10 Other Comedies The Beverly Hills Cop Cast Have Appeared In (2025)

Beverly Hills Cop was 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 some Beverly Hills Cop cast 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 the Beverly Hills Cop franchise has been absolutely huge, as not only did it feature one of the greatest 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 sequel Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, it’s clear interest in this franchise has not wavered over the past four decades.

10 Paul Reiser (Jeffrey Friedman)

The Thing About My Folks (2005)

Paul Reiser played Detective Jeffrey Friedman in the Beverly Hills Cop franchise and has been an important part of the series since the beginning. Det. Friedman often covered for Axel Foley’s antics and would usually try 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 in My Two Dads and Mad About You, beloved films like Aliens and Whiplash, and even had a recent role as Dr. Sam Owens on Stranger Things.

Reiser’s talents have also extended to writing and producing, as he was a major creative force behind The 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.

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The Thing About My Folks (2005)

PG-13

Comedy

Drama

Director

Raymond De Felitta

Release Date

June 2, 2005

Writers

Paul Reiser

Cast

Peter Falk , Paul Reiser , Olympia Dukakis , Elizabeth Perkins , Mackenzie Connolly , Ann Dowd , Mimi Lieber , Lydia Jordan , Catherine Taormina , Jerry Seinfeld , Richard Duva

Character(s)

Sam Kleinman , Ben Kleinman , Muriel Kleinman , Rachel Kleinman , Lilly Kleinman , Linda , Bonnie , Mia Kleinman , Young Muriel Kleinman

Runtime

96 Minutes

Main Genre

Comedy

9 Jonathan Banks (Zack)

48 Hrs. (1982)

Although Jonathan Banks' filmography has been packed with recognizable movies, and he’s appeared in everything from Airplane! to Gremlins, his most recognizable role came later as Mike Ehrmantraut in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. However, before embracing a life of crime in a meth-filled New Mexico, Banks played a main villain in Beverly Hills Cop when 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 Cop was 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 comedy 48 Hrs. As yet another buddy cop action movie, 48 Hrs. was almost a precursor to Beverly Hills Cop in 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.

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48 Hours

R

Crime

Comedy

Action

Thriller

Drama

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.

Director

Walter Hill

Release Date

December 8, 1982

Studio(s)

Paramount Pictures

Distributor(s)

Paramount Pictures

Writers

Walter Hill , Steven E. de Souza , Larry Gross , Roger Spottiswoode

Cast

Brion James , Sonny Landham , Frank McRae , Nick Nolte , Eddie Murphy , Annette O'Toole , James Remar , David Patrick Kelly

Runtime

96 minutes

Budget

$12 million

Main Genre

Comedy

8 James Russo (Mikey Tandino)

We're No Angels (1989)

James Russo’s Beverly Hills Cop character, 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 was We’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. While We’re No Angels was 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.

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We're No Angels

PG-13

Comedy

Crime

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.

Director

Neil Jordan

Release Date

December 15, 1989

Writers

David Mamet , Ranald MacDougall , Albert Husson , Sam Spewack , Bella Spewack

Cast

Robert De Niro , Sean Penn , Demi Moore , Hoyt Axton , Bruno Kirby , Ray McAnally

Runtime

106 Minutes

Main Genre

Comedy

7 Bronson 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 of Beverly Hills Cops. With hilarious mannerisms and incredible interactions with Axel Foley, it was thrilling to see Pinchot pop up again in the legacy sequel Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, where they meet once again in Serge's pop-up boutique, Serge's Survival Boutique. While Beverly Hills Cop was Pinchot’s breakout role, it was not his first, as he had played a minor part in the Tom Cruise coming-of-age comedy Risky Business just one year before.

Risky Business was 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 in Risky 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.

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Risky Business

R

Comedy

Drama

Crime

Romance

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.

