# John Ashton (actor)
**John Ashton** (John David Ashton, 1948–2024) was an American character actor best known for playing the gruff, by-the-book police detective John Taggart in the *Beverly Hills Cop* films, and for his role as the rival bounty hunter Marvin Dorfler in the 1988 buddy comedy *Midnight Run*.[1](https://apnews.com/article/7cf9cabad9d315a303fa01a0eecb2a94) In a career spanning more than 50 years he appeared in over 200 stage, film, and television productions.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0039226/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born / died | 1948, Springfield, Massachusetts; 26 September 2024, Fort Collins, Colorado, aged 76[1](https://apnews.com/article/7cf9cabad9d315a303fa01a0eecb2a94) • [3](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2024/oct/01/john-ashton-obituary) |
| Signature role | Sergeant John Taggart in *Beverly Hills Cop* (1984), *Beverly Hills Cop II* (1987), and *Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F* (2024)[1](https://apnews.com/article/7cf9cabad9d315a303fa01a0eecb2a94) |
| Other notable films | *Midnight Run* (1988), *Little Big League*, *Gone Baby Gone*, *Some Kind of Wonderful*, *Curly Sue*, *King Kong Lives*[1](https://apnews.com/article/7cf9cabad9d315a303fa01a0eecb2a94) • [4](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/john-ashton) |
| Television | Recurring role as Willie Joe Garr in *Dallas*; guest roles in *Kojak*, *Columbo*, *Police Story*, *Police Squad!*, and *Law & Order: Special Victims Unit*[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0039226/) • [4](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/john-ashton) |
| Training | Graduate of the USC School of Theatre; began acting on the Los Angeles stage in the early 1970s[5](https://www.rogerebert.com/tributes/a-reliable-force-john-ashton-1948-2024) |
| Award | Los Angeles Method Fest award for Best Supporting Actor for *Once Upon a River*[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0039226/) |
| Death | Died of cancer at 76, two months after the premiere of *Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F*[5](https://www.rogerebert.com/tributes/a-reliable-force-john-ashton-1948-2024) • [6](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2024-09-30/john-ashton-dead-beverly-hills-cop-taggart) |
## Early life and stage career
Ashton was born in [Springfield, Massachusetts](https://www.edgepedia.org/springfield-massachusetts), in 1948.[3](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2024/oct/01/john-ashton-obituary) He graduated from the USC School of Theatre and began his acting career on the Los Angeles stage in the early 1970s.[5](https://www.rogerebert.com/tributes/a-reliable-force-john-ashton-1948-2024) His first professional role came in the premier production of *Othello* at the Hartford Stage Company, and he went on to perform in summer stock on [Cape Cod](https://www.edgepedia.org/cape-cod) and to tour Europe with the USA Festival Theater Tour, playing in Germany, Cambridge, London, and the Edinburgh Arts Festival in 15 productions in repertory.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0039226/) As a member of the Company of Angels in Los Angeles he received the Los Angeles Drama Critics Award for his performance as Camille in *A Flea in Her Ear*.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0039226/)
## Television work
From the 1970s Ashton worked steadily in American television, appearing in series including *Starsky and Hutch*, *Dallas*, *Breaking Away*, *A Death in California*, *Brothers*, *Hardball*, and *Brookside*.[4](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/john-ashton) His role as Willie Joe Garr in *Dallas* was a recurring one.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0039226/) He also made guest appearances in *Kojak*, *Columbo*, *Police Story*, *Police Squad!*, and *Law & Order: Special Victims Unit*.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0039226/) In 1989 he played a worried father whose seven-year-old son was kidnapped in the factually based television drama *I Know My First Name Is Steven*.[3](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2024/oct/01/john-ashton-obituary)
