John Ashton, the veteran character actor who memorably played the gruff but lovable police detective John Taggart in the 鈥淏everly Hills Cop鈥 films, has died. He was 76.
Ashton died Thursday in Fort Collins, Colo., his family announced in a statement released by Ashton's manager, Alan Somers, on Sunday. No cause of death was immediately available.
In a career that spanned more than 50 years, Ashton was a regular face across TV series and films, including "Midnight Run,鈥 鈥淟ittle Big League鈥 and 鈥淕one Baby Gone.鈥
But in the 鈥淏everly Hills Cop鈥 films, Ashton played an essential part of an indelible trio. Though Eddie Murphy's Axel Foley, a Detroit detective following a case in Los Angeles, was the lead, the two local detectives 鈥 Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) and Ashton's Taggart 鈥 were Axel's sometimes reluctant, sometimes eager collaborators.
Of the three, Taggart 鈥 鈥淪arge鈥 to Billy 鈥 was the more fearful, by-the-book detective. But he would regularly be coaxed into Axel's plans. Ashton co-starred in all four of the films, beginning with the 1984 original and running through the Netflix reboot, 鈥淏everly Hills Cop: Axel F," released earlier this year.
Ashton played a more unscrupulous character in Martin Brest's 1988 buddy comedy 鈥淢idnight Run.鈥 He was the rival bounty hunter also pursuing Charles Grodin's wanted accountant in 鈥淭he Duke" while he's in the custody of Robert De Niro's Jack Walsh.
Speaking in July to Collider, Ashton recalled auditioning with De Niro.
鈥淏obby started handing me these matches, and I went to grab the matches, and he threw them on the floor and stared at me,鈥 said Ashton. 鈥淚 looked at the matches, and I looked up, and I said, 鈥楩鈥- you,鈥 and he said, 鈥楩鈥- you, too.鈥 I said, 鈥楪o 鈥- yourself.鈥 I know every other actor picked those up and handed it to him, and I found out as soon as I left he went, 鈥業 want him,鈥 because he wanted somebody to stand up to him.鈥
Ashton is survived by his wife, Robin Hoye, of 24 years, two children, three stepchildren, a grandson, two sisters and a brother.
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