Jason David Frank, who portrayed the Green Power Ranger Tommy Oliver on the 1990s children’s television series “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers,” has passed away, according to a statement released by his management on Sunday. He was 49.
Frank’s manager, Justine Hunt, did not specify the reason of death or the date of death, but she did request “privacy of his family and friends during this terrible time as we come to grips with the loss of such a lovely human being.”
Walter Emmanuel Jones, the original Black Power Ranger who played alongside Frank in “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers,” expressed his disbelief on Instagram. Jones added, “My heart is broken to have lost another member of our precious family.” In 2001, at age 27, Thuy Trang, who portrayed the first Yellow Power Ranger, died in a vehicle accident.
In 1993, Fox launched “Mighty Morphine Power Rangers,” a show about five kids tasked with protecting the planet from evil, which went on to become a cultural phenomenon. Early in the first season, Rita Repulsa hypnotized Tommy Oliver, played by Frank, into being a villain. Soon later, he was accepted into the squad as the Green Ranger and became one of the show’s most popular characters.
Jason David Frank of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers attends the Saban’s Power Rangers Legacy Wars competition on October 5, 2017 at New York Comic Con 2017 – Day 1 in New York City. Daniel Zuchnik/Getty Images for Saban Brands
Frank was eventually brought back as the White Ranger and team leader, despite his original job not being intended to be permanent. Frank’s Tommy Oliver resurfaced in spinoff television shows as different rangers, including the Red Zeo Ranger, the Red Turbo Ranger, and the Black Dino Ranger. In addition, he portrayed him in the films “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie” and “Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie” and had a brief appearance in the 2017 revival of “Power Rangers.”
Frank, a martial arts practitioner, participated in many mixed martial arts bouts in 2009 and 2010.
TMZ previously reported that Tammie Frank, Frank’s second wife, filed for divorce in August. Frank leaves behind four children, one from his second marriage to Tammie Frank and three from his previous marriage to Shawna Frank.