John Ashton (actor) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John Ashton
Ashton in 2006
Born	John David Ashton (1948-02-22)February 22, 1948 Springfield, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died	September 26, 2024(2024-09-26) (aged 76) Fort Collins, Colorado, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1973–2024
Spouse(s)	Victoria Marie Runn ​ ​ (m. 1968; div. 1970)​ Bridget Alison Baker ​ ​ (m. 1976; div. 2001)​
Children	2

John David Ashton (born February 22, 1948 – died September 26, 2024) was an American actor. He was famous for his roles in movies like the Beverly Hills Cop series, Some Kind of Wonderful, and Midnight Run.

About John Ashton's Life

John Ashton was born in Springfield, Massachusetts. He went to Enfield High School in Enfield, Connecticut. Later, he studied at Defiance College in Ohio. He also graduated from the University of Southern California School of Theatre.

Early Acting Roles

John Ashton appeared in many TV shows and movies. He played Willie Joe Garr in several episodes of the TV show Dallas. He was also in an episode of Columbo called "Negative Reaction." He appeared in Police Squad! in the episode "Rendezvous at Big Gulch."

His early movies included An Eye for an Eye (1973) and Breaking Away (1979). He also acted in Borderline (1980) and Honky Tonk Freeway (1981). Other early films were Last Resort (1986) and King Kong Lives (1986).

Famous Movie Roles

John Ashton became well-known for playing Detective Sergeant John Taggart. He played this role in the first two Beverly Hills Cop movies. He starred alongside Eddie Murphy and Judge Reinhold in these films.

In 1987, he played the father of Eric Stoltz's character. This was in the comedy-drama Some Kind of Wonderful. This movie was written by John Hughes. Ashton worked with Hughes again in the 1988 movie She's Having a Baby.

In 1988, he co-starred in the action-comedy Midnight Run. He played Marvin Dorfler, a rival bounty hunter. His character was chasing Robert De Niro's character.

Later Career Highlights

Ashton continued to act in many films. These included Little Big League (1994) and Trapped in Paradise (1994). He also appeared in The Shooter (1995) and Meet the Deedles (1998).

He was in Instinct (1999) and had a supporting role in Gone Baby Gone (2007). This drama was directed by Ben Affleck. He also played Cactus Jack Slater in an episode of the 80s TV show The A-Team.

John Ashton said he wanted to play his roles again. He hoped to be in Beverly Hills Cop IV and Midnight Run II. He did return as Chief John Taggart in the 2024 movie Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. He also guest-starred with his Beverly Hills Cop co-star Ronny Cox. This was in an episode of Matthew Perry's 2011 series, Mr. Sunshine.

Personal Life and Passing

John Ashton was married twice. His first wife was Victoria Marie Runn. They married in 1968 and divorced in 1970. He then married Bridget Baker-Ashton in 1976. They divorced in 2001. John Ashton had two children, one from each marriage.

John Ashton passed away on September 26, 2024. He was 76 years old. He died from cancer at his home in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Filmography

Movies

Television Shows

See also

In Spanish: John Ashton para niños