John Ashton, ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ Actor, Dead at 76

John Ashton, the character actor who starred alongside Eddie Murphy in the Beverly Hills Cop series, has died at the age of 76.

The actor’s rep confirmed his death to TMZ, adding that Ashton died Thursday in Fort Collins, Colorado after a battle with cancer.

Ashton was best known for portraying Sgt. John Taggart alongside Eddie Murphy’s Axel Foley and Judge Reinhold’s Det. Billy Rosewood in three of the four Beverly Hills Cop films: 1984’s original, the 1987 sequel Beverly Hills Cop II, and this year’s Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, where his Taggart was elevated the LAPD chief.

Ashton’s other notable roles include playing Eric Stoltz’s father in the John Hughes-penned teen rom-com Some Kind of Wonderful, bounty hunter Marvin Dorfler in the 1988 cult action comedy Midnight Run, a pitching coach in 1994’s Little Big League, and a Boston detective in Ben Affleck’s 2007 neo-noir Gone Baby Gone.
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Over an acting career that began in the early Seventies, Ashton also appeared in episodes of M*A*S*H, Starsky & Hutch, Dallas, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and the Eighties revival of The Twilight Zone.

“John leaves behind a legacy of love, dedication, and service,” Ashton’s rep Alan Somers said in a statement. “His memory will forever be treasured by his wife, children, grandchildren, as well as his brother, sisters, his extended family and all who loved him. John’s impact on the world will be remembered and celebrated for generations to come.”