In the Heat of the Night (1967)

Lee Grant: Mrs. Colbert

Photos 

Quotes 

• Mrs. Leslie Colbert : I came by to make it as clear as I possibly can: that I do not want the Negro officer taken off this case.

  Mayor Webb Schubert : Negro officer?

  Chief Gillespie : Yeah, well he, uh... he comes from up North, you see, and he was, uh, kinda... passing through...

  Mrs. Leslie Colbert : I don't care what he is. If it wasn't for him, your impartial chief of police would still have the wrong man behind bars. I want that officer given a free hand, otherwise I will pack up my husband's engineers... and leave you... to yourselves.

• [after Virgil Tibb's famous "They call me Mister Tibbs," and Chief Gillespie loudly berates him, telling him to take the evidence away. Only for Virgil Tibbs to coldly say that he will personally send the evidence to the FBI labs. Mrs. Colbert has just witnessed all of this and is shocked and appalled by Gillespie's attitude] 

  Mrs. Leslie Colbert : My God... *What* kind of people are you? What kind of *place* is this?

  [louder and firmer] 

  Mrs. Leslie Colbert : My husband is dead. Someone is this town KILLED HIM!

  [looks directly at Gillespie; angrily] 

  Mrs. Leslie Colbert : I want you to find out *WHO*!