465
-89.83478
BODY DISCOVERY
147 W Broadway St
Sparta, IL 62286
GILLESPIE DRIVES THROUGH TOWN
W Broadway and S St Louis St
Sparta, IL 62286
POLICE STATION
E Jackson St & S Market St
Sparta, IL 62286
GARAGE/BARN
38.09564
-89.70391
ENDICOTT'S MANSION
1560 Pennell Ln
Dyersburg, TN 38024
CAR CHASE
Follow Country Club Rd & Brandy Ln to Roundhouse Rd
TRAIN YARD
38.11718
-89.72656
Music courtesy of CZcams Studio.
R.I.P to the great, Sidney Poitier! What an incredible legacy left behind by one of the greatest actors of all time.
I think my favorite movie with him is "Shoot to Kill" from 1988. Would be great if you could find some of those locations!
We live in Sparta, my grandma ran the bus station, which was used for exterior of Police station. She greeted them each time they walked in
Wow! Do you remember where that stood?
For me, Mr. Poitier was the best actor ever. He didn't have much dialogue, but he did a phenomenal job of explaining his feelings, with just the expressions on his face. My goodness, what an actor....🏆🏆🏆🏆👏👏👏👏
I agree! I could watch him act all day long. Just an incredible presence on screen.
True but Poitier played the straight man Steiger did most of the heavy lifting.
I live 2 blocks from the train depot. We here in Sparta are proud that such a great movie was filmed in our little town.
You did a fantastic job with this video. The way you inserted the photos was perfect. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Jim, I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Do you ever feel something of the aura of the actors when you visit places they've been?
Guys, what an excellent video and credit to you both for freezing your .......s off in that wind and cold! This movie was one heck of a movie, a truly emblematic one for its times....it had only been a few years since the civil rights workers had been murdered, as chronicled in 'Mississipi Burning'. So a big time to be living in America I think. Poitier was at the very front of this, also strarring in movies like 'Guess who's coming to dinner' and 'To sir with love'. May he and Rod Steiger RIP, great actors.
Thank you, ronti2492! To Sir is my favorite and paired with Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner and In the Heat of the Night would make a great triple feature
@GoingtotheMovies absolutely! And isn't it interesting how " mid- Atlantic" Poitier was, moving between Tibbs (=Philadelphia detective) and the character he played in "To sir with love"? ( = West Indian teacher in a British comprehensive school) But then I guess he WAS from the Caribbean, somewhat 'mid Atlantic" if not in geographical terms.
I grew up in Sparta. I remember my brother saying he was paid $10 as an extra in the movie. He said that was good money for a 15yo kid to walk down the street.
That would be about 💯 bucks nowadays
I usually don’t appreciate much commentary in videos, but you were right on target. Fun to watch this!! Thanks.
Thank you! Glad you could hear it through all the wind 😂
Thanks for the video. I was born and raised in Sparta.
We used to go to the area around the old railroad shop to watch fourth of July fireworks from the county club.
Same
My dad was one of the State troopers chasing the man by the Chester bridge. My mom is on the Misselhorn Art Gallery board. Very nicely done I will show this to them. Thank you.
Thank you Margie, I hope they enjoy it!
The passenger train time schedule at the depot over the chiefs head is original, but GM&O passenger service actually ended in 1958, on this line. The GM&O passenger train was rented for the filming and had family members riding the coach’s. Poitier actually put his signature somewhere on the wall in the depot. If you look at the calendars on the walls in the movie, i.e. the cafe and the chiefs office they alternate from August and September 1966.
I recently bought a GM&O book and it has a photo of Sidney Poitiers signature over the ticket window inside the depots waiting room.
If I'm correct most of the tracks that goes east of town had been taken up, they go a far as the power plant now.
RIP Sidney brilliant actor one of my all time favourites ..Thanks for posting loving your site great to see some of the places are still there i wishing you all the best guys for 2022 from Scotland 🏴
Thanks, Brian! I hope to visit Scotland one day soon (and then maybe head down to London for some “To Sir with Love” location visits!)
