Alan Autry Alan Autry ( born July 31 , 1952 ) is an American actor , politician , and former National Football League ( NFL ) football player . He is best known for his role as Captain Bubba Skinner on the television series " In the Heat of the Night " ; he also has been in numerous movies and other television shows . In November 2000 , he was elected mayor of Fresno , California , serving for two 4 - year terms , through January 2009 . As of September 2008 , Autry had been hosting a radio news talk show on KYNO 940 AM in Fresno . Autry left his duties as host of the news talk show in the spring of 2011 . Early life . Autry was born Carlos Alan Autry in Shreveport , Louisiana , the son of Carl Autry and Verna Brown . His name was changed to Carlos Brown when he was a year old , after his parents divorced . Alan Autry is not directly related to famous western actor Gene Autry . He is , however , a part of one of the branches of the Autry family tree going back several generations . He worked alongside his mother and stepfather Joe Duty in the fields of California ' s San Joaquin Valley , planting and harvesting cotton , grapes and other crops . They travelled around the valley living in worker camps . When he was 12 , they settled in Riverdale , California . Football career . In high school , he was a star quarterback for the Riverdale Cowboys . He received an athletic scholarship to the University of the Pacific in Stockton , California , where he was a second - string tight end in his senior year for the Tigers . In 1975 , he was drafted by the Green Bay Packers , where he ended up 1976 , starting quarterback . Autry ' s football career ended quickly when he was cut from the team by then coach Bart Starr . He then came to Hollywood to make a career as an actor . Acting career . He made his film debut in the 1978 motion picture " Remember My Name " . He met his biological father Carl Autry for the first time in 1982 while on location in Shreveport , for the motion picture " Southern Comfort " , after finding his name in the phone book . Afterwards , he made the decision to return to his birth name Autry . During his acting years , he struggled with his drug and alcohol use , according to an interview he did with The 700 Club in 2007 . After nine years in Hollywood , he returned home and left his career . He tells The 700 Club , " I realized that God had moved in my life like never before . I really realized what God and the power of Jesus Christ was . " By 1986 , he was a born - again Christian and began to devote much of his time to working with charitable causes . He is married to Kimberlee Autry and they have three children . Filmography . Films . Credited as Alan Autry Forgiven ( 2011 ) As Jake Kincaid Credited as Carlos Brown Politics . Autry was elected Mayor of Fresno , California in November 2000 by defeating former mayor Dan Whitehurst . He succeeded Jim Patterson . Mr . Autry ' s first term was from January 2001 to January 2005 . He was re - elected on March 2 , 2004 with over 72 percent of the vote . He is a Republican . His second term was from January 2005 to January 2009 . He was not eligible to run for re - election again , since elected officials in Fresno are limited to two 4 - year terms . In November 2008 he endorsed Ashley Swearingin to replace him as Mayor . During his time as Mayor of Fresno , Autry was a strong supporter of initiatives to ban gay marriage , and at least twice appeared at a large rally on the city hall steps where he issued impassioned pleas in support of his position . In October , 2008 , he appeared alongside the Rev . Jim Franklin of Cornerstone Church , to oppose gay marriage and support Prop 8 , the California same - sex marriage ban . Opponents of Prop 8 gathered at city hall to protest his actions . Ironically , Mr . Autry played a gay character on the television show " Cheers " . Of course , this was simply a character he played for a paycheck , and in no way reflected his personal beliefs . Mr . Autry worked to maintain a balanced city budget , and during his last term as mayor ( 2008 ) the City of Fresno had an $ 18 million reserve along with its balanced budget , did not require job layoffs , and was the only major city in California to accomplish this . However , Autry was later blamed for several boondoggle budget decisions that by 2010 would leave the City of Fresno on the brink of bankruptcy , including the failed Granite Park project and busted loans to the City ' s failed museum . However , politics and bureaucracy from Autry ' s political opponents can also be blamed for the Parks slow rise . Dirt Road Productions . In 1997 he started his own production company Dirt Road Productions . In 2002 he released " The Legend of Jake Kincaid " , a western based on a story he wrote . He was also the director of this film . Music . Alan Autry and his " In the Heat of the Night " co - star Randall Franks joined forces under the banner of Autry - Franks Productions to produce the charity " In the Heat of the Night " CD " Christmas Time ' s A Comin ' " featuring the cast of the show . The project raised funds for drug abuse prevention charities . With Franks producing , Autry performed his rendition of " Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer " in homage to Gene Autry ( who is his distant cousin ) . The duo both performed on " Jingle Bells " and " Christmas Time ' s A Comin ' . " Franks and Autry were able to include many music legends , some among them , Country Music Hall of Famers Kitty Wells , Jimmy Dickens and Pee Wee King as well as many legends from the Bluegrass genre , from Jim & Jesse to The Lewis Family . The “ Christmas Time ’ s A Comin ’ ” CD released on Sonlite and MGM / UA was one of the most popular Christmas releases of 1991 and 1992 with Southern retailers .