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John Ashton

John Ashton

Known for
Acting
Born
Feb 22, 1948
Died
Sep 26, 2024 (aged 76)
Place of birth
Springfield, Massachusetts, USA
Credits
78

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.

Known for

MovieRated 7.2

Beverly Hills Cop

1984Movie

Sgt. Taggart

TVRated 8.0

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

1999TV

Alan Fewkes

MovieRated 7.3

Gone Baby Gone

2007Movie

Nick Poole

MovieRated 6.5

Beverly Hills Cop II

1987Movie

John Taggart

MovieRated 6.6

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F

2024Movie

Chief John Taggart

MovieRated 7.2

Midnight Run

1988Movie

Marvin Dorfler, Headhunter

Filmography

MovieRated 5.4

All Happy Families

2024Movie

Roy Landry

MovieRated 6.6

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F

2024Movie

Chief John Taggart

MovieRated 6.1

BRATS

2024Movie

Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

MovieRated 4.5

Lonesome Soldier

2023Movie

Macroberts

MovieRated 5.3

Death in Texas

2022Movie

Asher

MovieRated 3.8

American Christmas

2019Movie

Rob

Movie

Making a Deal with the Devil

2019Movie

FBI Director

MovieRated 5.8

The Last Big Save

2019Movie

Joseph Bird Sr.

MovieRated 6.5

Once Upon a River

2019Movie

MovieRated 5.8

The Joke Thief

2018Movie

Joseph Rogers

MovieRated 5.8

Uncle John

2015Movie

Uncle John

TVRated 7.1

The Finder

2012TV

Franklin Sherman

TVRated 6.6

Fairly Legal

2011TV

Lou Fisher

MovieRated 5.8

A Letter to Dad

2009Movie

Mike Donahue

MovieRated 6.5

Middle Men

2009Movie

Morgan

MovieRated 7.3

Gone Baby Gone

2007Movie

Nick Poole

MovieRated 5.7

Reign of the Gargoyles

2007Movie

Commander Latham

MovieRated 9.0

Bill's Gun Shop

2001Movie

Bill Voight

TVRated 8.0

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

1999TV

Alan Fewkes

TVRated 7.5

Judging Amy

1999TV

Dashiel Purdue

MovieRated 4.6

Escape from Alaska

1999Movie

Kemp

MovieRated 6.5

Instinct

1999Movie

Guard Dacks

TVRated 7.6

Fantasy Island

1998TV

Bobby

MovieRated 6.8

The Day Lincoln Was Shot

1998Movie

Ulysses S. Grant

MovieRated 4.5

Meet the Deedles

1998Movie

Capt. Douglas Pine

MovieRated 5.5

Little Girls in Pretty Boxes

1997Movie

Peter Bryant

TVRated 7.4

King of the Hill

1997TV

Instructor (voice)

MovieRated 5.3

Fast Money

1996Movie

Lt. Diego

MovieRated 6.5

For Which He Stands

1996Movie

District Attorney

MovieRated 4.8

The Shooter

1995Movie

Alex Reed

MovieRated 4.8

Condition Red

1995Movie

Deputy Warden

TVRated 7.3

JAG

1995TV

Brian Turque

MovieRated 5.7

Trapped in Paradise

1994Movie

Ed Dawson

MovieRated 5.9

Little Big League

1994Movie

Mac MacNally

TVRated 5.5

The Tommyknockers

1993TV

Butch Duggan

TVRated 7.6

A Touch of Frost

1992TV

Ridley

MovieRated 7.0

Dirty Work

1992Movie

Eddie Ryan

TVRated 5.3

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

1992TV

MovieRated 6.4

Curly Sue

1991Movie

Frank Arnold

TVRated 4.9

Love, Lies and Murder

1991TV

Carrothers

MovieRated 4.8

I Want to Go Home

1989Movie

Harry Dempsey

TVRated 7.0

Hardball

1989TV

Charlie Battles

TVRated 6.7

I Know My First Name Is Steven

1989TV

Del Stayner

MovieRated 7.2

Midnight Run

1988Movie

Marvin Dorfler, Headhunter

MovieRated 5.9

She's Having a Baby

1988Movie

Ken

MovieRated 6.5

Beverly Hills Cop II

1987Movie

John Taggart

MovieRated 6.9

Some Kind of Wonderful

1987Movie

Cliff Nelson

MovieRated 5.2

King Kong Lives

1986Movie

Lt. Col. R.T. Nevitt

MovieRated 6.3

The Deliberate Stranger

1986Movie

Det. Roger Dunn

TVRated 6.5

The Deliberate Stranger

1986TV

Det. Roger Dunn

MovieRated 3.7

Last Resort

1986Movie

Phil Cocoran

TVRated 7.7

The Twilight Zone

1985TV

Chief Brady Simmons (segment "Chameleon")

TVRated 6.2

A Death in California

1985TV

Bob Swalwell

MovieRated 7.2

Beverly Hills Cop

1984Movie

Sgt. Taggart

MovieRated 6.0

The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension

1984Movie

Highway Patrolman

MovieRated 9.0

Money Hunt: The Mystery of the Missing Link

1984Movie

Cash Hunt

TVRated 7.5

The A-Team

1983TV

Cactus Jack Slater

TVRated 7.9

Police Squad!

1982TV

MovieRated 5.4

Honky Tonk Freeway

1981Movie

Otto Kemper

MovieRated 3.9

Elvis and the Beauty Queen

1981Movie

Jake

MovieRated 6.0

Borderline

1980Movie

Charlie Monroe

MovieRated 9.0

Lawman Without a Gun

1979Movie

1st State Trooper

MovieRated 7.2

Breaking Away

1979Movie

Mike's Brother

TVRated 6.9

Dallas

1978TV

Willie Joe Garr

Movie

The Wilds of Ten Thousand Islands

1978Movie

Orville

MovieRated 6.4

Oh, God!

1977Movie

Police Officer (uncredited)

TVRated 8.0

Code R

1977TV

Karl

MovieRated 5.3

Cat Murkil and the Silks

1976Movie

Coach Larkin

TVRated 7.3

Starsky & Hutch

1975TV

MovieRated 9.0

My Father's House

1975Movie

Sergeant

MovieRated 10.0

Psycho Sisters

1974Movie

Brock

TVRated 7.3

Kojak

1973TV

Cullen

MovieRated 5.6

An Eye for an Eye

1973Movie

Sgt. Matthews

TVRated 7.0

Police Story

1973TV

TVRated 7.9

M*A*S*H

1972TV

TVRated 8.1

Columbo

1971TV

Calvin MacGruder

TVRated 5.6

Today

1952TV

Self

Coming soon

Hot Bath an' a Stiff Drink 2

Movie

Judge Nathan Rivers

John Ashton: movies and TV shows | Reelhouse