@@GoingtotheMovies youll be very welcome .Re heat of the night its great to see some of these lovely sleepy old towns parts never change Thanks again for posting
@@GoingtotheMovies if you do make it to scotland id love you to do your magic on “ local hero “ directed by bill forsyth staring the great burt Lancaster peter rieghart & Peter capaldi …be a great road trip for you as the beach part was filmed on the east coast and some on the east its one of my favourites please check it out i think you’ll love it
@@typhoon5445 absolutely!! A road trip through Scotland sounds like a dream!
Thank you very much for doing this, great job. This shows how Hollywood takes many locations, mile apart from one another and not even in the same state and blend it all together to make it something it is not. Great movie, great story line. Man did Hollywood have us fooled. Another movie Hollywood fooled us with its locations was "Bad Day at Black Rock"
Thank you for the comment! It is fascinating how they use locations. I haven’t seen “Bad Day at Black Rock” but I will have to check it out!
The building in question seen around 11:20-11:40, is not the "Henderson's" building. The current building on the lot was built in the '90s. It was originally a Casey's General Store. If memory serves correctly, the original building burnt down (I think in the 1980s).
Also, the Chester bridge may be replaced within the next several years; therefore, it is great you were able to complete your visit before it is officially retired. The time to see this piece of history is now while it is still here. Thank you for visiting our area and finding these locations.
Yeah I put a note in the video, it is very clear when you align the photos that the Henderson’s building is in a different spot than the other building.
I did read about the bridge, but not until after I’d posted the video. It’s sad but I’m glad I got it documented before it’s removal. Apparently it collapsed back in the 40’s at some point.
Superb, and great attention to detail. BRAVO and well done!
Thanks, ren france!
Was just in Sparta today.
I’m 77 y/o and live in Southern Illinois (Carbondale). I watched ITHOTN last night on TVM and really enjoyed rewatching it after 50 years. Your tour of Sparta was outstandingly done, especially considering all the research, and the positioning of present day shots followed by clips from the movie that made the experience quite informative. So glad I discovered your channel that I’ve subscribed. Thank you kindly.
Love videos documenting iconic film locations. Nice job! I'll be checking your other videos.
Thanks, Andrew!
This is a great video. Everything is on point.
Thanks, Kostar!
I just watched this movie again today. Thank You for making this. How in the world did you ever come up with finding the not so obvious places especially some 55 years later?
I got some general info from movie location sites then used old newspapers and aerial photography to pinpoint the spots!
One of the best match ups. Thanks for your efforts really appreciate it from the UK.
Thanks for the kind words! I hope to do some filming locations on the UK one day!
Amazing … Thank you very much for this fantastic detective job
Thanks Tv Languedoc!!
That was great! One of my all time favorite flicks. Well done guys! Love how you superimpose the new with the old.
Thanks, Vince! Sidney Poitier is one of my favorite actors!
Love it. Big history buff. I love then and now pictures. Your passion comes through. Keep it up.
That means a lot, thank you! 🙏
WOW! The original red brick Endicott house was smaller than the white mansion that replaced it!
Awesome Video.. Love the precision !
Thanks, Felix!
Well done. Great detective work and editing.
Thankfully, the cafe "star-bright-star" blinking light has been preserved at the Sparta, IL train station despite its rusty condition (I was told by someone at the depot the star light had been in a local junk yard for a short while and someone had the presence of mind to save it).
Great job matching up photos with the original location.
Well done
Thanks, Bryne!
This was just brilliant! I don't know of anyone who has done something like this before. "In The Heat of The Night" remains one of my favorite films, and one
that means much to me personally. This release of yours had me completely absorbed as both a fan of the movie and as one who is passionate about movies in general.
Your work is of such quality that its worthy of a Netflix series. Thanks so much for sharing your work. I learned so many new things.
Thanks, Terry! I’m glad you enjoyed it. It is a such a great movie!
Mine too. #1
Wonderful detective work! What a delight to watch. Shame the weather wasn't on your side those days. Nice presentation.
Thank you!
