Jason David Frank, the actor best known for playing Tommy Oliver in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, has passed away at the age of 49. According to TMZ, who first broke the news, the cause of death is stated to be suicide.
Born on 4 September 1973, the mixed martial artist originally starred as the Green Ranger in the first season of the 90s series, which ran from 1993 to 1996. He later served his tenure as the White Ranger during the the second season, and would continue to play Tommy in other Power Ranger seasons, such as Power Rangers Zeo, Turbo (Red), and Dino Thunder (Black).
Frank was initially only meant to be on the series for 14 episodes, but was brought back due to the popularity of the character. His legacy extends beyond the Power Rangers franchise though: apart from his UFC debut in 2010, he also starred in 1990s series Sweet Valley High, and more recently, voiced the Silver Bear in We Bare Bears.
In 2020, the actor launched a Kickstarter campaign for his movie Legend of the White Dragon, which features fellow Power Rangers alumni Jason Faunt (Time Force) and Ciara Hanna (Megaforce), along with Mark Dacascos (Hawaii Five-0, John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum) and Frank’s daughter Jenna. It is expected to premiere in 2023 and will be his final role.
“Please respect the privacy of his family and friends during this horrible time as we come to terms with the loss of such a wonderful human being. He loved his family, friends and fans very much. He will truly be missed,” said Frank’s representative, Justine Hunt. The Power Rangers legend is survived by four children.
Rest in peace, good sir – thank you for all the memories.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
Edwin Teo
Trinity Sun
