<Tr> <Td> Mark Johnson </Td> <Td> Played Officer Luke Everett . (Joined the show in the sixth season .) </Td> </Tr> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Actor </Th> <Th> Role </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Maureen Dowdell </Td> <Td> Played Nurse Tracey Boggs, Bubba's girlfriend . Also played Nurse Jill and Lydia Kinsey . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Thom Gossom Jr . </Td> <Td> Ted Marcus </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Fran Bennett </Td> <Td> Virgil's aunt Ruta Gibson </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Karen Carlson </Td> <Td> Sarah Hallisey </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Rugg Williams </Td> <Td> Eugene Glendon </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Wallace Merck </Td> <Td> Colmer </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Christine Elise </Td> <Td> Lana Farren - Gillespie's daughter by Georgia Farren as the result of a long - ago love affair . They had no relationship while Lana was growing up . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Adair Simon </Td> <Td> Emily Trundel </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Bob Penny </Td> <Td> Alvin Epp </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Scott Brian Higgs </Td> <Td> Randy Calhoun </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Wilbur Fitzgerald </Td> <Td> Dist . Atty . Gerard Darnelle </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Afemo Omilami </Td> <Td> Jimmy Dawes </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Burgess Meredith </Td> <Td> Judge Cully </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Stuart Culpepper </Td> <Td> Judge Henry Sims </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Joe Don Baker </Td> <Td> Captain Tom Dugan - A retired Mississippi Highway Patrol police captain, Dugan appeared on the last four episodes of the second season . Baker was brought in as a stand - in for Carroll O'Connor while O'Connor was recovering from open heart surgery . Dugan was placed in the department by the FBI to uncover a plot by white supremacists to assassinate a civil rights leader . Dugan was murdered by these same white supremacists at the end of the second season . Dugan's godson, who had become involved with these people, later agreed to help the police . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Ron Culbreth </Td> <Td> Sheriff Nathan McComb - the former county sheriff . Culbreth appeared on nine episodes as Sheriff McComb . In the 7th season, McComb became too ill to continue his duties, and Gillespie was appointed as acting sheriff in his place . Prior to his appearances as McComb, Culbreth also appeared on the episode Missing in another guest role . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Pat Hingle </Td> <Td> Roy Eversole - Parker Williams' step - father . Hot tempered, Eversole had a great deal of difficulty maintaining steady employment . Eversole was once a murder suspect after getting into a heated argument with a former employer, who was subsequently found dead a short time later . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Tonea Stewart </Td> <Td> Virgil's aunt Etta Kibby </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Dee Shaw </Td> <Td> Officer Dee Shepard </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Jen Harper </Td> <Td> Dr. Day </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> Actor </Th> <Th> Role </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Maureen Dowdell </Td> <Td> Played Nurse Tracey Boggs, Bubba's girlfriend . Also played Nurse Jill and Lydia Kinsey . </Td> </Tr>

In the heat of the night tv show theme song