John Ashton, ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ franchise’s grumpy Detective Taggart, dies at 76
John Ashton, the veteran actor who was best known for portraying crabby Detective John Taggart in the “Beverly Hills Cop” franchise, has died. Ashton died Thursday in Fort Collins, Colo., his family said in a statement to The Times, shared by his manager, Alan Somers. A cause of death was not revealed. He was 76.