Beverly Hills Copwas truly one of the greatest comedies of the 1980s, and it boasted an incredibly talented cast of comedic performers. While this was the movie that turned Eddie Murphy from a notable comedian into an international superstar, it also featured many iconic performances from the rest of its acclaimed cast. Although for someBeverly Hills Copcast members this may have been their best-known role, when digging into the backlogs of their filmographies, it’s shocking just how many hidden comedic gems there are just waiting to be discovered.
The legacy of theBeverly Hills Copfranchise has been absolutely huge, as not only did it feature one of thegreatest synth movie scores of the 1980s, but it also helped revitalize the buddy cop genre for a new era.Murphy’s characterization of Axel Foley was packed with humor, but just as important were his supporting actors, who turned this from a good comedy into a truly great one. With the recent success of the Netflix legacy sequelBeverly Hills Cop: Axel F, it’s clear interest in this franchise has not wavered over the past four decades.
10Paul Reiser (Jeffrey Friedman)
The Thing About My Folks (2005)
Paul Reiser played Detective Jeffrey Friedman intheBeverly Hills Copfranchiseand has been an important part of the series since the beginning. Det. Friedman often covered for Axel Foley’s antics and would usually attempt to take the heat away from him when Inspector Douglas Todd came asking questions. An acclaimed actor and comedian,Reiser was known for his sitcom roles inMy Two DadsandMad About You, beloved films likeAliensandWhiplash, and even had a recent role as Dr. Sam Owens onStranger Things.
Reiser’s talents have also extended to writing and producing, as he was a major creative force behindThe Thing About My Folks. Reiser wrote the screenplay for this comedy-drama that focused on how a terminal illness affects the marriage of an aging couple and their adult children. Reiser played Ben Kleinman, the husband who tried to repair his fractured relationship with his wife Muriel after she’s been given just six months to live in this touching comedy with plenty of heart and emotion.
9Jonathan Banks (Zack)
48 Hrs. (1982)
Although Jonathan Banks' filmography has been packed with recognizable movies, and he’s appeared in everything fromAirplane!toGremlins, his most recognizable role came later asMike Ehrmantraut inBreaking BadandBetter Call Saul. However, before embracing a life of crime in a meth-filled New Mexico, Banks played a main villain inBeverly Hills Copwhen he portrayed Zack, Victor Maitland’s right-hand man. Zack was the one who killed Mikey Tandino and, therefore, stood as Axel Foley’s nemesis.
However,Beverly Hills Copwas not the first time Banks and Eddie Murphy worked together, as he also played the minor role of Inspector Algren in Walter Hill’s classic action comedy48 Hrs. As yet another buddy cop action movie,48 Hrs. was almost a precursor toBeverly Hills Copin Murphy’s career, and it’s an interesting connection that Banks was present for both movies. Banks never got to return for the sequels in either series because, in both roles, his character met an untimely demise at the opposite end of a gun.
48 Hours
Cast
Starring Eddie Murphy and Nick Nolte, 48 Hours is an action Comedy and “buddy cop” movie released in 1982. The film follows the story of a detective that requests the aid of an inmate that he pulls into his custody on a 48-hour permit to help him find a dangerous criminal.
8James Russo (Mikey Tandino)
We’re No Angels (1989)
James Russo’sBeverly Hills Copcharacter, Mickey Tandino, was the instigating factor of the entire franchise, as his untimely death spurred Axel Foley into investigating his murder. As kids, Mickey and Axel would get into all sorts of trouble. After they were stopped by the police for stealing a Cadillac, Mickey went into youth custody but kept Axel out of jail, and this was the event that likely turned his life around and laid the groundwork for him to become a cop. This was just one of many important roles for Russo, who appeared in over 150 movies.
One highly underrated movie Russo played a role in wasWe’re No Angels, a Neil Jordan comedy in which Robert De Niro and Sean Penn played two crooks pretending to be priests during the Great Depression. Russo played Bobby, a vicious criminal executed by the electric chair who spurs De Niro and Penn to make their escape from custody. WhileWe’re No Angelswas a solid comedy with plenty of laughs and good performances, it bombed at the box office as its subject made it unappealing to religious and non-religious moviegoers alike, with both groups thinking it wasn’t aimed at them.
