John Ashton, ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ actor, dies at 76

NEW YORK (AP) — John Ashton, the veteran character actor who memorably performed the gruff however lovable police detective John Taggart within the “Beverly Hills Cop” movies, has died. He was 76.

Ashton died Thursday in Fort Collins, Colorado, his household introduced in a press release launched by Ashton’s supervisor, Alan Somers, on Sunday. No reason behind loss of life was instantly out there.

In a profession that spanned greater than 50 years, Ashton was an everyday face throughout TV sequence and movies, together with “Midnight Run,” “Little Large League” and “Gone Child Gone.”

However within the “Beverly Hills Cop” movies, Ashton performed a vital a part of an indelible trio. Although Eddie Murphy’s Axel Foley, a Detroit detective following a case in Los Angeles, was the lead, the 2 native detectives — Billy Rosewood (Decide Reinhold) and Ashton’s Taggart — had been Axel’s generally reluctant, generally keen collaborators.

Of the three, Taggart — “Sarge” to Billy — was the extra fearful, by-the-book detective. However he would often be coaxed into Axel’s plans. Ashton co-starred in all 4 of the movies, starting with the 1984 authentic and operating by means of the Netflix reboot, “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F,” launched earlier this 12 months.

Ashton performed a extra unscrupulous character in Martin Brest’s 1988 buddy comedy “Midnight Run.” He was the rival bounty hunter additionally pursuing Charles Grodin’s wished accountant in “The Duke” whereas he’s within the custody of Robert De Niro’s Jack Walsh.

Talking in July to Collider, Ashton recalled auditioning with De Niro.

“Bobby began handing me these matches, and I went to seize the matches, and he threw them on the ground and stared at me,” mentioned Ashton. “I regarded on the matches, and I regarded up, and I mentioned, ‘F—- you,’ and he mentioned, ‘F—- you, too.’ I mentioned, ‘Go —- your self.’ I do know each different actor picked these up and handed it to him, and I discovered as quickly as I left he went, ‘I need him,’ as a result of he wished any person to face as much as him.”

Ashton is survived by his spouse, Robin Hoye, of 24 years, two kids, three stepchildren, a grandson, two sisters and a brother.