John Ashton

John Ashton Headshot

Actor

Birth Date: February 22, 1948

Age: 75 years old

Birth Place: Springfield, Massachusetts

A burly, mustachioed character actor frequently cast as law enforcement agents or villainous heavies, John Ashton began his acting career on the L.A. stage in the early 1970s after graduating from USC. The New Englander entered films as a police sergeant in "Psychopath" (1973) and went on to be cast as law enforcement agents in such efforts as "Breaking Away" (1979, as Dennis Quaid's older brother), "Borderline" (1980) and the cult favorite "The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai: Across the 8th Dimension" (1984). But it was his role as L.A. Police Sergeant John Taggart, opposite Eddie Murphy, in the action comedy "Beverly Hills Cop" (1984) and its 1987 sequel that made Ashton a recognizable face. He began landing better roles, like the bounty hunter chasing Charles Grodin and Robert De Niro in "Midnight Run" (1988) and as Eric Stoltz's college-obsessed father in "Some Kind of Wonderful" (1987). Among his more recent roles were the pitching coach in the children's baseball sleeper "Little Big League" and as part of the ensemble of fine actors peopling "the friendliest town in the world" in the uneven seasonal comedy "Trapped in Paradise" (both 1994).

Credits

Death in Texas

Actor
Asher
Movie
2020

Hot Bath an' a Stiff Drink 2

Actor
Judge Nathan Rivers
Movie
2019

Making a Deal with the Devil

Actor
Movie
2019

The Last Big Save

Actor
Movie
2019

American Christmas

Actor
Rob
Movie
2019

Once Upon a River

Actor
Smoke
Movie
2019

The Joke Thief

Actor
Joseph Rogers
Movie
2018

The Neighborhood

Actor
Matt Krivinsky
Movie
2017

Uncle John

Actor
John
Movie
2015

The FinderStream

Guest Star
TV Show
2012

A Letter to Dad

Actor
Mike Donahue
TV Show
2010

Reign of the Gargoyles

Actor
Commander Latham
Movie
2007

Gone Baby GoneStream

Actor
Nick Poole
Movie
2007
95%

Jane Doe: 'Til Death Do Us Part

Actor
Richie Parsons
Movie
2005

Bill's Gun Shop

Actor
Bill Voight
Movie
2001

Law & Order: Special Victims UnitStream

Guest Star
Chief of Detectives
TV Show
1999
78%

Judging Amy

Guest Star
TV Show
1999

Instinct

Actor
Guard Decks
Movie
1999

Avalanche

Actor
Kemp
Movie
1999

Fantasy Island

Guest Star
TV Show
1998

The Day Lincoln Was Shot

Actor
Gen. Ulysses Simpson Grant
Movie
1998

Meet the Deedles

Actor
Captain Douglas
Movie
1998

King of the HillStream

Guest Voice
Instructor
TV Show
1997

Little Girls in Pretty Boxes

Actor
Peter Bryant
Movie
1997

Fast Money

Actor
Lt. Diego
Movie
1996

For Which He Stands

Actor
District Attorney
Movie
1996

JAGStream

Guest Star
TV Show
1995

Condition Red

Actor
Deputy Warden
Movie
1995

The Shooter

Actor
Alex Reed
Movie
1995

Little Big LeagueStream

Actor
Mac Macnally
Movie
1994
33%

A Child's Cry for Help

Actor
Cal Warner
Movie
1994

Trapped in Paradise

Actor
Ed Dawson
Movie
1994

In the Living Years

Actor
Mike Donahue
Movie
1994

The Tommyknockers

Actor
TV Show
1993

Dirty Work

Actor
Eddie
Movie
1992

Sexo, Mentiras y Crimen

Actor
Movie
1991

I Know My First Name Is Steven

Actor
TV Show
1989

I Want to Go Home

Actor
Harry Dempsey
Movie
1989

Midnight RunStream

Actor
Marvin Dorfler
Movie
1988
95%

The Tracey Ullman Show

Guest Star
TV Show
1987

Beverly Hills Cop II

Actor
Det. Sgt. John Taggart
Movie
1987

Some Kind of Wonderful

Actor
Cliff Nelson
Movie
1987

Terrorista en Vacaciones

Actor
Movie
1986

Last Resort

Actor
Phil Cocoran
Movie
1986

King Kong Lives

Actor
Lt. Col. R.T. Nevitt
Movie
1986

The Twilight Zone

Actor
TV Show
1985

Classic EastEnders

Actor
Mr Corby
TV Show
1985

EastEndersStream

Actor
Mr Corby
TV Show
1985

The Bill

Actor
Morrison
TV Show
1984

Beverly Hills CopStream

Actor
Det. Sgt. John Taggart
Movie
1984
46%

The A-TeamStream

Guest Star
TV Show
1983

Police Squad!

Guest Star
TV Show
1982
90%

Breaking Away

Actor
TV Show
1980

Borderline

Actor
Charlie Monroe
Movie
1980

Breaking Away

Actor
Mike's Brother
Movie
1979

DallasStream

Guest Star
TV Show
1978

Starsky and HutchStream

Guest Star
TV Show
1975

Police WomanStream

Guest Star
Curt Thomas
TV Show
1974

M*A*S*HStream

Guest Star
The M.P.
TV Show
1972

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John Ashton