David Harris, the Actor Who Played Cochise in "The Warriors", Dies at 75

10/28/2024 12:23 PM

After breaking out with the 1979 cult classic, Harris went on to have several recurring roles on TV, most notably as Officer Simmons on 'NYPD Blue'

David Harris, an actor best known for his role as Cochise in The Warriors, died on Friday, Oct. 25, the New York Times reported. He was 75. 

The film and TV performer died of cancer in his New York City home, his daughter, Davina Harris, confirmed to the outlet. 

First debuting in theaters in 1979, The Warriors went on to become a cult classic in the decades that followed. In the action thriller based on Sol Yurick's 1965 novel, Harris played a Coney Island gang member named Cochise who is sent to the Bronx's Van Cortlandt Park as a part of a delegation tasked with dividing up gang territories in N.YC.

However, after being framed for the killing of another gang's leader, Cochise — known for his teal beaded necklace, red bandana headband and feather accessories — and his fellow Warriors must fight their way through various rivals as they attempt to get back to Brooklyn.

Although it was a moderate box office hit at the time, it was mostly panned by critics.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

Despite that, The Warriors went on to find a place in the pop culture zeitgeist in the decades since. It has been most notably referenced in episodes of Bob's Burgers, Community and The Simpsons. Even John Wick: Chapter 4 director Chad Stahelski told CBR that he was heavily influenced by it when making the Keanu Reeves action flick.

As a result, Harris — who found continued success on TV, with roles on In the Heat of the Night, Hill Street Blues and a number of other series — was recognized everywhere for his now-iconic role in the 1979 film. "I was in Hong Kong, I was in the Philippines, I was in Tokyo," Harris said in a 2019 interview with ADAMICradio. "I've done a lot of movies, but I get off the plane and people go, 'It's the guy from The Warriors.' "

Following The Warriors, Harris also had roles as Duane Spivey opposite Robert Redford in Brubaker (1980), as Private Smalls in A Soldier's Story (1984) and as Raphael alongside Whoopi Goldberg and Sam Elliott in Fatal Beauty (1987). He also appeared as Officer Donny Simmons in 17 episodes of NYBD Blue from 1993 to 2002.

According to Variety, Harris is survived by his mother, Maude Marie Harris; his sister, Jeannette Harris-Zwerin; his two brothers, Arthur and Vincent Harris; and two grandchildren. 

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.