John Ashton, best known for his role as Detective Sergeant John Taggart in the “Beverly Hills Cop” films, has passed away at the age of 76. His manager, Alan Somers, confirmed that Ashton died Thursday in Fort Collins, Colorado.
Ashton portrayed Taggart alongside Eddie Murphy and Judge Reinhold in the first two films of the franchise, released in 1984 and 1987. He also reprised his role in “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F,” set to release in 2024, where his character has become a police chief.
With a career spanning over 50 years, Ashton’s early film credits include “An Eye for an Eye” (1973), “So Evil, My Sister” (1974), “Breaking Away” (1979), and “Midnight Run” (1988), where he starred alongside Robert De Niro. He was featured in the 1987 teen romantic comedy “Some Kind of Wonderful,” written by John Hughes, and collaborated with Hughes again in “She’s Having a Baby” (1988). Other notable film appearances include “Gone Baby Gone” (2007), “I Want to Go Home” (1989), and “Middle Men” (2009).
On television, Ashton appeared in numerous series throughout the ’70s, including “Emergency!”, “Columbo,” and “MAS*H.” He starred as Charlie Battles in the NBC crime drama “Hardball,” which aired for one season from 1989 to 1990, and made guest appearances on shows like “Law & Order: SVU” and “The A-Team.”
Born on February 22, 1948, in Springfield, Massachusetts, Ashton was raised in Enfield, Connecticut. He graduated from Enfield High School and studied theater arts at the University of Southern California. He is survived by his wife of 24 years, Robin Hoye, children Michelle and Michael Thomas Ashton, step-children Courtney Donovan, Lindsay Curcio, and Ashley Hoye, a grandson named Henry, and his siblings.
Ashton was preceded in death by his parents, Edward Richard Ashton, Sr. and Eva May Wells Ashton. His contributions to film and television will be remembered fondly by fans and colleagues alike.
