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John Ashton, the actor best known for his role as Sergeant John Taggart in the film Beverly Hills police officer Franchise, has died at the age of 76. His manager confirmed that he died of cancer The Hollywood Reporter. Ashton was born in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1948 and graduated from USC with a Bachelor of Arts in Theater. His first appearance on screen (billed as John D. Ashton) was in the now largely forgotten 1973 horror film The psychopath. It was his first time playing a sergeant, setting a template for future roles in law enforcement. In the following years he played officers in numerous television and film projects – including another sergeant police story, a border guard in Borderand the lead role in the short-lived 1989 NBC series Buddy Cop Tough ball.

Ashton first appeared in his most famous role in 1984 Beverly Hills police officer. He played Sergeant John Taggart, a gruff officer who initially doesn’t get along with Eddie Murphy’s Detective Axel Foley, although their relationship eventually blossoms. Taggart became an important part of the franchise – he appeared in the 1987 sequel Beverly Hills Cop II and the restart in 2024 Beverly Hills cop: Axel F, Taggart’s last appearance on screen. “Coming back here was like a family reunion,” Ashton said The nerds of color in 2024. “We just fell back into it.”