John Ashton, known for his role as John Taggart in the “Beverly Hills Cop” films, died Thursday in Fort Collins, Colorado, his manager Alan Somers confirmed diversity. He was 76.

Ashton played Detective Sergeant John Taggart in the first two installments of the Beverly Hills Cop series, released in 1984 and 1987, alongside Eddie Murphy and Judge Reinhold. He reprized his role in 2024’s “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F,” in which his character is now the police chief.

Ashton’s acting career spanned more than 50 years. His early films include An Eye for an Eye (1973), So Evil, My Sister (1974), Cat Murkil and the Silks (1976), Breaking Away (1979) and Borderline ( 1980) and “Honky Tonk Freeway” (1981). He also appeared in guest roles on several television series in the 1970s, including “Emergency!”, “Columbo,” “Police Story,” “Barnaby Jones,” “Police Woman,” “MASH,” “Starsky and Hutch,” and “Dallas.” “. .”

Ashton portrayed Cliff Nelson, the father of Eric Stoltz’s Keith Nelson, in the 1987 teen romantic comedy “Some Kind of Wonderful,” written and produced by John Hughes. He worked with Hughes again on the 1988 romantic comedy She’s Getting a Baby, starring Kevin Bacon and Elizabeth McGovern.

In the 1988 action comedy Midnight Run, Ashton played a rival bounty hunter to Robert De Niro’s Jack Walsh. He also had a supporting role in the 2007 Ben Affleck-directed thriller “Gone Baby Gone.” Other films include “I Want to Go Home” (1989), “Little Big League” (1984), “Trapped in Paradise” (1994), “In the Living Years” (1994) and “Hidden Assassin” (1995). , For Which He Stands (1996), Fast Money (1996), Meet the Deedles (1998), Instinct (1999), Sweet Deadly Dreams (2006), Middle Men (2009 ). ) and “Uncle John” (2015).

On television, Ashton played the role of Charlie Battles in the crime series “Hardball,” which ran for one season on NBC from 1989 to 1990. He has had guest appearances on “The Twilight Zone,” “The A-Team,” “Police Squad!”, “EastEnders,” “Brookside,” “Fantasy Island,” “Going to California,” “Body & Soul,” “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” and more.

John David Ashton was born on February 22, 1948 in Springfield, Massachusetts to Edward Richard Ashton, Sr. and Eva May (Wells) Ashton. He grew up in Enfield, Connecticut and graduated from Enfield High School. After attending Defiance College in Defiance, Ohio for two years, he transferred to the University of Southern California and graduated with a BA in Theater Studies.

Ashton is survived by his wife of 24 years, Robin Hoye. children Michelle Ashton and Michael Thomas Ashton; stepchildren Courtney Donovan, Lindsay Curcio and Ashley Hoye; grandson Henry; sisters Sharon Ann Ashton and Linda Jean Ashton; and brother Edward Richard Ashton. His parents died before him.