If You Loved John Ashton in Beverly Hills Cop Movies, You Need to Watch His $81 Million Comedy Gold
- John Ashton's performance in Midnight Run cannot be missed.
- Ashton was surrounded by his family and friends when he passed away peacefully at the age of 76.
- John Ashton's legacy will continue to live on.
Actor John Ashton is popularly known for his work on Beverly Hills Cop movies along with Midnight Run, King Kong Lives, and Some Kind of Wonderland. The actor was known for his ability to balance out humor and toughness, making him one of the actors who never failed to impress the audience with his roles.
The actor was highly lauded for portraying Sergeant John Taggart alongside Eddie Murphy in Beverly Hills Cop movies. He went on to appear in three out of four movies in the series and was one of the most beloved characters in the franchise. The actor has unfortunately passed away at the age of 76, but he leaves behind a rich legacy of movies for fans to watch.
John Ashton was ‘confident’ about getting signed in for Midnight Run
Actor John Ashton played the character of Marvin Dorfler in 1986’s action-comedy movie Midnight Run alongside Robert De Niro, Charles Grodin, and more. The movie was a commercial and critical success, going on to gross over $81.6 million worldwide. Ashton as a rival bounty hunter was highly appreciated for his performance.
During an interview with Collider, ahead of the release of Beverly Hills Cop 4, the now-late actor recalled how confident he was that he was going to get the part in Midnight Run. He was asked during the conversation about when he knew that the movie was going to be huge. The actor said that when he went to see Joey Pantoliano’s play in LA, a friend of his came up to him to ask if he was going to do Midnight Run. He further explained,
Then I found out Marty Brest was directing it, who directed the first cop, so I called Marty, and I said, ‘Hey, Marty, what’s the deal with Midnight Run?’ He goes, ‘Oh, you’d be great in it.’ And I said, ‘Well, I’m waiting for the offer,’ and he said, ‘But you have to audition with Bob De Niro.
Ashton continued that he was confident that he was going to get the part and noted that he went in to read lines with Robert De Niro. The actor mentioned that he used a little bit of swearing in the scene after De Niro’s character threw the matches on the floor. Ashton revealed that De Niro wanted him in the movie because he was looking for someone to stand up to him.
Fans have always appreciated his work on Midnight Run, as they believe that it is one of his roles that wasn’t appreciated enough. One of X users noted, ‘He’s glorious in Midnight Run. We loved quoting him as a young heavy smoker: ‘You should quit; it would be cheaper for both of us’.‘ Another user mentioned, ‘He was fantastic in Midnight Run‘. Fans are grieving the loss of their favorite actor, John Ashton.
John Ashton passed away at the age of 76 following a cancer diagnosis
The now-late actor’s manager shared a statement with People confirming his passing away on September 26, 2024, in Ft. Collins, Colo., following a cancer diagnosis. The statement read,
John was a loving husband, brother, father, and grandfather who would be deeply missed by all who knew him. John leaves behind a legacy of love, dedication, and service.
The statement continued that his wife, children, and grandchildren, as well as his brothers, sisters, extended family, and all who loved him, will forever treasure his memory. They continued that his impact on the world will be remembered and celebrated for generations to come.
The actor was an avid golfer and had played during celebrity golf tournaments around the world for various causes. The obituary read that he was always trying new techniques to improve his game and made sure he acquired the latest and most updated equipment. His co-star Judge Reinhold wrote on his X account,
On Thursday night, John seemed like he was sleeping, but the Yankees were on. They won the game, clinched the division, then John made it home. Forty years of laughs on screen and off. John lived his life! My brother, my partner, My Sarge—I love you. There’s no smoking in heaven, John.
Reinhold and Ashton starred together in Beverly Hills Cop movies and recently reprised their roles for the Netflix sequel Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.
We extend our condolences to John Ashton’s family and friends.
