Warren Mercer Oates was an American actor. He was best known for his roles in Western and crime films, most notably in collaboration with directors Sam Peckinpah and Monte Hellman. He had starring roles in Peckinpah's The Wild Bunch (1969) and Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (1974). Other of his most acclaimed performances was as officer Sam Wood in Norman Jewison's In the Heat of the Night (1967) and as Mr. Sargis in Terrence Malick's Badlands (1973).