John Ashton
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) and Beverly Hills Cop II (1987), 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.
Beverly Hills Cop
(Sgt. Taggart)
Beverly Hills Cop II
(John Taggart)
Lawman Without a Gun
(1st State Trooper)
Gone Baby Gone
(Det. Nick Poole)
Breaking Away
(Mike's Brother)
Little Big League
(Mac MacNally)
Trapped in Paradise
(Ed Dawson)
King Kong Lives
(Lt. Col. R.T. Nevitt)
Borderline
(Charlie Monroe)
Midnight Run
(Marvin Dorfler)
She's Having a Baby
(Ken)
Meet the Deedles
(Capt. Douglas Pine)
Reign of the Gargoyles
(Commander Latham)
Psycho Sisters
(Brock)
Some Kind of Wonderful
(Cliff Nelson)
An Eye for an Eye
(Sgt. Matthews)
Escape from Alaska
(Kemp)
The Shooter
(Alex Reed)
The Deliberate Stranger
(Det. Roger Dunn)
The Wilds of Ten Thousand Islands
(Orville)
Fast Money
(Lt. Diego)
Cat Murkil and the Silks
(Coach Larkin)
For Which He Stands
(District Attorney)
The Day Lincoln Was Shot
(Ulysses S. Grant)
Little Girls in Pretty Boxes
(Peter Bryant)
Middle Men
(Morgan)
Last Resort
(Phil Cocoran)
Lonesome Soldier
(Macroberts)
Oh, God!
(Police Officer (uncredited))
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F
(Chief John Taggart)
All Happy Families
Uncle John
(Uncle John)
Dirty Work
(Eddie Ryan)
Condition Red
(Deputy Warden)
Instinct
(Guard Dacks)
BRATS
(Self (archive footage) (uncredited))
Curly Sue
(Frank Arnold)
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension
(Highway Patrolman)
The Joke Thief
(Joseph Rogers)
Elvis and the Beauty Queen
(Jake)
Making a Deal with the Devil
(FBI Director)
The Last Big Save
(Joseph Bird Sr.)
Once Upon a River
American Christmas
(Rob)
Honky Tonk Freeway
(Otto Kemper)
A Letter to Dad
(Mike Donahue)
I Want to Go Home
(Harry Dempsey)
Death in Texas
(Asher)
Money Hunt: The Mystery of the Missing Link
(Cash Hunt)
My Father's House
(Sergeant)
M*A*S*H
Starsky & Hutch
Judging Amy
(Dashiel Purdue)
Today
(Self)
A Touch of Frost
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
(Alan Fewkes)
Kojak
(Cullen)
Dallas
(Willie Joe Garr)
Police Squad!
Police Woman
Police Story
Hardball
(Charlie Battles)
Code R
(Karl)
I Know My First Name Is Steven
(Del Stayner)
The Finder
(Franklin Sherman)
Columbo
(Calvin MacGruder)
The Tommyknockers
(Butch Duggan)
A Death in California
(Bob Swalwell)
Fairly Legal
(Lou Fisher)
King of the Hill
(Instructor (voice))
The Twilight Zone
(Chief Brady Simmons)
JAG
(Brian Turque)
Fantasy Island
(Bobby)
The A-Team
(Cactus Jack Slater)