Power Rangers
Power Rangers fans around the world are still reeling from last Sunday's announcement of the death of Jason David Frank , one of the most recognizable and beloved actors in the saga that began in 1993. Frank, who passed away at the age of 49 in circumstances whose details have not yet been officially disclosed, he was part of the protagonists of the very first season of the series, Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers: in fact he played Tommy Oliver, the first green Power Ranger, first created by the evil Rita Repulsa and then become allied with the other heroes. The role of him was intended to last only 14 episodes, but the popularity encountered by the character convinced him to continue, then assuming the appearance of the white Power Ranger. Since then the actor has participated in various projects of the franchise, so much so that in the past few hours Hasbro (now owner of the rights to the saga) and the official social accounts of the series have shared a touching video-tribute:Twitter content This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
As we can see, Frank has been linked to the various incarnations of the Power Rangers for years, returning several times in the role of Tommy, even in a more mature age: he is was the Red Ranger from Power Rangers Zeo , the first Red Turbo Ranger, the Black Ranger from Dino Thunder , and then also made appearances in other seasons such as in Wild Force and Ninja Steel . His last appearance in a project related to the colored warriors was in the 2017 film Power Rangers (however rather unfortunate), where he played a cameo with his colleague Amy Jo Johnson, the interpreter of the first Pink Ranger.
The actor, who was also a martial arts expert, was lately working on a film called Legend of the White Dragon , an action and magic story which, while not officially linked to the Power Rangers , ne recalled the costumes and the imagery, and which was to be released, once post-production was completed, during 2023. In the meantime, the various actors who have worked with him over the years have flooded social networks with memories: “My life will never be the same without your fast-paced, hilarious, loving, creative energy,” Johnson herself wrote; “My heart is so sad to have lost one of our special family members,” echoed Walter E. Jones, who played the original Black Ranger, while other team members such as David Yost, Austin St. John and Karan Ashley and many others shared their condolences which can be summed up in the phrase: “ Once a Power Ranger, always a Power Ranger ”.