Sad News: John Ashton, Beverly Hills Cop Star, Dies at 76, it is with heavy heart we announce the passing of….see more

Ashton, who died on Sept. 26, appeared in dozens of TV shows and films over the decades including ‘Dallas,’ ‘Some Kind of Wonderful’ and ‘Midnight Run’ John Ashton, known for his starring role in the Beverly Hills Cop movies, has died.

He was 76. Born in 1948 in Springfield, Mass., Ashton began his career in theater, touring with companies across the U.S. and U.K., before heading to Los Angeles to work in television.

He made dozens of appearances on well-known series from the 1970s to the 2000s, including Kojak, Columbo, Police Story, Law & Order:

Special Victims Unit, The Tracey Ullman Show, M*A*S*H and Starsky & Hutch. Ashton also had a recurring role in Dallas, playing the character Willie Joe Garr.