There are plenty of reasons why an actor might take on a new role; They might find the character or story interesting, or see it as an opportunity to grow beyond their comfort zone.
For Howard Rollins, there were many reasons why he took on the role of Virgil Tibbs in the series In the Heat of the Night, but one outweighed all the rest: Carroll O’Connor.
O’Connor was deeply involved in the development and production of In the Heat of the Night. In addition to serving as one of the cast’s main characters, Bill Gillespie, O’Connor also wore several hats on the production side of the series, including that of director, writer, and executive producer. Moreover, by the time the series premiered in 1988, O’Connor had already blazed his trail in television as Archie Bunker of All in the Family. Not only was it a role that made him appealing in the eyes of every director in Hollywood, but it was also very appealing to fellow actors looking at the prospect of working with such a talented actor.
In an interview with The Clarksdale Press Register, Howard Rollins was asked about the odd couple pairing of Bill Gillespie and Virgil Tibbs, who were able to make a strong and efficient team despite their initial issues with each other. James Lee Barrett, one of the show’s writers, stated, “It is a natural, a white chief of police for a small Mississippi town and a black Philadelphia detective always at odds with each other, but always working together, make an interesting team.”
Rollins, however, viewed the show’s appeal from a very different perspective. He stated, “I wasn’t drawn to the part because of the race aspect. It was the chance to work with Carroll O’Connor.” The duo acted together for several years before Rollins left the regular cast of the show. Even then, he was still able to return to his character (and O’Connor) in frequent guest appearances.
