By outdoor-nature-child.com Legendary Hollywood actor John Ashton, best known for his memorable role as the tough yet lovable Detective John Taggart in the classic comedy “Beverly Hills Cop,” has sadly passed away. His family confirmed his death on September 26 in Fort Collins, Colorado, though the cause remains unclear.
Ashton enjoyed a prolific career that spanned over 50 years, with numerous credits in both television and film. Some of his notable works include “Midnight Run,” “Little Big League,” and “Gone Baby Gone.”
In the “Beverly Hills Cop” series, Ashton was part of a dynamic trio alongside Eddie Murphy’s Axel Foley, a Detroit detective navigating the complexities of cases in Los Angeles. While Foley takes center stage as the main protagonist, Ashton’s Taggart, alongside Billy Rosewood played by Judge Reinhold, serves as the local cop who finds himself both reluctantly and actively caught up in Foley’s wild adventures.
Among the trio, Taggart is depicted as the more conventional and braver detective, often unwittingly ensnared in Foley’s antics. Ashton reprised his role in the 1984 original film and its sequels, recently returning in the Netflix reboot “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley,” which premiered earlier in 2024.
In addition to his iconic role, Ashton displayed his versatility in Martin Brest’s 1988 buddy comedy “Midnight Run,” where he portrayed a bounty hunter pursuing an accountant, played by Charles Grodin, who had been taken in by Robert De Niro’s character, Jack Walsh.
He is survived by his wife, Robin Hoye, who is 24 years old, as well as two children, three stepchildren, a grandchild, and two sisters and a brother.