On Friday, October 25, actor David Harris passed away at the age of 75, as reported by The New York Times. His daughter, Davina Harris, confirmed that he died of cancer at his home in New York City.
Debuting in theaters in 1979, The Warriors later gained a cult following over the years. Harris portrayed Cochise, a member of a Coney Island gang sent to Bronx’s Van Cortlandt Park to negotiate gang territories in this action thriller based on Sol Yurick’s 1965 novel.
After being wrongfully accused of murdering a rival gang leader, Cochise—known for his distinctive teal beaded necklace, red bandana headband, and feather accessories—along with his fellow Warriors, had to battle through multiple adversaries to return to Brooklyn.
Harris as Cochise, leading the Warriors through a tense night in New York
Although it achieved moderate success at the box office initially, critics were largely unfavorable toward it. Regardless, The Warriors secured a lasting place in pop culture, referenced in shows such as Bob’s Burgers, Community, and The Simpsons. Director Chad Stahelski, known for John Wick: Chapter 4, even revealed to CBR that the film influenced his work on the Keanu Reeves action series.
As a result, Harris became widely recognized for his iconic portrayal in the 1979 film, even as he continued to find success on television with roles in In the Heat of the Night and Hill Street Blues, among others. “I was in Hong Kong, I was in the Philippines, I was in Tokyo,” Harris reflected 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 his role in The Warriors, Harris featured as Duane Spivey opposite Robert Redford in Brubaker (1980), played Private Smalls in A Soldier’s Story (1984), and appeared as Raphael alongside Whoopi Goldberg and Sam Elliott in Fatal Beauty (1987). Additionally, he portrayed Officer Donny Simmons in 17 episodes of NYPD 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.