Haha, yep! Luckily, I’ve got a mic now so the wind isn’t quite as bad.
@@GoingtotheMovies I live upstate in Illinois and may do some touring to those sites myself. Thanks for the inspiration and heavy initial lifting!
My favourite move of all time (Along with "Lawrence of Arabia") .... Poitier & Steiger are absolutely brilliant and the opening night scene with the Gulf Mobile & Ohio E7 locomotive, and Ray Charles incredible vocal performance make IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT epic!!
You had the GM&O Baggage Cart in your own clip! Well Done.
Thanks, William! It is a truly great film!
@@GoingtotheMovies I am a "train fan" and employee as you likely guessed ... The Yard Shop and the two bridge scenes were filmed on the Chicago and Eastern Railroad (C&EI) owned by the Missouri Pacific Railroad (which was later acquired itself by the Union Pacific Railroad which uses that same main line you stood on today. Interestingly (I believe this anyway) the short and very exiting clip of "chasing the potential Murderer with sniffer Hound Dogs across the main line tracks scene" (where you stood with your girlfriend) was likely done without the permission (and Knowledge of C&EI), as the train is moving extremely fast (while blowing it's horn), but I cannot prove that with 100% certainty. That said, I doubt a Railway would agree to taking a very dangerous risk like that. However, the other scene inside the C&EI Yard Shop and of course the epic three GM&O Sparta Station scenes were likely by full permission. But only those who actually worked on the film would only know these details of course. :-)
I have subscribed to your Going to the Movies channel as well. Brilliant and well done.
I grew up in Sparta. Also spent a lot of time at the firehouse. The brick part that sticks out to the right of the bay doors used to be the old police station.
Great job! Great movie!
Thanks lambjack1!
love it.......all the best from Scotland ...amazing movie
Great piece of research work. Thanks for sharing more information on one of my favorite movies.
Thanks for checking it out, omcbob!
Great to see this. Thanks for putting it together. Gateshead England
Nice video! Good movie! I live in Dyersburg, TN right up the street from the mansion. It’s a shame the original isn’t there anymore but the one that took its place is beautiful
Yeah, that would’ve been cool to see the original house, but the new one is definitely not too shabby!
Hey there, Scott on Tape recommended your channel. I gotta say, he was bang on the money. Your angles are 100% correct. Fantastic work guys, I look forward to
Watching all your posts, well done 👍🏻
Thank you! I love Scott On Tape!
Great Launch Video!
Fascinating. Looking forward to the next one.
super
Thanks for this 😊
Remarcable movie! Sidney Poitier was absolutly great! I love every second of this movie! Let's not forget Rod Steiger! He was also veeeery good! ❤️👋👋👋
I’m going to have to agree with you there!
Thank you! I am a big and " crazy" fan of GOOD movie with GREAT artist!!! I just saw, last week, "In the heat of the night". I was happy like a child who got a new toy!!! So... Thank you!... Again... ❤️
Strangely enough, I, until recently thought that it was Archie Bunker not Rod Steiger.
@@jwwalker688 you're mixing up the 1967 film with the TV series from the 80s.
Excellent video and great work on the location line ups!
I live in Newbern, right outside Dyersburg. I just drove by the house!
Nice! How’s it looking?
Know that area well. Still have family that live in Sparta.
Well done. Very nice.
Great video!...Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for checking it out!
What great work you have done much appreciated, thanks also to the locals who have added their history info.
Well from the heat of the night to the cold of the day, you can keep that weather , too cold for me to stay.
Wonderful work!!!!!
👏👏👏👊👏👏👏👏👏
Thank you, Paulo!
What a grate job putting this up .
Thank you, Gil!
This is my choice for best film in my lifetime. Happened to be watching on my DVR when I got curious about locations. Found this. What a great research job you did. I was most interested in Compton Cafe and hoped it still existed in some way. Oh well. Film is a great time capsule of 60's Americana locations.
Nice job!
Great first video.
good job , one of my favorite SP movies
Thanks Ayo-Joe! One of mine as as well!
