John Ashton has died at the age of 76.
The actor was best known for his role as Detective Sergeant John Taggart in the first two instalments of the “Beverly Hills Cop” series alongside Eddie Murphy but passed away on Thursday, September 26, following a battle with cancer, according to TMZ.
A representative told the outlet on Sunday evening that Ashton "died peacefully" at his home in Ft. Collins, Colorado.
The actor was born in Springfield, Massachusetts and after leaving high school, he attended University of Southern California School of Theatre before making his film debut as Sgt. Matthews in the 1973 horror “The Psychopath”.
He followed this up with roles in “Honky Tonk Freeway” and “The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension” in the early 1980s before adding his signature part in the buddy cop franchise in 1984.
Following its 1987 sequel, he appeared alongside Robert De Niro in “Midnight Run” and then starred as an American director in the French comedy “I Want to Go Home”.
In more recent years, he has starred in 2007's “Gone Baby Gone” and took on the title role of the 2016 thriller “Uncle John” before returning to his role as Taggart in “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F” earlier this year.
At the time of death, he had completed work on the upcoming “Hot Bath an' a Stiff Drink 2” and “Hot Bath, Stiff Drink, an' a Close Shave” had entered post-production.
The Hollywood star had also made several appearances on television throughout his 50-year career, notably starring in regular roles on “Hardball and Dallas” and played the father of a real-life kidnap victim in the biopic “I Know My First Name Is Steven”.
Some of his final appearances on television were in “Law Order: Special Victims Unit” in 2009 and “The Finder” three years later.
Away from Hollywood, Ashton married Victoria Marie Runn in 1968 but they divorced two years later and he was then wedded to Bridget Baker-Ashton from 1976 until 2001, producing a child from each of his marriages.