Jason David Frank, the actor best known for portraying the Green and White Rangers on Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, has died. He was 49. The actor’s rep Justine Hunt confirmed the news stating, “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 be truly missed.”
A cause of death has not been revealed, but reports indicate it was suicide. Frank starred as Tommy Oliver in the show’s original run, which lasted from 28 August 1993 until 27 November 1995. It was on the air for three seasons, and while his role as the Green Ranger was originally only set for 14 episodes, he was so popular with fans of the show that the actor was brought back as the White Ranger and the team’s new leader for the remainder of the series.
The series transitioned to Power Rangers Zeo, where Frank continued his role for 50 episodes in 1996 as the Red Zeo Ranger. He returned in 2002 for the 10th anniversary episode of Power Rangers Wild Force, and ultimately became the Black Dino Ranger for 38 episodes of Power Rangers Dino Thunder, along with its accompanying video game.
But his time with the Rangers still did not end there. He was a guest star in the Season 2 finale of 2014's Power Rangers Super Megaforce and made a cameo appearance in the 2017 Power Rangers film alongside fellow original Ranger Amy Jo Johnson. His final franchise appearance was in 2018’s Power Rangers Ninja Steel, in celebration of the series’ 25th anniversary. Frank’s other credits include guest spots on Sweet Valley High and Family Matters, plus voice work in the video game Smite and the miniseries Transformers: Titans Return.
