IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT!

In 1967, director Norman Jewison took a daring risk to bring to cinema screens In the Heat of the Night, a tense whodunit detective story that was so controversial, it couldn't be filmed in the Deep South. So, sets were constructed in Belleville, Freeburg and Sparta, Illinois and Dyensburg, Tennesee. The film was nominated for 7 Academy Awards and received five Oscars [Best Actor-(Rod Steiger), Screenplay, Sound, Film Editing and Picture]. The story itself involves a black police detective from Philadelphia named Virgil Tibbs (Sydney Poitier) and an overweight, gum-chewing bigot in the character of Sheriff Bill Gillespie (Rod Stieger). The two work through an atmosphere of hatred and antagonism to mutual respect and admiration for each other by the end of the film.

Twenty-one years later in 1988--actor Carroll O'Connor reprised the role of Sheriff Bill Gillespie, joined by real-life son Hugh O'Connor; Harold Rollins reprised the role of Virgil Tibbs (all three men sadly deceased) and an amiable man with a genuine Southern drawl and the body of a football player by the name of Alan Autry portrayed Captain Bubba Skinner on the television series of the same name. Carroll O'Connor often said that of all his film roles and television work (including "All In the Family") he was most proud of his work on In the Heat of the Night. The show ran for 7 seasons. Alan Autry is an interesting and positive guy.

He was born in Shreveport, Louisiana and grew up working with his mother and step-father planting and harvesting crops in California's San Joaquin Valley. They settled in Riverdale, California where Alan was star quarterback for the Riverdale Cowboys and earned an athletic scholarship to the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California. In 1975, the Greenbay Packers drafted him to play second string for two years and in 1978 he came to Hollywood to star in Remember My Name.

On a late night Christian Talk Show, while channel surfing, I swore that I saw Alan Autry in the Guest Chair. And as it turned out, I was right! I learned that Alan was elected Mayor of Fresno, California in 2000. His term was about to expire in 2004. But residents loved how well he turned that city around and by a 72 percent majority they would not let him go! So, Mayor Autry will be leading the city until 2009. I always liked Alan's character on In the Heat of the Night, and when I learned he was married with three children and actively involved in real life issues of keeping kids out of trouble, I submitted a cable project to him for his review. As busy as he was, he viewed it twice and "loved it". I put my project (called "When Dreams Come True") on the shelf as an "avail" (open for future development). But to have Alan personally view it was an honor! Here is a down to earth man of Integrity.

Alan works with charitable causes and once each week, residents can sign up for "open-door" meetings with the Mayor to discuss city issues for 15 minutes. His Dirt Road Productions was begun in 1997 and produced The Legend of Jake Kincaid, a western based on a story Alan wrote starred in and directed.

It's nice to start the week out reading about a man who may be a "star", but whose feet are firmly planted on the ground. That is rare. So, when you see a re-run of the television series In the Heat of the Night (the original is a must-see for any film student), at least you'll know a little more about the current Mayor of Fresno, who is making a positive difference in the world.

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!