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Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Birthday
February 22, 1948
Died
September 26, 2024
Place of Birth
Springfield, Massachusetts, USA
Also Known As
- John David Ashton
- جان اشتون
John Ashton
0.8 Popularity
Biography
John David Ashton (February 22, 1948 – September 26, 2024) was an American actor best known for his role as Sergeant John Taggart in the hit action-comedy films Beverly Hills Cop (1984), Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) and Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (2025) where he played alongside Eddie Murphy. Born in Springfield, Massachusetts, Ashton developed a passion for acting early in life, later attending the University of Southern California's School of Theatre. Beyond his iconic role in the Beverly Hills Cop series, Ashton appeared in a wide range of films and TV shows throughout his career. His notable film appearances include Midnight Run (1988) alongside Robert De Niro, where he portrayed a bounty hunter named Marvin Dorfler. On television, Ashton has made guest appearances on popular series such as Columbo, MASH, and The A-Team. Ashton's performances are often characterized by his ability to balance humor and toughness, making him a beloved character actor, especially in roles that highlight his everyman charm and strong screen presence.
Known For
5.5
Roy Landry
All Happy Families
2024
6.7
Chief John Taggart
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F
2024
5.9
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
BRATS
2024
5.7
Macroberts
Lonesome Soldier
2023
5.2
Asher
Death in Texas
2022
3.3
Rob
American Christmas
2019
0.0
FBI Director
Making a Deal with the Devil
2019
5.8
Joseph Bird Sr.
The Last Big Save
2019
6.5
Once Upon a River
2019
5.8
Joseph Rogers
The Joke Thief
2018
Credits
All Happy Families
as Roy Landry
2024
5.5
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F
as Chief John Taggart
2024
6.7
BRATS
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2024
5.9
Lonesome Soldier
as Macroberts
2023
5.7
Death in Texas
as Asher
2022
5.2
American Christmas
as Rob
2019
3.3
Making a Deal with the Devil
as FBI Director
2019
0.0
The Last Big Save
as Joseph Bird Sr.
2019
5.8
Once Upon a River
2019
6.5
The Joke Thief
as Joseph Rogers
2018
5.8
Uncle John
as Uncle John
2015
5.8
The Finder
as Franklin Sherman
2012
7.1
Fairly Legal
as Lou Fisher
2011
6.6
A Letter to Dad
as Mike Donahue
2009
3.5
Middle Men
as Morgan
2009
6.5
Gone Baby Gone
as Det. Nick Poole
2007
7.3
Reign of the Gargoyles
as Commander Latham
2007
5.9
Bill's Gun Shop
as Bill Voight
2001
0.0
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
as Alan Fewkes
1999
7.9
Judging Amy
as Dashiel Purdue
1999
7.5
Escape from Alaska
as Kemp
1999
4.3
Instinct
as Guard Dacks
1999
6.5
Fantasy Island
as Bobby
1998
7.5
The Day Lincoln Was Shot
as Ulysses S. Grant
1998
6.8
Meet the Deedles
as Capt. Douglas Pine
1998
4.5
Little Girls in Pretty Boxes
as Peter Bryant
1997
5.0
King of the Hill
as Instructor (voice)
1997
7.4
Fast Money
as Lt. Diego
1996
5.0
For Which He Stands
as District Attorney
1996
6.0
The Shooter
as Alex Reed
1995
4.7
Condition Red
as Deputy Warden
1995
4.2
JAG
as Brian Turque
1995
7.3
Trapped in Paradise
as Ed Dawson
1994
5.6
Little Big League
as Mac MacNally
1994
5.9
The Tommyknockers
as Butch Duggan
1993
5.6
A Touch of Frost
1992
7.5
Dirty Work
as Eddie Ryan
1992
0.0
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
1992
5.4
Curly Sue
as Frank Arnold
1991
6.4
I Want to Go Home
as Harry Dempsey
1989
4.8
Hardball
as Charlie Battles
1989
7.0
I Know My First Name Is Steven
as Del Stayner
1989
6.6
Midnight Run
as Marvin Dorfler, Headhunter
1988
7.2
She's Having a Baby
as Ken
1988
5.9
Beverly Hills Cop II
as John Taggart
1987
6.5
Some Kind of Wonderful
as Cliff Nelson
1987
6.9
King Kong Lives
as Lt. Col. R.T. Nevitt
1986
5.1
The Deliberate Stranger
as Det. Roger Dunn
1986
6.2
The Deliberate Stranger
as Det. Roger Dunn
1986
0.0
Last Resort
as Phil Cocoran
1986
3.3
The Twilight Zone
as Chief Brady Simmons (segment "Chameleon")
1985
7.8
A Death in California
as Bob Swalwell
1985
3.7
Beverly Hills Cop
as Sgt. Taggart
1984
7.2
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension
as Highway Patrolman
1984
6.0
Money Hunt: The Mystery of the Missing Link
as Cash Hunt
1984
0.0
The A-Team
as Cactus Jack Slater
1983
7.5
Police Squad!
1982
7.9
Honky Tonk Freeway
as Otto Kemper
1981
5.2
Elvis and the Beauty Queen
as Jake
1981
3.3
Borderline
as Charlie Monroe
1980
6.0
Lawman Without a Gun
as 1st State Trooper
1979
0.0
Breaking Away
as Mike's Brother
1979
7.1
Dallas
as Willie Joe Garr
1978
6.8
🎬
The Wilds of Ten Thousand Islands
as Orville
1978
0.0
Oh, God!
as Police Officer (uncredited)
1977
6.5
Code R
as Karl
1977
0.0
Cat Murkil and the Silks
as Coach Larkin
1976
4.0
Starsky & Hutch
1975
7.3
My Father's House
as Sergeant
1975
0.0
Psycho Sisters
as Brock
1974
0.0
Police Woman
1974
6.2
Kojak
as Cullen
1973
7.0
An Eye for an Eye
as Sgt. Matthews
1973
5.0
Police Story
1973
6.9
M*A*S*H
1972
7.9
Columbo
as Calvin MacGruder
1971
8.1
Today
as Self
1952
5.6
Hot Bath an' a Stiff Drink 2
as Judge Nathan Rivers
N/A
0.0