Carlos Alan Autry, Jr. (born July 31, 1952) is an American actor, politician, and former National Football League (NFL) football player. During his brief football career, Autry was known as Carlos Brown. 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.