Alan Autry

Sturdy, Broad-shouldered Alan Autry was a former Green Bay Packer who decided, after three years of Sunday tackles, to go into acting, and has since put together a career that has included eight seasons on "In the Heat of the Night" (NBC, 1987-92; CBS, 1992-94) as Bubba Skinner, the police captain resistant to change. His character became more prominent as the series progressed and other actors fell by the wayside and he continued the portrayal into 1995 in the series of TV- movies NBC produced with the original cast.

The Louisiana native began his acting career in 1978 when Robert Altman cast him in the small role of Alfre Woodard's boyfriend in "Remember My Name." After breaking through, Autry took some time to study acting, and returned to the big screen as a football player in "North Dallas Forty" (1979) and in a small role in "Southern Comfort" (1981). Other features followed, including a turn in "Amazing Grace and Chuck" (1987) as a football player who gives up the game as a protest against nuclear proliferation.

Roles in TV-movies have been more fulfilling. Autry played a small role in "Blue de Ville" (NBC, 1986) and was a working class bloke in "Destination: America" (ABC, 1987). He appeared in the 1990 NBC miniseries "The Big One: The Great Los Angeles Earthquake," and was the husband of a confused Mare Winningham, who was convinced she had been abducted by aliens in "Intruders" (CBS, 1992)

In 1996, Autry joined the cast of ABC's "Grace Under Fire" in the recurring role of Rick Bradshaw, a love interest for Brett Butler. He also has written several screenplays which have been optioned, but yet to be produced.