You are here: Home > Talk is Heat >  ITHOTN Fan Club Interviews... Anne-Marie Johnson 

Talk is Heat

For five and a half years, she was co-starred as Althea Tibbs -- the wife of Sparta, Mississippi Chief of Detectives Virgil Tibbs -- on the NBC/CBS hit television series In the Heat of the Night.  When the final third of the Southern crime/melodrama's sixth season arrived, Anne-Marie Johnson left the cast to join the Fox comedy series In Living Color.  Fast-forward 20 years later, In the Heat of the Night Fan Club catches up with Anne-Marie to discuss our favorite Southern crime/melodrama series In the Heat of the Night.  Enjoy! 

What are you currently up to?

Anne-Marie Johnson: Well, if you are asking what I am doing career wise, a few months ago TNT announced the t.v. series order of “Murder In The First” and I was fortunate to be a part of the show.  So, I’m looking forward to working with the cast in the next coming months.  It’s going to be a great series. I’ll also be seen next year in ABC Family’s "Chasing Life" and a new feature film, "Knock Em Dead."

For six seasons you portrayed character Althea Tibbs on the hit television series In the Heat of the Night.  Tell us how you first became aware of this role and what you were doing at the time.

I was completing 3 seasons of “What’s Happening Now” and was wondering what my next audition would possibly be.  I got a call from my agent informing me I’d be auditioning for a new series for NBC. When I heard it was the iconic “In The Heat Of The Night” and I was going to audition for the role of ‘Althea Tibbs’, I just couldn’t believe it. I was so excited. So was my mother. Unfortunately my father passed away just a couple of months before that career changing phone call, but I knew he was excited for me too.

What was the audition process like for you?

 It was pretty nerve-racking.  Although I’d had a good amount of experience up to that point, I think the enormity of the project was somewhat daunting.  Many actresses auditioned for the role and I knew some of them personally.  Some I’d never met but knew so much about their careers.  It was pretty intimidating. But it worked out in my favor, to say the least.

You and Howard Rollins came off very natural and believable as a married couple on television.  How did you and Howard prepare for your role as a married couple?  Did you know Howard prior to In the Heat of the Night?

We didn’t prepare.  We’d never met each other before our first scene.  I’ll never forget that day.  It was hot and humid and we were shooting in Hammond La.  It was an exterior shot of Virgil and Althea walking up the steps of his childhood church, attending Virgil’s mother’s funeral.  I walked up to Howard, introduced myself, we hugged, he teased me (I don’t remember what the tease was) and that was that.  We were married.  Our chemistry was just that; simple, organic chemistry.  We really loved working together.  He was such a dynamic talent.  Really incredible.  We spent more time laughing and kidding each other all those years than anything else.  We had such heavy scenes to do every week, we had to lighten the atmosphere... not only for ourselves, but for our crew.

Anne-Marie Johnson with Howard Rollins -- Outside Virgil Tibbs' childhood church (Season 1/ Episode 1) 

You are a California native.  Talk about how you became acclimated to Covington, Georgia once the show's production relocated there.

 It wasn’t too hard to do.  The community and cast and crew made it very simple to feel comfortable.  There were, of course, the obvious cultural differences and sometimes feelings and attitudes about race were challenging, but all in all, I had a wonderful time in Covington and Conyers, Georgia.

Which episode of In the Heat of the Night is most memorable to you and why?

I think the episodes in which we dealt with Althea’s rape were very special to me.  Those shows were extremely difficult and we came together to create really appealing and thought provoking entertainment.  Carroll originally did not want to do the story.  He didn’t think I or the audience could handle seeing Virgil’s wife go through such a horrible experience.  But the episodes were so well written, cast and directed, we just couldn’t lose.  All of the hard work paid off.

Anne-Marie Johnson as Althea Tibbs in episode "Rape" (S03/Ep01) 

I also did a moving episode about a student of Althea’s who commits suicide at a grave site.   Those memories still give me chills.  The great Walton Goggins played the student.  It was really a strong episode.  Loved it. 

If you had decided to decline the role, who else would have made a great Althea Tibbs?

Anne-Marie Johnson: It’s always best for actors not to go there with those thoughts.

The Last of Anne-Marie Johnson…

- The last time you spoke with a cast member from Heat:

When I did an episode of "Leverage", I spoke with Geoff Thorne, one of the series' writers/editors.

- The last super blooper and practical joke you were a part of:

I only did one.  The well known series hosted by Ed McMahon and Dick Clark.  Phyllis Diller was the person who played the joke on me.

- The last movie you watched in a theater:

Lee Daniels' The Butler.  Incredible film.  Beautiful experience.

- The last person you did an impression of:

That person will remain nameless.

- The last time you watched an episode of In the Heat of the Night:

Haven’t watched an episode since my mother passed away in 2005.  It was one of the favorite things we’d do together.  At her funeral, while people were entering the church, I had a selection of music playing and the Ray Charles version of the title song played.  She loved the series so much.  I would fly her to visit me on all of my locations shoots and coming to visit me on the Heat set was one of her favorite visits.  I have a wonderful photo of Howard and my mother smiling into the camera. Good memories.

