John Ashton
Acting
Born: February 22, 1948 · Springfield, Massachusetts, USA
Died: September 26, 2024 (aged 76)
Highest Rated
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.
Known for
Beverly Hills Cop
1984
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
1999
Gone Baby Gone
2007
Beverly Hills Cop II
1987
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F
2024
Midnight Run
1988
The A-Team
1983
Columbo
1971
M*A*S*H
1972
King of the Hill
1997
Instinct
1999
Curly Sue
1991
Photos (2)
Movies (49)
Beverly Hills Cop
Sgt. Taggart
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F
Chief John Taggart
Gone Baby Gone
Nick Poole
Beverly Hills Cop II
John Taggart
Midnight Run
Marvin Dorfler, Headhunter
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension
Highway Patrolman
Instinct
Guard Dacks
King Kong Lives
Lt. Col. R.T. Nevitt
Some Kind of Wonderful
Cliff Nelson
Meet the Deedles
Capt. Douglas Pine
Middle Men
Morgan
Curly Sue
Frank Arnold
Borderline
Charlie Monroe
Trapped in Paradise
Ed Dawson
She's Having a Baby
Ken
Breaking Away
Mike's Brother
Cat Murkil and the Silks
Coach Larkin
The Shooter
Alex Reed
Oh, God!
Police Officer (uncredited)
Death in Texas
Asher
Honky Tonk Freeway
Otto Kemper
Little Big League
Mac MacNally
Psycho Sisters
Brock
Lonesome Soldier
Macroberts
Dirty Work
Eddie Ryan
The Deliberate Stranger
Det. Roger Dunn
Last Resort
Phil Cocoran
The Day Lincoln Was Shot
Ulysses S. Grant
I Want to Go Home
Harry Dempsey
Fast Money
Lt. Diego
The Last Big Save
Joseph Bird Sr.
Elvis and the Beauty Queen
Jake
Condition Red
Deputy Warden
Uncle John
Uncle John
Once Upon a River
2019
My Father's House
Sergeant
Money Hunt: The Mystery of the Missing Link
Cash Hunt
Escape from Alaska
Kemp
Little Girls in Pretty Boxes
Peter Bryant
Lawman Without a Gun
1st State Trooper
For Which He Stands
District Attorney
Making a Deal with the Devil
FBI Director
The Joke Thief
Joseph Rogers
Reign of the Gargoyles
Commander Latham
An Eye for an Eye
Sgt. Matthews
A Letter to Dad
Mike Donahue
American Christmas
Rob
All Happy Families
Roy Landry
Bill's Gun Shop
Bill Voight
TV Shows (25)
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Alan Fewkes · 1 eps
King of the Hill
Instructor (voice) · 1 eps
Columbo
Calvin MacGruder · 1 eps
JAG
Brian Turque · 2 eps
Dallas
Willie Joe Garr · 6 eps
The A-Team
Cactus Jack Slater · 1 eps
M*A*S*H
1 eps
Judging Amy
Dashiel Purdue · 1 eps
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
1 eps
A Touch of Frost
Ridley · 1 eps
Starsky & Hutch
2 eps
The Twilight Zone
Chief Brady Simmons (segment "Chameleon") · 1 eps
Kojak
Cullen · 1 eps
Police Story
1 eps
Fairly Legal
Lou Fisher · 1 eps
The Finder
Franklin Sherman · 1 eps
Police Squad!
1 eps
Fantasy Island
Bobby · 1 eps
The Tommyknockers
Butch Duggan · 2 eps
Hardball
Charlie Battles · 18 eps
I Know My First Name Is Steven
Del Stayner · 2 eps
Code R
Karl · 1 eps
The Deliberate Stranger
Det. Roger Dunn · 2 eps
Love, Lies and Murder
Carrothers · 2 eps
A Death in California
Bob Swalwell · 2 eps
