John Ashton (actor)

John David Ashton (born February 22, 1948) is an American actor, best known for his roles in the popular Martin Brest films Beverly Hills Cop (1984) and Midnight Run (1988).

Life and career

Born in Springfield, Massachusetts, Ashton attended Defiance College in Ohio and is a graduate of the University of Southern California School of Theatre. He attended Enfield High School in Enfield, Connecticut.

Ashton has made numerous appearances in both television and feature films. He played 'Willie Joe Garr' on several episodes of Dallas, his character and that of 'Jeb Ames' were charged with the crime of involuntary manslaughter in the death of Tina Louise's Dallas character "Julie Grey". Ashton also appeared in an episode of Columbo: Negative Reaction and in episode 5 of Police Squad!, "Rendezvous at Big Gulch (Terror in the Neighborhood)", as one of the henchmen who attacked the locksmith shop.

Ashton also starred as Detective Sergeant John Taggart in the first two movies of the popular Beverly Hills Cop trilogy, alongside Eddie Murphy and Judge Reinhold, and appeared as Eric Stoltz's character's father in the John Hughes-penned comedy-drama Some Kind of Wonderful. In 1988, he co-starred in the action-comedy Midnight Run as a rival bounty hunter to Robert De Niro's character. He also starred in the 1994 film Little Big League with Luke Edwards, and appeared in a supporting role in the acclaimed 2007 drama Gone Baby Gone directed by Ben Affleck.

John Ashton

John Ashton may refer to:

See also

John Ashton (diplomat)

John Ashton CBE (born 7 November 1956) was the Special Representative for Climate Change at the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) from 2006 until June 2012, Director for Strategic Partnerships at LEAD International, and is the founder and CEO of Third Generation Environmentalism (E3G).

Education

John Ashton was born in London on 7 November 1956, and educated at the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle, and at Cambridge University, where he read Natural Sciences specialising in theoretical physics. On graduation in 1977, he spent a year as a research astronomer at the new Cavendish Laboratory.

Diplomatic career

John Ashton joined HM Diplomatic Service in 1978 and spent two years at the FCO in London. In 1980, he was sent to Hong Kong as a Language Student. From 1981-4, he was posted as Third Secretary later Second Secretary to the British Embassy in Beijing, where he served as science officer. He was China desk officer at the FCO from 1984-86. As First Secretary, he was seconded to the UK Cabinet Office from 1986-88. Ashton was then posted to the British Embassy in Rome until 1993, where he carried out the first ever study for the British Government of the Mafia and the dangers it posed to British interests.

John Ashton (bishop)

John William Ashton (1866 – 20 March 1964) was the second Bishop of Grafton.

Ashton was educated at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wakefield and the University College, Oxford before beginning his ordained ministry as a curate at All Saints' Northampton. In 1896 he emigrated to Australia where he was Rector of St Andrew’s Brisbane and then Vicar of East St Kilda before his ordination to the episcopate. He died on 20 March 1964.

References