David Harris of 'The Warriors' Dies of Cancer at 75

David Harris, the actor best remembered as Cochise in the cult-classic film "The Warriors," has died.

THR reports Harris, 75, died of cancer on October 25.

His passing was noted by Lin-Manuel Miranda, who recently co-wrote a concept album based on "The Warriors." He wrote on social media, "Shocked and saddened at the passing of David Harris, aka the original Cochise in 'The Warriors.' We were celebrating and giving him his flowers for his unforgettable performance just over a week ago. Grateful for that moment with him. Our hearts are with his daughter and galaxy of family and friends."

Harris was born in NYC on June 18, 1949, attending the famous High School of Performing Arts.

He made his TV debut in the 1976 TV movie "Judge Horton and the Scottsboro Boys," guested on a "Kojak" (1977), and acted in "Jonas" as part of the series "Great Performances" (1977) ahead of his iconic work in "The Warriors" (1979).

The Walter Hill-directed film was lambasted by critics when it first hit theaters — and police were concerned that it glamorized gang activity — but it steadily grew a rabid following over the years. Fans dressed up as its gang-member characters, and the original actors made frequent public appearances, especially at autograph shows.

In 2019, Harris reminisced about the impact of the film in a radio interview, saying the actors had no idea the film would have such a timeless reach. "It wasn't a typical gang movie," he said. "It was futuristic. It was like 'The Seven Samurai'... It was based on a Greek army that was caught behind enemy lines, and they had to fight their way back all night to get back to their own line — it's a true story."

Though the actors thought the small film would come and go, he conceded, "All over Europe, places in Africa, all over Asia... I mean, I was in Hong Kong, I was in the Philippines, I was in Tokyo and, you know, I've done a lot of movies, but people — I'd get off the plane and the people [would shout]: 'The guys from 'The Warriors!''"

Some of his other films included "Brubaker" (1980), "Purple Hearts" (1984), "A Soldier's Story" (1984), "Quicksilver" (1986), "James White" (2015), and "His Dying Wish" (2016).

On TV, he guested on "The White Shadow" (1979), "Hill Street Blues" (1984 & 1986), "MacGyver" (1986), "In the Heat of the Night" (1988), "NYPD Blue" (1993-2002), "Law & Order" (2010), and "First Wives Club" (2019), the latter of which contained his final performance.

He is survived by his mother, his siblings, and two grandkids.