'The Warriors' author Sol Yurick dies in NYC at 87

The Associated Press, Thursday, January 10, 2013, 12:30pm (PST)

NEW YORK (AP) — A writer whose street gang novel "The Warriors" was adapted into a film of the same title that became a cult favorite has died. Sol Yurick was 87.

His daughter, Susanna Yurick, says the author died of complications from lung cancer early Saturday at Beth Israel Hospital in Manhattan.

A native and longtime resident of New York City, he drew upon his years working in the welfare department for his first book, "The Warriors," which came out in 1965. The movie was directed by Walter Hill and substantially changed from Yurick's book. It was released in 1979.

Yurick's other works included the novels "Fertig," ''An Island Death" and "The Bag," a story of race and class in New York that was his favorite.