We’re No Angels
We’re No Angels is a crime comedy film originally released in 1955 and later reimagined in 1989. The story revolves around three escapees from Devil’s Island who take refuge in a small village, where their plans to rob a store are complicated by the store owner’s family. The film blends humor and heart, showcasing the trio’s unexpected transformation as they interact with the villagers.
7Bronson Pinchot (Serge)
Risky Business (1983)
Even though he only had a few minutes of screentime, Bronson Pinchot’s portrayal of the art gallery salesman Serge was one of the funniest parts ofBeverly Hills Cops. With hilarious mannerisms and incredible interactions with Axel Foley,it was thrilling to see Pinchot pop up again in the legacy sequelBeverly Hills Cop: Axel F, where they meet once again in Serge’s pop-up boutique, Serge’s Survival Boutique. WhileBeverly Hills Copwas Pinchot’s breakout role, it was not his first, as he had played a minor part in the Tom Cruise coming-of-age comedyRisky Businessjust one year before.
Risky Businesswas one of Cruise’s most important earlier roles, as his iconic sunglasses-wearing, underwear dance scene has become part of cinema history. Pinchot played Barry inRisky Business, part of the group of friends who go out with Joel (Cruise) and get high on marijuana. As a stylish satire of capitalism and the way lifestyles and products are marked to people, it’s a testament to Pinchot’s career that his first two movies were both truly iconic 1980s releases.
Risky Business
Risky Business is a 1983 comedy-drama film starring Tom Cruise as Joel Goodsen, a high school student who experiences a wild adventure while his parents are away. When Joel’s desire for freedom leads him to make some questionable decisions, he finds himself entangled in complications that challenge his morals and future. Directed by Paul Brickman, the film explores themes of adolescence, responsibility, and the pursuit of success.
6Ronny Cox (Lieutenant Andrew Bogomil)
Harper Valley PTA (1978)
From his acting debut in 1972’sDeliverancethrough to his role as Lieutenant Andrew Bogomil in the first twoBeverly Hills Copmovies, Ronny Cox has had a varied and interesting career. While Bogomil always tried to do things by the book, he also showed a willingness to bend the rules as he avoided disgracing the police department by letting it be known it was Axel Foley who was largely responsible for the cocaine bust at the end of the first film. Cox delivered a strong performance, as seen in his major role in the 1978 comedyHarper Valley PTA.
As a moviebased on the classic country hit songof the same name written by Tom T. Hall and performed by Jeannie C. Riley,Harper Valley PTAexplored a widowed mother’s controversial encounters with a small-town Parent-Teacher Association board. Cox played Will Newton, a wealthy PTA member who disagrees with the snobby board president and holds a candle for Stella Johnson, the controversial, carefree single mother. As a fun-filled comedy, it shows how much thematic depth there was in Hall’s original three-minute song that it was able to effectively carry an entire film.
5Steven Berkoff (Victor Maitland)
Absolute Beginners (1986)
Steven Berkoff portrayed Victor Maitland, the main antagonist ofBeverly Hills Cop, who ordered the killing of Axel Foley’s childhood best friend, Mikey Tandino. Playing Maitland would not be Berkoff’s only villainous role, as he notably also played the Russian general Orlov in the James Bond filmOctopussyand as the ruthless Russian colonel Podovsky inRambo: First Blood Part II. While these are some of Berkoff’s most memorable performances, he’s had a vast and varied filmography across many genres.
One underrated comedic role from Berkoff was in Julien Temple’s lighthearted musicalAbsolute Beginners, whose title theme song was famously a hit for David Bowie in 1986. With appearances from Bowie and The Kinks frontman Ray Davies, this starstudded musical explored 1950s pop culture in the UK just as rock ‘n’ roll was starting to take over the cultural zeitgeist. Steven Berkoff played the Fanatic inAbsolute Beginners, a controversial figure who preaches fascist ideology while opposing racial diversity in London, showcasing that although many look at that era with nostalgia, in many ways, it was far from progressive.
4Lisa Eilbacher (Jenny Summers)
On the Right Track (1981)
Lisa Eilbacher played Jenny Summers inBeverly Hills Cop, an old Axel Foley and Mikey Tandino’s friend who moved from Detroit to Los Angeles and worked in an art gallery. With knowledge of Mickey’s ties to Victor Maitland, Jenny was an important aid in Axel’s avenging his best friend’s legacy. Although Jenny was not a genuine love interest in the movie, her flirtatious interactions with Axel gave them an air of romance. Disappointingly, Eilbacher didn’t appear in any of the sequels, and although she was so crucial in the first one, the franchise has since acted like she never existed.
