Roger Hill, who had a small but memorable part as Cyrus, the leader of The Riffs, one of the main gangs in Walter Hill’s 1979 cult smash film The Warriors, has died at the age of 65, reports Variety. No cause of death was given.

Hill had a varied career as an actor in off-Broadway productions in the 1970s before he landed the part in The Warriors as that decade came to a close. His character of Cyrus memorably exclaims “Can You Dig It?” to the spellbound denizens of gangs who have gathered for a meeting in New York’s Central Park, which ends in tragedy and accelerates the picture’s narrative. The line has since become a memorable quote in filmdom’s history and instantly recognizable with the film.

In 2005, Hill made minor headlines when he sued Rockstar Games for a quarter of a million dollars for using his likeness and voice in their video game adaptation of the film.

A New York City native, Hill spent the latter part of his life as a part-time librarian and poet.

Hill is survived by Chris W. Hill, a film editor and Hill’s only son.

RIP Roger Hill
July 31, 1948 – February 20, 2014

[Source: Variety]