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.
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.
External links
IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/nm0039226
Wikipedia: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q955818
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Filmography (Movies)
All Happy Families
Character:Roy Landry
Release Date:20/09/2024
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F
Character:Chief John Taggart
Release Date:20/06/2024
BRATS
Character:Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Release Date:07/06/2024
Lonesome Soldier
Character:Macroberts
Release Date:03/11/2023
Death in Texas
Character:Asher
Release Date:06/10/2022
American Christmas
Character:Rob
Release Date:04/11/2019
Making a Deal with the Devil
Character:FBI Director
Release Date:20/06/2019
The Last Big Save
Character:Joseph Bird Sr.
Release Date:18/05/2019
Once Upon a River
Character:
Release Date:10/05/2019
The Joke Thief
Character:Joseph Rogers
Release Date:16/04/2018
Uncle John
Character:Uncle John
Release Date:16/03/2015
A Letter to Dad
Character:Mike Donahue
Release Date:27/07/2009
Middle Men
Character:Morgan
Release Date:17/05/2009
Gone Baby Gone
Character:Det. Nick Poole
Release Date:18/09/2007
Reign of the Gargoyles
Character:Commander Latham
Release Date:24/03/2007
Bill's Gun Shop
Character:Bill Voight
Release Date:01/01/2001
Escape from Alaska
Character:Kemp
Release Date:28/07/1999
Instinct
Character:Guard Dacks
Release Date:04/06/1999
The Day Lincoln Was Shot
Character:Ulysses S. Grant
Release Date:12/04/1998
Meet the Deedles
Character:Capt. Douglas Pine
Release Date:27/03/1998
Little Girls in Pretty Boxes
Character:Peter Bryant
Release Date:18/01/1997
Fast Money
Character:Lt. Diego
Release Date:13/08/1996
For Which He Stands
Character:District Attorney
Release Date:17/05/1996
The Shooter
Character:Alex Reed
Release Date:15/12/1995
Condition Red
Character:Deputy Warden
Release Date:08/12/1995
Trapped in Paradise
Character:Ed Dawson
Release Date:02/12/1994
Little Big League
Character:Mac MacNally
Release Date:29/06/1994
Dirty Work
Character:Eddie Ryan
Release Date:22/07/1992
Curly Sue
Character:Frank Arnold
Release Date:25/10/1991
I Want to Go Home
Character:Harry Dempsey
Release Date:27/09/1989
Midnight Run
Character:Marvin Dorfler, Headhunter
Release Date:20/07/1988
She's Having a Baby
Character:Ken
Release Date:05/02/1988
Beverly Hills Cop II
Character:John Taggart
Release Date:18/05/1987
Some Kind of Wonderful
Character:Cliff Nelson
Release Date:27/02/1987
King Kong Lives
Character:Lt. Col. R.T. Nevitt
Release Date:16/12/1986
The Deliberate Stranger
Character:Det. Roger Dunn
Release Date:04/05/1986
Last Resort
Character:Phil Cocoran
Release Date:31/03/1986
Beverly Hills Cop
Character:Sgt. Taggart
Release Date:05/12/1984
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension
Character:Highway Patrolman
Release Date:10/08/1984
Money Hunt: The Mystery of the Missing Link
Character:Cash Hunt
Release Date:27/06/1984
Honky Tonk Freeway
Character:Otto Kemper
Release Date:21/08/1981
Elvis and the Beauty Queen
Character:Jake
Release Date:01/03/1981
Borderline
Character:Charlie Monroe
Release Date:19/12/1980
Lawman Without a Gun
Character:1st State Trooper
Release Date:30/05/1979
Breaking Away
Character:Mike's Brother
Release Date:24/05/1979
The Wilds of Ten Thousand Islands
Character:Orville
Release Date:28/02/1978
Oh, God!
Character:Police Officer (uncredited)
Release Date:07/10/1977
Cat Murkil and the Silks
Character:Coach Larkin
Release Date:01/07/1976
My Father's House
Character:Sergeant
Release Date:01/06/1975
Psycho Sisters
Character:Brock
Release Date:25/12/1974
An Eye for an Eye
Character:Sgt. Matthews
Release Date:28/09/1973
Television Appearances
The Finder
Character:Franklin Sherman
Fairly Legal
Character:Lou Fisher
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Character:Alan Fewkes
Judging Amy
Character:Dashiel Purdue
Fantasy Island
Character:Bobby
King of the Hill
Character:Instructor (voice)
JAG
Character:Brian Turque
The Tommyknockers
Character:Butch Duggan
A Touch of Frost
Character:
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
Character:
Love, Lies and Murder
Character:Carrothers
Hardball
Character:Charlie Battles
I Know My First Name Is Steven
Character:Del Stayner
The Deliberate Stranger
Character:Det. Roger Dunn
The Twilight Zone
Character:Chief Brady Simmons (segment "Chameleon")
A Death in California
Character:Bob Swalwell
The A-Team
Character:Cactus Jack Slater
Police Squad!
Character:
Dallas
Character:Willie Joe Garr
Code R
Character:Karl
Starsky & Hutch
Character:
Police Woman
Character:
Kojak
Character:Cullen
Police Story
Character:
M*A*S*H
Character:
Columbo
Character:Calvin MacGruder
Today
Character:Self
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