← Back to explore













Biography
Howard Rollins (October 17, 1950 – December 8, 1996) was an American television, film, and stage actor. He is perhaps best known for his portrayal of Coalhouse Walker Jr. in Ragtime and Virgil Tibbs on In the Heat of the Night.
Awards & recognition
- NAACP Image Award — Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series · 1989
- NAACP Image Award — Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series · 1983
- Academy Award — Best Supporting Actor · 1982 · nominated
Filmography12 titles

The House of Dies Drear
1984as Walter Small
1984as Walter Small

Remember WENN
1996as George Smith
1996as George Smith

In the Heat of the Night
1988as Virgil Tibbs
1988as Virgil Tibbs

Roots: The Next Generations
1979as George Haley
1979as George Haley

New York Undercover
1994as Reverend Hundley
1994as Reverend Hundley

For Us, the Living: The Story of Medgar Evers
1983as Medgar Evers
1983as Medgar Evers

Ragtime
1981as Coalhouse Walker Jr.
1981as Coalhouse Walker Jr.

A Soldier's Story
1984as Captain Davenport
1984as Captain Davenport

King
as Andrew Young
as Andrew Young

The Children of Times Square
1986as Otis Travis
1986as Otis Travis

Fridays
1980as Self
1980as Self

My Old Man
1979as Doctor
1979as Doctor