Great job kids!!!! 😊
Thank you!
Born in Sparta and attended Freeburg High School! The depot scene where the cop gets Tibbs to stay (4:23)... my parents bought a trailer and put it in on the lot behind that depot and on the other side of the tracks about 5 years after filming! It still sits there to this day but last time I went by it, it was vacant. And someone was murdered at that depot years before they filmed the movie. My mom said they never caught the person.
This is great! I live in Sparta a few blocks from that old train depot. I also happen to be a professional archaeologist, so I have an interest in how you did this research. It looks like you did a great job using the aerial photographs to identify locations. What other research did you do to identify filming locations? Very cool work!
Hey Ryan, thanks for the kind words! Some of the general areas were noted on movie location websites. I used that as a starting point, then used the aerial photos I found online to pinpoint where some of those buildings were. I also used Google Earth and Street View to see what could matched up and used Newspapers.com to find old articles reporting on the filming while it was going on.
@@GoingtotheMovies well done! Thanks again for putting this together.
@@GoingtotheMovies You do fantastic work
I’m had heard before that this was filmed in Illinois but they do a good job of maki by it feel like the south during the summer.
Great attention to detail buddy. I hope that doesn't suffer with the more popular you are surely to become. Thank you
Thanks, Armando! I plan to keep up the detail work no matter what!
when i drove truck i been across that bridge many of time been throught that town to
dove truck from 1985 to 2016
one of my fav flicks so i loved this video. movies from the late 60s to the mid 80s are so much better to me anyway. just a more raw feeling i guess.
I have to agree! I miss Hollywood's more raw and experimental phase that In the Heat of the Night was just beginning to lead into.
@@GoingtotheMovies yeah plus the realism is gone and the acting has went down hill. the actors back then really tried to be there part.
Wow what a first video! Can tell you've improved but this was an amazing start and great film choice. Such a great one! My favorite locations are the train station and the bridge. Great recreations. The cop explaining how the town used to be was also neat. Can't wait to go back and watch your other videos. Think I'll have to watch some of the movies first.
Thanks man! I love this movie so much! Definitely check out the movies you haven’t seen. I think you’ll like them!
Of course Sidney Poitier knocked it out of the park with his performance but I really enjoyed Rod Steiger he is such an amazing actor….he does the Pawnbroker and this….what a contrast
It’s incredible watching the two together
Great effort in producing this! Thank you! I was wondering if Sparta had signs for film buffs (just as they did with Shawshank Redemption I think).
Thank you! They do not seem to have any movie references throughout town other than inside that museum I wasn’t able to get into. I THINK I remember a mural being discussed before I went, so that may be there but nothing like the Shawshank Trail.
Great video... I'm from that area of illinois...
Great video I grew up in Chester where the bridge is and spent alot of time in Sparta great movie glad you went and found the locations for it. Just subscribed looking forward to more
Thanks! I loved all of the Popeye stuff in Chester. We were gonna go to the museum but it was closed that day. Just gives us a reason to visit again!
@@GoingtotheMovies There is several other things there as well but Popeye is the big thing. Popeye Picnic is in September it's normally a good time
👍622 6:00 It would be amazing if that is the same wagon! Good that nobody stole it as a movie trophy.
There is something both profound and sad about how people and eras come and go while buildings remain. Our time and surroundings serve as our stage in time and space where we appear for a brief moment. We have no choice and are trapped in time and space.
I'm fascinated by history and we are all products of our time so I try to understand rather than judge people of the past.
On the other hand, visiting a filming location is often suprisingly mundane and doesn't really feel as awesome as one would expect.
I experiences this when I did a music and roleplay cover for "Squid Game". If you want I can show you.
He was correct about most things. The Library was where the Fire House Garage is on the corner, it was used as the Police Department for the movie. The actual Police Department was the building next to the garage doors that he was filming. My grandmother was a dispatcher in 1970, she would watch me there while working. The rear of that building had a carport that lead to the Jail Cells (2). The Green house shots, I was always told, were done at the old Bradberry Farm west of Sparta in Ridge Road just behind Kool Valley Trailer Park. The murder location back then was known as "Pig Alley". My Dad worked at the Henderson Building down town, it later became a garage before being torn down.
