Carlos Autry's early life was marked by his parents' divorce, which led his mother to relocate him to central California, where he was renamed Carlos Brown. Despite his non-Hispanic heritage, Autry's parents had chosen the name Carlos in honor of a Louisiana politician admired by his father.
Growing up, Autry was an athletic individual who excelled in sports, earning a scholarship to the University of the Pacific, where he played quarterback and later tight end on the football team. His impressive skills on the field caught the attention of scouts, and he was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in 1975.
Autry's professional football career began promisingly, with him starting three games as quarterback. However, his performance was ultimately disappointing, and coach Bart Starr decided to cut him from the team in 1977.
Following his departure from the Packers, Autry turned his attention to acting, adopting the stage name "Carlos Brown" for his early film roles in North Dallas Forty (1979) and Popeye (1980). During the filming of Southern Comfort (1981) in Louisiana, Autry reconnected with his father and subsequently decided to revert to his birth name, Alan Autry.
Autry's acting career reached its peak in the late 1980s, when he landed a starring role as a small-town Mississippi policeman in the TV series In the Heat of the Night, which aired from 1988 to 1995.
After his acting career, Autry transitioned into politics, successfully running for mayor of Fresno, California, in 2000. He was re-elected in 2004, marking a significant milestone in his public service career.
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