Alan Autry and Gene Autry are two famous names in the entertainment industry. Alan Autry is an actor, politician and former NFL player, best known for his role as Captain Bubba Skinner on the TV series “In the Heat of the Night”. Gene Autry was a singer, actor and businessman, who became a legend as a singing cowboy in movies and TV shows. But are they related to each other?
The Family Tree
According to their family tree, Alan and Gene Autry are distant cousins They share a common ancestor in William Autrey, who was born in 1720 in Virginia and died in 1784 in North Carolina. William Autrey had several sons, one of whom was John Autrey, the great-great-great-grandfather of Gene Autry. Another son was William Autrey Jr., the great-great-great-great-grandfather of Alan Autry
The Career Paths
Alan Autry was born as Carlos Alan Autry Jr. in 1952 in Shreveport, Louisiana. He changed his name to Carlos Brown after his parents divorced when he was a year old. He grew up in California’s San Joaquin Valley, where he worked as a migrant worker with his mother and stepfather. He was a star quarterback in high school and received an athletic scholarship to the University of the Pacific. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in 1975, but his football career was short-lived. He then moved to Hollywood to pursue acting, using the name Alan Autry. He appeared in several films and TV shows, most notably “In the Heat of the Night” from 1988 to 1995. He also served as the mayor of Fresno, California from 2001 to 2009. He is currently a radio host on KXEX 1550 AM in Fresno
Gene Autry was born as Orvon Grover Autry in 1907 in Tioga, Texas. He grew up on a ranch and learned to play the guitar and sing at an early age. He worked as a telegraph operator for the railroad and performed at local dances and fairs. He was discovered by a record producer in 1929 and began his recording career as a country singer. He became a star with his hit song “That Silver-Haired Daddy of Mine” in 1931. He also ventured into