Soon-to-be demolished Belleville motel hosted Hollywood royalty in 1966
Editor's note: This story was originally published in the Belleville News-Democrat.When an advance team searched for a temporary southern Illinois ...
Editor's note: This story was originally published in the Belleville News-Democrat.When an advance team searched for a temporary southern Illinois home for stars Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger during the filming of 'In the Heat of the Night' in 1966, they landed on an iconic spot in Belleville.It was Augustine's Motor Lodge.Poitier had already won an Academy Award for his role in the 1963 film 'Lilies of the Field' and Steiger would go on to win an Oscar for his portrayal of Police Chief Bill Gillespie 'In the Heat of the Night,' which was primarily filmed in Sparta.