‘Beverly Hills Cop’ Legend John Ashton Passes Away at 76 – His Family’s Final Wish Will Move You

John Ashton, famous for playing Detective John Taggart in the “Beverly Hills Cop” movies, has sadly passed away at the age of 76. Now, his family has a special request.

Keep reading to learn more.

John Ashton died peacefully in Ft. Collins, Colorado, this past Thursday. His family and friends are heartbroken over his loss.

He passed away after bravely fighting cancer, according to his representative, Alan Somers. Somers shared that Ashton’s legacy is one of “love, dedication, and service,” and his family will continue to celebrate his life. He is survived by his wife, children, grandchildren, siblings, and more.

To honor the late actor’s life and legacy, the family is asking for donations to be made to Pathways Hospice Care in his memory.

Ashton was a well-known name in Hollywood for over 50 years, lighting up screens with more than 200 film, TV, and stage performances. While fans loved many of his roles, it was his portrayal of the straight-laced detective alongside Eddie Murphy’s wild cop character, Axel Foley, that made him a household name.

Ashton’s character, Detective Billy Rosewood, provided the perfect contrast to his co-star’s character, adding energy and humor to the films.

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The film was a major success and established Ashton’s name in Hollywood. In July of this year, “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F” premiered. In an interview, Ashton revealed that the film had taken 20 years to make before finally being released.

He mentioned there was a lot of uncertainty surrounding the film, to the point that he had given up on the idea and moved on to other projects. By the time he received a call about the film, he was already working on another project in Chicago.

After finishing his film, he went to L.A. to meet director Mark Molloy. Ashton knew that the film could only move forward if Murphy approved the script.

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He said he knew he could fully commit to the project when Murphy greenlit the script and Jerry Bruckheimer joined as a producer.

In addition to his iconic role in “Beverly Hills Cop,” Ashton also had notable appearances in the show “M*A*S*H” and played Eric Stoltz’s father in the John Hughes comedy-drama “Some Kind of Wonderful.”

He started his career at a young age, with his first professional role in a production of “Othello” at the Hartford Stage Company. He later toured the world in various theater productions.

Ashton received great recognition for his acting, including an LA Method Fest award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in “Once Upon a River.”

He also appeared in several films, including “Death in Texas” (2020), “American Christmas” (2019), and “My Little Baby” (2019), among others.

Beyond his career, he was a devoted family man. He leaves behind his wife of 24 years, Robin Hoye, and his children, Michelle and Michael Thomas Ashton.

He is also survived by his stepchildren, Courtney Donovan, Lindsay Curcio, and Ashley Hoye, as well as his grandson Henry, his sisters Sharon Ann Ashton and Linda Jean Ashton, and his brother Edward Richard Ashton.

American Civil War True or False Quiz

Test your knowledge of the American Civil War with this quiz and answer whether the following 10 statements about the conflict are true or false!

1. True or False: The American Civil War began in 1860.

Confederate flag flying over Fort Sumter -- photo from 1861. Image is a detail from a stereoscopic photograph taken by Alma A. Pelot on the morning of April 15, 1861.

Wikimedia CommonsTrueFalse

2. True or False: South Carolina was the first US state to secede from the Union.

The ruins of Mills House and nearby buildings, Charleston, South Carolina, at end of American Civil War. A shell-damaged carriage and the remains of a brick chimney are in the foreground - 1865Wikimedia CommonsTrueFalse

3. True or False: Abraham Lincoln was the President of the United States at the beginning and the end of the American Civil War.

Abraham Lincoln, three-quarter length portrait, seated and holding his spectacles and a pencil, 5 Feb 1865Wikimedia CommonsTrueFalse

4. True or False: About 10% of the US population served in the military during the American Civil War.

Photograph of the assembled officers of the 80th New York Infantry (20th N.Y.S.M.) at their encampment at Culpepper, Virginia. Glass collodion wet negative. The Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 1863Wikimedia CommonsTrueFalse

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