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John Ashton

John Ashton

Acting February 22, 1948 (76 years old) September 26, 2024 Springfield, Massachusetts, USA

Biography

John David Ashton (February 22, 1948 – September 26, 2024) was an American actor best known for his role as Sergeant John Taggart in the hit action-comedy films Beverly Hills Cop (1984), Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) and Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (2025) where he played alongside Eddie Murphy. Born in Springfield, Massachusetts, Ashton developed a passion for acting early in life, later attending the University of Southern California's School of Theatre. Beyond his iconic role in the Beverly Hills Cop series, Ashton appeared in a wide range of films and TV shows throughout his career. His notable film appearances include Midnight Run (1988) alongside Robert De Niro, where he portrayed a bounty hunter named Marvin Dorfler. On television, Ashton has made guest appearances on popular series such as Columbo, MASH, and The A-Team. Ashton's performances are often characterized by his ability to balance humor and toughness, making him a beloved character actor, especially in roles that highlight his everyman charm and strong screen presence.

Movies 52

Beverly Hills Cop 7.2

Beverly Hills Cop

as Sgt. Taggart

1984
Beverly Hills Cop II 6.5

Beverly Hills Cop II

as John Taggart

1987
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F 6.6

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F

as Chief John Taggart

2024
Gone Baby Gone 7.3

Gone Baby Gone

as Nick Poole

2007
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension 6.0

The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension

as Highway Patrolman

1984
Midnight Run 7.2

Midnight Run

as Marvin Dorfler

1988
Some Kind of Wonderful 6.8

Some Kind of Wonderful

as Cliff Nelson

1987
King Kong Lives 5.2

King Kong Lives

as Lt. Col. R.T. Nevitt

1986
She's Having a Baby 5.9

She's Having a Baby

as Ken

1988
Instinct 6.5

Instinct

as Guard Dacks

1999
Curly Sue 6.4

Curly Sue

as Frank Arnold (uncredited)

1991
Middle Men 6.5

Middle Men

as Morgan

2009
Breaking Away 7.1

Breaking Away

as Mike's Brother

1979
Borderline 6.1

Borderline

as Charlie Monroe

1980
The Deliberate Stranger 6.3

The Deliberate Stranger

as Det. Roger Dunn

1986
Meet the Deedles 4.5

Meet the Deedles

as Capt. Douglas Pine

1998
Trapped in Paradise 5.6

Trapped in Paradise

as Ed Dawson

1994
The Shooter 4.8

The Shooter

as Alex Reed

1995
BRATS 6.1

BRATS

as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

2024
Oh, God! 6.4

Oh, God!

as Police Officer (uncredited)

1977
Little Big League 6.0

Little Big League

as Mac MacNally

1994
Honky Tonk Freeway 5.4

Honky Tonk Freeway

as Otto Kemper

1981
Psycho Sisters 10.0

Psycho Sisters

as Brock

1974
Reign of the Gargoyles 5.7

Reign of the Gargoyles

as Commander Latham

2007
The Day Lincoln Was Shot 6.8

The Day Lincoln Was Shot

as Ulysses S. Grant

1998
I Want to Go Home 4.8

I Want to Go Home

as Harry Dempsey

1989
All Happy Families 5.4

All Happy Families

as Roy Landry

2024
Once Upon a River 6.5

Once Upon a River

2019
Elvis and the Beauty Queen 3.9

Elvis and the Beauty Queen

as Jake

1981
Last Resort 3.7

Last Resort

as Phil Cocoran

1986
The Joke Thief 5.0

The Joke Thief

as Joseph Rogers

2018
Lawman Without a Gun 9.0

Lawman Without a Gun

as 1st State Trooper

1979
Making a Deal with the Devil

Making a Deal with the Devil

as FBI Director

2019
Lonesome Soldier 4.5

Lonesome Soldier

as Macroberts

2023
Death in Texas 5.3

Death in Texas

as Asher

2022
Cat Murkil and the Silks 4.7

Cat Murkil and the Silks

as Coach Larkin

1976
For Which He Stands 6.5

For Which He Stands

as District Attorney

1996
The Last Big Save 5.8

The Last Big Save

as Joseph Bird Sr.

2019
A Letter to Dad 5.8

A Letter to Dad

as Mike Donahue

2009
Escape from Alaska 4.6

Escape from Alaska

as Kemp

1999
Money Hunt: The Mystery of the Missing Link 9.0

Money Hunt: The Mystery of the Missing Link

as Cash Hunt

1984
An Eye for an Eye 5.6

An Eye for an Eye

as Sgt. Matthews

1973
My Father's House 9.0

My Father's House

as Sergeant

1975
Hot Bath an' a Stiff Drink 2

Hot Bath an' a Stiff Drink 2

as Judge Nathan Rivers

Uncle John 5.9

Uncle John

as Uncle John

2015
Fast Money 5.3

Fast Money

as Lt. Diego

1996
Little Girls in Pretty Boxes 5.5

Little Girls in Pretty Boxes

as Peter Bryant

1997
Bill's Gun Shop 9.0

Bill's Gun Shop

as Bill Voight

2001
Dirty Work 7.0

Dirty Work

as Eddie Ryan

1992
American Christmas 3.8

American Christmas

as Rob

2019
Condition Red 4.8

Condition Red

as Deputy Warden

1995
The Wilds of Ten Thousand Islands

The Wilds of Ten Thousand Islands

as Orville

1978

TV Shows 26

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