Beverly Hills Copwas Eilbacher’s most notable role, and she retired in 1995 after a career spent mostly making little-known made-for-TV movies. However, one notable early appearance was in the comedyOn the Right Track, the feature debut of child actor Gary Coleman, who had found success with the sitcomDiff’rent Strokes.Eilbacher played Jill Klein inOne the Right Track, the woman who eventually adopts Colemna’s character Lester, a 10-year-old homeless shoeshiner who lived in a locker at Union Station, Chicago.
3John Ashton (Sergeant John Taggart)
Midnight Run (1988)
John Ashton portrayed Sergeant John Taggart inBeverly Hills Copand has appeared in every movie in the franchise exceptBeverly Hills Cop III.As the eventual Beverly Hills Chief of Police, Taggart has been an important character throughout the series and has assisted Axel Foley in many of his endeavors. Sadly,Ashton passed away in 2024and left behind him an impressive body of work filled with hilarious comedies, intense action movies, and heartfelt coming-of-age stories.
One of Ashton’s most acclaimed roles outside ofBeverly Hills Copwas as Marvin Dorfler inMidnight Run. This classic Robert De Niro action comedy has built up a cult following as it tells the story of a bounty hunter pursuing a former Mafia accountant. Ashton played the rival bounty hunter, who was also trying to take in The Duke (Charles Grodin) before De Niro’s character. As an enjoyable comedic thriller,Midnight Runwas simultaneously funny, exciting, heartwarming, and effective.
Midnight Run
Midnight Run is a 1988 action-comedy film directed by Martin Brest. It stars Robert De Niro as a bounty hunter tasked with capturing and transporting a former mob accountant, played by Charles Grodin, across the country. The film follows their unpredictable journey, filled with comedic and thrilling moments, as they evade both the mob and law enforcement while forming an unlikely bond.
2Judge Reinhold (Detective Billy Rosewood)
Stripes (1981)
Judge Reinhold, as Detective Billy Rosewood, has been a mainstay of theBeverly Hills Copfranchise since the beginning and has appeared in every film in the series. As a polite, bumbling, and mostly incompetent cop, it was enjoyable to see how Billy’s character came into his own throughout the franchise as he built his way up to DDO-JSIOC and Detective Sergeant and moved up the ranks after his partner John Taggart retired. As a comedian of great talent, Reinhold has taken up roles in comedies consistently since the 1980s.
Outside of theBeverly Hills Copseries,Reinhold was notably inFast Times at Ridgemont HighandGremlins. Reinhold’s first hit movie came with the release ofStripesin 1981, a classic comedy starring greats like Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, and John Candy. Reinhold played Private Elmo Blum in this action comedy about an immature taxi cab driver and his teacher friend who enlisted in the United States Army.
Stripes
Stripes centers on John Winger, a 30-something who enlists in the U.S. Army after a streak of personal failures. Released in 1981, this film follows Winger’s comedic journey through basic training, as he navigates military life with a group of misfit recruits.
Trading Places (1983)
b
Eddie Murphy needs no introduction. As one of the most famous comedians on the planet, following his time onSaturday Night Live,Murphy’s role as Axel Foley inBeverly Hills Copcatapulted him into international superstardom. From there, Murphy reprised the role and led one of the most successful action comedy franchises while also gaining many other iconic parts. From comedies like48 Hrs.,Coming to America,Dr. Doolittle, and, of course, as the voice of Donkey inShrek, viewers of all ages know and love Murphy’s comedies.
One of Murphy’s greatest triumphs during the 1980s was in the classic comedyTrading Placesopposite Dan Aykroyd. Taking in over $90 million at the box office (viaBox Office Mojo),Trading Placesshowcased as one of the biggest stars of that decade, and despite some of the racial jokes aging poorly, it remains one of the most beloved Christmas films of all time. With a career as extraordinary as Murphy’s, it’s hard to boil his work down to just one film, as he’s had such great parts in action, comedy, and even drama roles.
Trading Places
Trading Places is a comedy film directed by John Landis. Released in 1983, the film stars Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd as a street hustler and a wealthy businessman whose lives are swapped due to a bet made by two callous millionaires. The movie explores themes of socioeconomic class and human behavior, with strong performances by Murphy and Aykroyd alongside Jamie Lee Curtis.
