Actor David Harris, known for his role in the 1979 cult film “The Warriors,” has died.
Harris was 75.
His daughter confirmed his Oct. 25 death, saying he died of cancer, The New York Times reported.
Harris was born in New York City in 1949 and attended the High School of Performing Arts, but he said at the time he didn’t know what he wanted to do with his life.
An English teacher told the self-professed jokester to try the drama department.
“I fell in love with it. I said, ‘You know what, I think this is my niche.’”
He then attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts according to his online biography.
Harris’ first role was in “Judge Horton and the Scottsboro Boys.” It was a 1976 television movie about nine Black men falsely accused of rape and imprisoned. It was nominated for two Emmys.
He also appeared on stage, acting alongside such heavyweights as Meryl Streep and John Lithgow in “Secret Service.”
“I was onstage with giants. I was so scared and so nervous that I got cast. But they took me under their wing,” he told “The Claw’s Corner in 2022.
His most well-known role was Cochise in “The Warriors.” He got the part almost immediately.
“I walked into the room and (director) Walter (Hill) took one look at me and said, ‘Go down to costumes,’” Harris shared in a 2014 interview.
He embraced the fame that came with “The Warriors.”
“It feels great to know that you’re a part of some film that’s history,” he said, according to the Times. “Certain actors are blessed enough to get in a film that is just iconic and people are going to talk about for the next thousand years.”
The film has a cult following and has inspired a concept album by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Eisa Davis, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Miranda paid tribute to Harris on Instagram.
Harris continued acting over the years, appearing in “NYPD Blue,” “In the Heat of the Night” and “Elementary,” according to his IMDB filmography. His final role was in the television series “First Wives Club” in 2019.
Harris left behind his mother, sister, two brothers, his daughter and two grandchildren, according to The New York Times.
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