Where to Watch

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*Availability in US

Director

Paul Brickman

Release Date

August 5, 1983

Writers

Paul Brickman

Cast

Richard Masur , Bronson Pinchot , Rebecca De Mornay , Tom Cruise , Joe Pantoliano

Runtime

99 minutes

Budget

$6.2 million

Main Genre

Comedy

6 Ronny Cox (Lieutenant Andrew Bogomil)

Harper Valley PTA (1978)

From his acting debut in 1972’s Deliverance through to his role as Lieutenant Andrew Bogomil in the first two Beverly Hills Cop movies, 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 comedy Harper Valley PTA.

As a movie based on the classic country hit song of the same name written by Tom T. Hall and performed by Jeannie C. Riley, Harper Valley PTA explored 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.

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Harper Valley P.T.A. (1978)

PG-13

Comedy

Director

Richard C. Bennett

Release Date

August 2, 1978

Writers

George Edwards , Barry Schneider

Cast

Barbara Eden , Ronny Cox , Nanette Fabray , Audrey Christie , Ron Masak , John Fiedler , Bob Hastings , Susan Swift , Pat Paulsen , Woody Harrelson , Louis Nye , Fay DeWitt , J.J. Barry , Royce D. Applegate , Irene Yah-Ling Sun , Louise Foley , Amzie Strickland , Molly Dodd , DeVera Marcus , Clint Howard , Pitt Herbert

Character(s)

Stella Johnson , Willis Newton , Alice Finely , Flora Simpson Reilly , Herbie Maddox , Bobby Taylor , Skeeter , Dee Johnson , Mr. Harper , Extra , Kirby Baker , Willa Mae Jones , Tex , Dutch , Myrna Wong , Mavis , Shirley Thompson , Olive Glover , Holly Taylor , Corley , Henry Reilly

Runtime

102 Minutes

Main Genre

Comedy

5 Steven Berkoff (Victor Maitland)

Absolute Beginners (1986)

Steven Berkoff portrayed Victor Maitland, the main antagonist of Beverly 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 film Octopussy and as the ruthless Russian colonel Podovsky in Rambo: 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 musical Absolute 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 in Absolute 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.

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Absolute Beginners (1986)

PG-13

Drama

Music

Romance

Director

Julien Temple

Release Date

April 18, 1986

Writers

Colin MacInnes , Richard Burridge , Don MacPherson , Christopher Wicking

Cast

Eddie O'Connell , Patsy Kensit , James Fox , David Bowie , Ray Davies , Mandy Rice-Davies , Eve Ferret , Tony Hippolyte , Graham Fletcher-Cook , Joseph McKenna , Steven Berkoff , Sade , Edward Tudor-Pole , Bruce Payne , Alan Freeman , Anita Morris , Paul Rhys , Julian Firth , Chris Pitt , Lionel Blair , Gary Beadle , Robbie Coltrane , Jess Conrad , Smiley Culture , Ronald Fraser

Character(s)

Colin , Suzette , Henley of Mayfair , Vendice Partners , Arthur , Colin's Dad , Flora , Colin's Mum , Big Jill , Mr. Cool , Wizard , Fabulous Hoplite , The Fanatic , Athene Duncannon , Ed the Ted , Flikker , Call-Me-Cobber , Dido Lament , Dean Swift , The Misery Kid , Baby Boom , Harry Charms , Johnny Wonder , Mario , Cappuccino Man , D.J. Entertainer , Amberley Drove

Runtime

108 Minutes

Main Genre

Drama

4 Lisa Eilbacher (Jenny Summers)

On the Right Track (1981)

Lisa Eilbacher played Jenny Summers in Beverly 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 Cop was 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 comedy On the Right Track, the feature debut of child actor Gary Coleman, who had found success with the sitcom Diff'rent Strokes. Eilbacher played Jill Klein in One 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.

