'Beverly Hills Cop' actor John Ashton dies aged 76

John Ashton has been pronounced dead under undisclosed circumstances.

Ashton, the veteran character actor who played police detective John Taggart in the Beverly Hills Cop films, passed away on Thursday at age 76.

His family announced his demise on Sunday but did not reveal the cause of death. 

Ashton was a regular face across TV series and films, spanning more than 50 years with roles in Midnight Run, Little Big League, and Gone Baby Gone to name a few.

However, his role in Beverly Hills Cop left a mark as he starred alongside  Eddie Murphy—who played a Detroit detective taking the lead on a case in Los Angeles. Two local detectives, Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) and Ashton’s Taggart proved to make an indelible trio with Murphy's character Axel Foley.

On the television side, Ashton starred as Charlie Battles on the crime drama series Hardball and made 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.

Ashton was married to his wife of 24 years, Robin Hoye, with whom he shared two children, three stepchildren, and a grandson.