Beverly Hills Cop actor John Ashton has died at the age of 76

John Ashton, the veteran character actor known for his role as John Taggart in the Beverly Hills Cop films, has died.

The 76-year-old died last Thursday in Fort Collins, Colorado, his family announced in a statement released by Ashton's manager, Alan Somers.

No cause of death was immediately shared.

In a career that spanned more than 50 years, Ashton was a regular face across television series and films, including Midnight Run, Little Big League and Gone Baby Gone.

Ashton played Detective Sergeant John Taggart in the first two Beverly Hills Cop films, released in 1984 and 1987, alongside Eddie Murphy and Judge Reinhold.

While Murphy's Axel Foley was the lead, Reinhold's Billy Rosewood and Ashton's Taggart were the sometimes reluctant, sometimes eager collaborators.

Ashton starred alongside Eddie Murphy and Judge Reinhold in the Beverly Hills Cop series.  (Reuters: Aude Guerrucci)

Ashton reprised his role in the 2024 Netflix reboot, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, in which his character is now the chief of police.

And in 1988, he played a rival bounty hunter to Robert De Niro's Jack Walsh in the buddy comedy Midnight Run as the pair pursued a former mafia accountant.

Speaking to Collider in July, Ashton recalled auditioning with De Niro for the film.

"Bobby started handing me these matches, and I went to grab the matches, and he threw them on the floor and stared at me," he said.

"I looked at the matches, and I looked up, and I said, 'F*** you,' and he said, 'F*** you, too.'

"I said, 'Go f*** yourself.'

"I know every other actor picked those up and handed it to him, and I found out as soon as I left, he went, 'I want him,' because he wanted somebody to stand up to him."

Ashton is survived by his wife Robin Hoye, two children, three stepchildren, a grandson, two sisters and a brother.

AP