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On the Right Track (1981)

PG

Comedy

Romance

Director

Lee Philips

Release Date

March 6, 1981

Writers

Richard Moses , Tina Pine , Avery Buddy , Lester Pine

Cast

Gary Coleman , Maureen Stapleton , Norman Fell , Michael Lembeck , Lisa Eilbacher , Bill Russell , Herb Edelman , C. Thomas Cunliffe , Belinda Bremner , Nathan Davis , Mike Bacarella , Jack Wasserman , Fern Persons , Mike Genovese , Harry Gorsuch , Arthur Smith , George Brengel , Corin Rogers , Page Hannah , I.W. Klein , Muriel Bach , Ronda Pierson , Linda Golla , Brenda Lively , John Mohrlein , Sally Benoit , Thom Brandolino , Jerry McKay , Mario Tanzi , Rick LeFevour , Edna Moreno , Bert Weineberg , James Hogan Jr.

Character(s)

Lester , Mary the Bag Lady , The Mayor , Frank Biscardi , Jill Klein , Robert , Sam , Shoe Shine Concessioner , Lady with Suitcase , Mario , Sean , Vito , Flower Lady , Louis , Harry , Gerald , Bookstore Man , Mark , Sally , I.R.S. Man , Beauty Salon Boss Lady , Salon Girl , Thief , TV interviewer , TV Crewman , Pantyhose Peddler , Racetrack Window Man , Mugger , Old Lady , Monkey Man , Minister

Runtime

97 Minutes

Main Genre

Comedy

3 John Ashton (Sergeant John Taggart)

Midnight Run (1988)

John Ashton portrayed Sergeant John Taggart in Beverly Hills Cop and has appeared in every movie in the franchise except Beverly 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 2024 and 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 of Beverly Hills Cop was as Marvin Dorfler in Midnight 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 Run was simultaneously funny, exciting, heartwarming, and effective.

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Midnight Run

R

Action

Comedy

Crime

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.

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

Not available

*Availability in US

Director

Martin Brest

Release Date

July 20, 1988

Studio(s)

City Light Films , Universal Pictures , City Lights

Writers

George Gallo

Cast

Robert De Niro , Charles Grodin , Yaphet Kotto , John Ashton , Dennis Farina

Runtime

126 Minutes

Budget

30000000.0

Main Genre

Action

2 Judge Reinhold (Detective Billy Rosewood)

Stripes (1981)

Judge Reinhold, as Detective Billy Rosewood, has been a mainstay of the Beverly Hills Cop franchise 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 the Beverly Hills Cop series, Reinhold was notably in Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Gremlins. Reinhold’s first hit movie came with the release of Stripes in 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.

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Stripes

R

Comedy

Action

War

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

Not available

*Availability in US

Director

Ivan Reitman

Release Date

June 25, 1981

Writers

Len Blum , Daniel Goldberg , Harold Ramis

Cast

Bill Murray , Harold Ramis , Warren Oates , P.J. Soles , Sean Young , John Candy

Runtime

106 minutes

Main Genre

Comedy

1 Eddie Murphy (Detective Axel Foley)

Trading Places (1983)

b

Eddie Murphy needs no introduction. As one of the most famous comedians on the planet, following his time on Saturday Night Live, Murphy’s role as Axel Foley in Beverly Hills Cop catapulted 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 like 48 Hrs., Coming to America, Dr. Doolittle, and, of course, as the voice of Donkey in Shrek, viewers of all ages know and love Murphy’s comedies.

One of Murphy’s greatest triumphs during the 1980s was in the classic comedy Trading Places opposite Dan Aykroyd. Taking in over $90 million at the box office (via Box Office Mojo), Trading Places showcased 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

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Trading Places

R

Comedy

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.

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

*Availability in US

Director

John Landis

Release Date

June 8, 1983

Writers

Timothy Harris , Herschel Weingrod

Cast

Eddie Murphy , Jamie Lee Curtis , Ralph Bellamy , Don Ameche , Dan Aykroyd , Denholm Elliott

Runtime

116 minutes

Budget

$15 million

Main Genre

Comedy

Source: Box Office Mojo