## Beverly Hills Cop and film career
**Taggart.** Ashton's fame came in 1984, when he joined the cast of *Beverly Hills Cop* as Sergeant John Taggart, one of the two local detectives, alongside Billy Rosewood ([Judge Reinhold](https://www.edgepedia.org/judge-reinhold)), who worked with [Eddie Murphy](https://www.edgepedia.org/eddie-murphy)'s Detroit detective Axel Foley.[1](https://apnews.com/article/7cf9cabad9d315a303fa01a0eecb2a94) Of the pair, Taggart was the more fearful, by-the-book detective, though he would regularly be coaxed into Axel's plans.[1](https://apnews.com/article/7cf9cabad9d315a303fa01a0eecb2a94) Ashton reprised the role in *Beverly Hills Cop II* (1987) and returned 40 years after the original for the Netflix revival *Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F* (2024), in which his character had become chief of police.[1](https://apnews.com/article/7cf9cabad9d315a303fa01a0eecb2a94) • [7](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-30/beverly-hills-cop-actor-john-ashton-dead/104411862) He starred in three of the franchise's four films.[1](https://apnews.com/article/7cf9cabad9d315a303fa01a0eecb2a94)
**Midnight Run and other films.** In Martin Brest's 1988 buddy comedy *Midnight Run*, Ashton played Marvin Dorfler, a rival bounty hunter pursuing [Charles Grodin](https://www.edgepedia.org/charles-grodin)'s wanted accountant while the accountant was in the custody of [Robert De Niro](https://www.edgepedia.org/robert-de-niro)'s Jack Walsh.[1](https://apnews.com/article/7cf9cabad9d315a303fa01a0eecb2a94) Speaking to Collider in July 2024, Ashton recalled auditioning opposite De Niro, who threw a box of matches on the floor during the scene; Ashton refused to pick them up, and De Niro said "I want him" because he wanted someone who would stand up to him.[1](https://apnews.com/article/7cf9cabad9d315a303fa01a0eecb2a94) His other films included *Little Big League* and *[Gone Baby Gone](https://www.edgepedia.org/gone-baby-gone)*.[1](https://apnews.com/article/7cf9cabad9d315a303fa01a0eecb2a94) A burly, mustachioed performer, he was frequently cast as law enforcement agents or villainous heavies.[8](https://www.fandango.com/people/john-ashton-992952) For the film *Once Upon a River* he received the LA Method Fest award for Best Supporting Actor.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0039226/)
## Death
Ashton died on 26 September 2024 in [Fort Collins, Colorado](https://www.edgepedia.org/fort-collins-colorado), at the age of 76; his family announced the death in a statement released by his manager, [Alan Somers](https://www.edgepedia.org/alan-somers), on 29 September.[1](https://apnews.com/article/7cf9cabad9d315a303fa01a0eecb2a94) He had been treated for cancer.[5](https://www.rogerebert.com/tributes/a-reliable-force-john-ashton-1948-2024) His death came two months after the June 2024 premiere of *Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F*, which reunited him with Eddie Murphy and Judge Reinhold.[6](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2024-09-30/john-ashton-dead-beverly-hills-cop-taggart) He is survived by his wife of 24 years, Robin Hoye, two children, three stepchildren, a grandson, two sisters, and a brother.[1](https://apnews.com/article/7cf9cabad9d315a303fa01a0eecb2a94)
## References
1. [John Ashton, 'Beverly Hills Cop' actor, dies at 76, Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/7cf9cabad9d315a303fa01a0eecb2a94)
2. [John Ashton, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0039226/)
3. [John Ashton obituary, The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2024/oct/01/john-ashton-obituary)
4. [John Ashton, Television Academy](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/john-ashton)
5. [A Reliable Force: John Ashton (1948–2024), RogerEbert.com](https://www.rogerebert.com/tributes/a-reliable-force-john-ashton-1948-2024)
6. [John Ashton dead: 'Beverly Hills Cop' actor was 76, Los Angeles Times](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2024-09-30/john-ashton-dead-beverly-hills-cop-taggart)
7. [Beverly Hills Cop actor John Ashton has died at the age of 76, ABC News](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-30/beverly-hills-cop-actor-john-ashton-dead/104411862)
8. [John Ashton Movies & TV Shows List, Fandango](https://www.fandango.com/people/john-ashton-992952)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames A*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license