Jason David Frank: Power Rangers Co-Star Amy Jo Johnson Pays Tribute

On Sunday, Power Rangers fans were saddened to learn of the death of Jason David Frank, the actor best known for his work as Tommy Oliver in the massive Power Rangers franchise. The actor was 49 years old. Now, his co-star Amy Jo Johnson is paying tribute to Frank, writing in a post on Instagram that her “life just won’t be the same” without him while sharing a photo of herself with Frank at a fan event.

“Jase, you were beautiful and truly unique,” Johnson wrote. “My life just won’t be the same without your frenetic, hilarious, caring, driven and creative ball of energy. I will always love you, dear friend. Please Rest now in Peace.”

Frank passed away at the age of 49 on Saturday, November 19th with his passing confirmed by TMZ. In a statement, a representative for Frank asked for privacy for his family and friends during this difficult time.

“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,” the representative said. “He loved his family, friends, and fans very much. He will truly be missed.”

Johnson isn’t alone in sharing her reaction to Frank’s passing. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers co-star Walter Emmanuel Jones took to social media this morning to express his grief and disbelief, saying that he “can’t believe it,” and “My heart is sad to have lost another member of our special family.”

Blake Foster, who appeared in Power Rangers Turbo, said he was stunned as well in a post that said “[I] cried all night. Heartbroken yet again. Lost my hero, our leader, my friend, and an icon.”

Frank would return to the franchise in many other different ways over the years. Serving as a Legendary Ranger figure for the franchise as a whole in the TV series, video games, comics, and more, Frank’s Tommy Oliver became one of the mainstay heroes that fans most associate with the series. 

In addition to Power Rangers, Frank had a successful career that spanned film, TV, and mixed martial arts. Ranked in six different types of marital arts, including an 8th dan black belt in Shotokan Karate, Frank was able to use his real-world athletic talents both as an athlete and as a performer in stunt- and combat-heavy roles.

Early in his career, Frank had small parts in series like Sweet Valley High and Family Matters. After becoming synonymous with Tommy Oliver, Frank’s action-hero cred took him to roles like Fall Guy: The John Stewart Story and as Bloodshot in Ninjak vs. the Valiant Universe. He also became well-known as a geek culture figure, appearing in Making Fun: The Story of Funko and his own websires My Morphing Life.

Legend of the White Dragon, a project designed to star Frank by Ninjak producer Aaron Schoenke, is currently set for a 2023 release, although that may change if Frank did not complete his work on the project.