Eddie Murphy was the big star of the Beverly Hills Cop films, but his chatterbox Axel Foley became really funny when he interacted with his new colleagues in Los Angeles.
On one side the enthusiastic Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold), on the other the hardened John Taggart, played by John Ashton. The character actor The Beverly Hills Cop films brought Ashton unexpected fame and so he resumed the role for the fourth part this year. It will be one of his last appearances. John Ashton died on September 26, his manager told The Hollywood Reporter.
John Ashton immortalized himself in 80s cinema with Beverly Hills Cop and Midnight Run
The actor, born in 1948, initially had an inconspicuous career with small film roles and appearances in TV series such as Columbo, Dallas and Starsky & Hutch. He gained greater fame through his casting in Martin Brest’s Beverly Hills Cop from 1984 and his return in Tony Scott’s Beverly Hills Cop II three years later.
John Ashton took on a second cult film role in 1988 in Midnight Run – 5 Days to Midnight, which he shot again with Martin Brest. In the buddy movie, Ashton played the role of bounty hunter Dorfler, who is on the heels of competitor Walsh (Robert De Niro) and mafia accountant Mardukas (Charles Grodin). As De Niro’s counterpart, Ashton once again demonstrated his talent as a character actor who may not take on the big leading roles, but can be essential to the success of a film.
In the years that followed, Ashton continued to be present in film and television, for example in Ben Affleck’s directorial debut Gone Baby Gone and with small guest appearances in series such as Law & Order: New York. Things have been quieter for John Ashton recently, which made his return as John Taggart in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F., which was released on Netflix in July, all the more surprising. The action film brought the original trio Eddie Murphy, Judge Reinhold and John Ashton in front of the camera one last time.
John Ashton died on September 26th after a short battle with cancer. He was 76 years old.