Gil Hill: Detective and politician who found wider fame as Eddie Murphy's boss in the 'Beverly Hills Cop' films

As a detective, he rose to national attention thanks to his ability to obtain confessions out of the most notorious killers

Gill: he said the only difference between himself and his onscreen character was that he didn't swear (AP)

Gil Hill served as president of the Detroit City Council and he was also a police officer in the city. But he found somewhat greater fame as the sweary police inspector Douglas Todd in three Beverly Hills Cop films.

Hill spent 30 years with the Detroit Police Department and around a dozen years on the City Council. He unsuccessfully ran for mayor in 2001. “He never stopped believing in our city and dedicated his life to making our city a better place for all,” the present mayor, Mike Duggan, said. Hill joined the Police Department in 1959 and in 1969 was promoted to detective, assigned to the homicide division the following year. Over the next decade he rose to national attention thanks to his ability to obtain confessions out of the most notorious killers.

He was head of the homicide division when he landed the supporting role in 1984's action comedy, Beverly Hills Cop. In the film, Todd played the boss of Eddie Murphy's Detective Axel Foley character. Todd, who was killed off early in the third film, was wont to erupt into expletives, provoked by Foley's propensity for rule-bending.

He was offered other roles but decided against pursuing an acting career, though he appeared in the two sequels, remarking that the only difference between him and his character was that he didn't curse as much in real life.

Hill was elected Detroit City Council president in 1997. He supported the development of casino gambling in the city and helped broker deals for new baseball and American football stadiums.

Gilbert Roland Hill, politician, police officer and actor: born Birmingham, Alabama 5 November 1931; married 1955 Delores Hooks (died 2015; one daughter, two sons); died Detroit 29 February 2016.