Yes, where the fire truck garage is standing is where I intended to indicate the location of the movie’s police station by using the shot of Sam and Virgil pulling in (when I was facing down the street). However, I had no idea that it used to be a library!
@@GoingtotheMovies You were in the right spot indeed. The Round House at what we knew as the MOPAC Train Yard, was just a shade north of that wood pile, you were correct that you were standing "in it". Melanie Johnson's Father owner the IH tractor dealers (Sparta Equipment) at the corner near Henderson's that you pointed out and shots were filmed inside of that as well. Henderson's Building Burned down when I was young. There was a Casey's General Gas Station there, which was torn down and moved out to the west side of town. The Depot is a museum to both In the Heat of the Night and Roscoe. There was a celebration a few years ago and actor Scott Wilson who played Harvey Oberst attended the event in person. He has since passed in 2018. If you are not aware, the movie became a tv series with Carroll O Conner/Howard Rollins Jr. and ran from 1988-1995.
Thank you for sharing all of that information! It’s really fascinating. I hope I can return someday when the museum reopens because I’d love to see what In the Heat of the Night stuff they have in there.
I was always under the assumption that the Bradbury Farm was where the slap heard around the world was filmed. My dads friend John Dandridge was an extra in the movie where just his feet stood in for Mr. Poitier. Its wonderful to see old downtown Sparta before Wal Mart ruined the small business.
Sparta Georgia👮👮🚐🚐🙏🙏🎥🎥🌿🌿
that was a great movie i want the rest of the mr tibbs movies got that movie right there
I heard that the way they handled the cold issues was to to chew on ice a short time before shooting the scenes, especially at night, in order to prevent the actors breath from being seen
I seem to remember hearing that as well. Pretty clever but I would hate to have to do that 🥶
Thanks for sharing!
I was disappointed when the barn was no longer there.
When filiming the locations could you feel the apmospher from it? Lol
Haha! There's always something a little bit different when you go in real life, but it really hit me when I was standing where Sidney was sitting on the bench at the train station.
The police officer you interviewed is my oldest son and part of the film, jesse garage was shot at my family's farm. a.k.a BAUE Bros.garage.
I bet you were surprised to see him! 😂
Baueville.
Isn't the spot shown incorrect? There's still a garage and house, correct?
@@candacebirdsong6104
House and garage are gone now. It was my grandparents
@@dwightbaue8810 Would you know the country scenes when the thugs are chasing Virgil at 18:50-19:12 mark in this video? I've been to the depot, rr overpass and roundhouse scenes... any help is greatly appreciated. Big, big fan of this movie!
Guy ruining across the bridge at 8:07 was Harvey Oberst played by Scott Wilson, Wilson also played Hershel in The Walking Dead.
This is pretty amazing for a first video!! Our first video was my son Bubbie dressed up as Elvis🤣 Can't say it's gotten any better since then...it's actually gone downhill since that!🤔 I can't wait to see more man! Keep em coming!!!
Haha! I may or may not have a channel from about 10 years ago with lots of embarrassing videos. I really appreciate the kind words! More videos are in the works!
thank u for sharing this i always thought it was somewhere near vicksburg cause they were crossing the river i saw a sign for arkansa
Wow you did a brilliant job with this.i enjoyed it so much .it's a great film.it looks freezing there but it looks hot in the movie..greetings from Australia.
Thanks for watching Tony!! We hope to get to Oz one day for some filming locations!
I live on these roads
There were some scenes where people were wearing jackets but that’s minor. I heard Poitier was totally against filming in the Deep South. The only other location they used them Illinois was the cotton picking scene with Entacot that was filmed in Tennessee.