How much input did you have with the character development of Althea Tibbs?

Very little at the beginning. But as the seasons progressed, I think the writers and show runner trusted my input.  But I didn’t really contribute all that much because Althea was such a well rounded and well developed character.  The writers provided me with wonderful material.

Prior to In the Heat of the Night, you appeared on NBC's Diff'rent Strokes, Hill Street Blues and Double Trouble -- and even co-starred in the syndicated What's Happening Now.  Given your ability to portray different roles, was it an easy transition to join the ensemble cast of In Living Color after having portrayed Althea Tibbs for 6 seasons?

 Very easy.  I love comedy and I love drama.  I am very fortunate to be able to go from one style to the other without a lot of difficulty.

Shortly after you left In the Heat of the Night, it had been reported that you wanted to pursue other challenges. Is this a completely accurate explanation for your departure, or are there other factors that contributed to your decision to leave?

Well, there were other factors which I won’t go into, but the timing was right and I was fortunate to move on to other respected projects.

On the In the Heat Of The Night charity CD “Christmas Time’s a Comin’” you sang the song "Little Drummer Boy." Did you choose the song for the CD?

Yes, I believe I did choose the song.  It was always one of my favorites and I knew the key fit my limited octave range.

In 2011, you appeared on the television series Leverage as character Darlene Wickett.  As you previously mentioned , fellow In the Heat of the Night cast member Geoffrey Thorne  served as editor of this episode.  Did you initially have an opportunity to catch up with Geoffrey? 

Not while shooting the episode because we were on location in Portland and I believe Geoff spent a good amount of time working on the series from L.A.  But we did catch up with each other when I was invited to a cast and crew screening party.  It was great seeing him.

Some of the cast from ITHOTN were known to appear at local schools for speaking engagements.  What did you communicate to the kids? 

I mostly concentrated on education, persistence and doing what is right in life.

Over the last year or so we have enjoyed the return of two In the Heat of the Night cast members to prime time television: Alan Autry has a recurring role on The CW Network’s “Hart of Dixie”, and Crystal Fox has a lead role on Tyler Perry’s “The Haves and The Have Nots.”  Have you seen either show, and do you have a desire to return to television in a similar capacity?

No, I haven’t seen their current work, but it’s good to know both are keeping busy and active in the business.  The older an actor gets, the harder it is to find satisfying acting gigs.  But I’ve been so fortunate and continue to work in film and television.  I have no complaints.

Do you think it is possible or even sensible for a revived version of In the Heat of the Night to make a return to television these days?

No, I don’t think so.  Times have changed, peoples’ attitudes have changed.  I don’t think there is a great desire to really deal with a realistic, weekly drama series about race relations.  But if it were to happen, it certainly wouldn’t happen on the traditional networks.  It could certainly happen on basic or pay cable.  That’s where all of the good work is now.

If the script was right, and the conditions were right, would you consider revisiting Althea Tibbs?

Yes.  But it’d be tough, nearly impossible without Carroll, Howard or Hugh.

You have been fairly outspoken over the years on race relations and your desire to push television networks to include more people of color on television.  In the Heat of the Night is one of the first -- if not only! -- series to not only spearhead that desire for inclusion but to actually succeed.  Given that minorities have enjoyed more prominent, positive roles on film and television in recent years, why do you think that networks and producers have not emulated what Carroll O'Connor accomplished with race relations via ITHOTN?

Don’t know.  That’s a good question.  Like I said earlier, I just don’t think today’s producers feel compelled or obligated to do so.  Many now believe race relations are ok purely based on the fact that we have an African American president.  The socially progressive attitudes of Norman Lear, Fred Silverman and Brandon Tartikoff, to name a few, are no longer in decision making positions.  Life moves on.  As do attitudes.

At what point during In the Heat of the Night did it become apparent to you that it was time to move on?

I knew Howard was moving on and storylines were being created for other characters.  It’s the natural progression of a tv series.  I had a great run and I wanted to leave before Althea was phased out.

Did you have a conversation with Carroll O'Connor about it, and how supportive was he with your decision?

Since Carroll is no longer with us, I’d rather leave that private.

On location: Hammond, LA filming HEAT episode "...And Then You Die".

(Photo courtesy of Anne-Marie Johnson)

In Season 7 we learned from Virgil Tibbs that Althea had left him and took the twins back to Philadelphia.  How do you envision Althea's life from that moment on?

I imagine she continued her career as a teacher and counselor.  I’d like to think she went on to further her education to become a well respected professor.

Maybe she and Bubba finally get together.

What would you like to say to the fans of In the Heat of the Night?

Thank you for being fans.  I always enjoy meeting fans and hearing about their In The Heat Of The Night memories and/or favorite episodes.  The show has loyal, respectful fans and I am very appreciative of that.

In the Heat of the Night Fan Club would like to thank Anne-Marie for this interview.  Keep up-to-date with her by Liking the official Anne-Marie Johnson Facebook page.