<P> Although the film was set in the fictional Mississippi town of Sparta ( with supposedly no connection to the real Sparta , Mississippi ) , most of the movie was filmed in Sparta , Illinois , where many of the film 's landmarks can still be seen . The quote `` They call me Mister Tibbs ! '' was listed as number 16 on the American Film Institute 's 100 Years ... 100 Movie Quotes , a list of top film quotes . In 2002 , the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant '' . </P>
<P> Although the film was set in the fictional Mississippi town of Sparta ( with supposedly no connection to the real Sparta , Mississippi ) , most of the movie was filmed in Sparta , Illinois , where many of the film 's landmarks can still be seen . The quote `` They call me Mister Tibbs ! '' was listed as number 16 on the American Film Institute 's 100 Years ... 100 Movie Quotes , a list of top film quotes . In 2002 , the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant '' . </P>
where was in the heat of the night filmed in 1967
where was in the heat of the night filmed in 1967
Sparta , Illinois
Sparta , Illinois