I heard the same from him in an interview, I believe. I stopped by the cotton plantation house location later in the video but the original house is gone, sadly.
you got the locations,but didn't mention a goof (although not noticeable).it happens on the bridge at the beginning of the movie. when running across from Miss. to Arkansas he is running into the sun.this scene was supposed to occur in the morning (Gillespie gets a call at the morgue about Harvey Oberts).,and therefore should have the sun at his back.so the scene was filmed early in the evening.
The car two of you were driving locations is Scion xB, Right?
This movie is one of my favorite ones. Sidney Poitier, Rodney Steiger both of them are good actors.
And Theme song is also very good by Ray Charles.
The Heat Of The Night was assume supposed to take place in the hot summer, but if you look the tree leaves are turning brown in the out door scenes . Probably filmed in the fall when it was cooler. No one wanted to work in that heat.
Yep, shot in November of 1966
Of course the movie takes place in Sparta Mississippi, but was actually filmed in Sparta, Illinois. I suppose they had the location picked out first.
Thanks for all your hard work - I love what you created and posted - wish you could donate with paypal or venmo
Thank you for the support, Chuck! Glad you liked the video!
Great video! You did an excellent job. My mom is from Sparta, so I've always been interested in the actual filming locations, besides just enjoying a great film. I just rewatched the movie, and was struck with familiarity by the "morgue" where they are examining the body. It reminded me of the funeral home in Sparta where we had my grandma's visitation and services. I was trying to find information to see if that's possibly where that scene was filmed, or if it was done in a different location. I found one source online that said that it was indeed filmed in the funeral home that is currently there, but there was a lot of other information in that site that was definitely incorrect, so I'm not confident in its reliability. I have read that some interior locations were actually filmed on sets in Hollywood. Not sure if that was one of them. Anyone know any details about this scene?
I’m not sure about the funeral home as the morgue location, but I’m glad you enjoyed the video! Sparta was a really cool town to hangout in! Everyone was great there!
This is pretty cool to see. I've never seen in the heat of the night but I want to watch it now. I'm from the area. Spent a lot of time in Sparta in my highschool years and the years after. I went to highschool in Marissa, just north of Sparta. One of the managers at the hardware store I used to work at said he watched the filming at the freeburg location. I remember him telling me that the director yelled cut as the car was driving, he walked over to the car and pulled on the antenna so that it would fling back and forth and then yelled action. He wanted the antenna moving in the shot. The Chester bridge is in the books to be replaced, so it will soon be torn down. Hopefully you stopped and saw the Popeye statue while you were there among other things southern Illinois has to offer. A lot of people don't realize the amount of history Southern Illinois has. For example jelly belly jelly beans got their start in Belleville, IL where I live now- about 45 minutes north of Sparta.
Highly recommend it. It’s a great movie with incredible performances!
You have missed out on a true classic and one of the best movies made. Hope you enjoy!
Great. Where was the Purdy house?
It was in a neighborhood not far from the downtown area, but was torn down at some point.
No the Henderson building is not the same one. That was a Casey's at one time
My Aunt, Loretta Compton owned this restaurant. She spent all night cleaning it and the director got upset because he wanted it looking more like a greasy spoon. Hard to believe my aunt was involved in a real movie!
Chief of Police, not Sheriff
I know, I know... wasn’t thinking about it until I was editing
Looking for some help. I am interested in finding the GPS coordinates for Mama Caleba store at the end of the movie. I read that the store is no longer there and it was located across from the train depot. Thank you and I enjoyed watching your video!
Hey Dan! I'll look into it. For some reason I didn't bother looking for that one, but I'll see what I can do!
@@GoingtotheMovies That would be amazing!!!
A friend of mine was present during this scene and it is 2 miles east of Sparta in Eden at the intersection of Rt 153 and Rt 154... only a few trees remain and the gravel driveway off Rt 154.
How does that train station look nearly identical to the one in Mad Max.
11:40 used to be a Casey's general store until it moved. not the same building.
Can someone please tell me the name of the song at 14:30 ?
Thank you. :)
It was something from CZcams’s audio library. I can remember what it was called but I’ll try and look for it 😃
You really should have drove past Delores Purdy's house later that night and looked in the window.
S Street Louis St? Are you sure about that?