Davis, who struggled with substance abuse issues throughout his adult life, was diagnosed with HIV in 1985 and died of AIDS-related illness in 1991.

[6][7] His most successful film role was as the main character Billy Hayes in Midnight Express (1978), for which he won the Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actor and the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture Acting Debut – Actor.

In 1981, he played American track star Jackson Scholz in the Academy Award-winning film Chariots of Fire.

He played Queeg in a 1988 television adaptation of The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial, directed by Robert Altman, opposite Eric Bogosian and Jeff Daniels.

Diagnosed with HIV in 1985, Davis kept his condition private until shortly before his death at age 41 on September 8, 1991, in Los Angeles.

[9][10] It was revealed in a book proposal that Davis had written before his death that he had to keep his HIV-positive status a secret to be able to continue to work and support his family.