David Harris, best known for his role as gang member Cochise in the 1979 cult classic The Warriorsdied Friday, October 25 at the age of 75.

His daughter told him The New York Times that the cause of death was cancer.

Born in New York City on June 18, 1949, Harris attended the High School of Performing Arts and later the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. His first major role was in the 1976 Emmy-nominated TV movie Judge Horton and the Scottsboro Boys. The following year he appeared in the play Secret service with Meryl Streep and John Lithgow,

In 1979 he appeared in The Warriorsbased on Sol Yurick’s 1965 novel of the same name, about the titular gang who are falsely accused of murder and then have to fight their way through a gauntlet of other street gangs on their way home to Coney Island.

One of the film’s iconic scenes features members of the Warriors. including Cochise, are lulled into a false sense of security by an all-female gang, who suddenly turns on them, with Cochise and his companions barely escaping with their lives.

The film became a cult classic and the most famous role of Harris’ life, for which he was very grateful.

“It feels great to know that you are part of a movie that is history,” he said in a 2014 interview. “Certain actors are blessed enough to be in a movie that is iconic and that people will talk about for the next thousand years.” will talk.”

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Harris would work steadily for the rest of his career, appearing in the Oscar-nominated classic The story of a soldier in 1984, but mostly had supporting roles in television shows including Hill Street Blues, In the heat of the night, MacGyver, ER, NYPD blueAnd Law and order. In 2005, he voiced the character of Cochise The Warriors video game. His last role was in a 2019 episode of First Women’s Club.

Harris is survived by his mother, his daughter, a sister, two brothers and two grandchildren.