Jason David Frank was a professional mixed martial artist and an actor best known for playing Green Ranger in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Here, we dig deep into Jason David Frank net worth, career, personal life, and his death.
Who is Jason David Frank?
Jason David Frank was a former professional mixed martial artist turned actor. He was famously known for portraying Tommy Oliver, aka Green Ranger, in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.
From 1993 to 1996, the actor appeared in 124 episodes of the Power Rangers series. Then, he did another 50 episodes of Power Rangers Zeo, playing Tommy Oliver as Zeo Ranger V Red.
Further, in 1997, he continued with the franchise in the series Power Rangers Turbo, playing Red Turbo Ranger.
Jason also did 38-episode appearances in the 2004-released Power Rangers Dino Thunder as Dr Tommy Oliver, aka Black Dino Thunder.
He made numerous cameos for the franchise in special episodes and crossovers as a cameo.
| Name | Jason David Frank |
| Date of Birth | September 4, 1973 |
| Place of Birth | Covina, California, U.S |
| Date of Death | November 19, 2022 |
| Cause of Death | Suicide (depression) |
| Age | 49 (at the time of death) |
| Gender | Male |
| Professions | Actor, Martial Artist |
| Years Active | 2018-2020 |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) |
| Weight | 205 lb (93 kg) |
| Division | Heavyweight |
| Style | Toso Kune Do |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Team | Silverback MMA |
| Country of Origin | United States of America |
| Instagram Account | @jdfffn |
| Twitter Account | @jdfffn |
| Net Worth | $ 500, 000 |
Early Life
Jason David Frank was born in Covina, California, on September 4, 1973.
He was born and raised to Ray Frank and Janice Frank, parents in southern California, along with his brother Eric Frank.
His brother had made an appearance in the T.V. series Power Rangers Zeo as the brother of Jason’s character, Tommy Oliver.
The mixed martial artist turned actor attended Bonita High School located in La Verne, California.
From an early age, Jason was passionate about Martial arts and started practicing early on in his life. He also developed an interest in acting right after his graduation.
Career
Career in Fighting & Martial Arts
Jason David Frank has a vast knowledge of different styles of martial arts, including :
- Taekwondo
- Muay Thai
- Judo
- Jeet Kun Do
- Shōtōkan
- Aikido
- Wadō-ryū
- Wing Chun
- Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
He modified, combined, and picked the practical application of his philosophies to create a unique blend of American Karate, named as “Toso Kune Do,” aka “Way of the Fighting Fist.”
Frank was formally introduced to the World Karate Union Hall of Fame on June 28, 2003. He also made an appearance at the Arnold Classic in Columbus, Ohio, on February 29, 2008.
David also held the Guinness World Record in January 2013, but only temporarily, for around five to six months.
He broke the existing record of the “most 1-inch pine boards broken at freefall”. Frank tried to break eight but successfully broke seven, whereas the previous record was only for two boards.
However, his record was broken by Ernie Torres, the current Guinness World Record holder, who broke 12 boards.
Career in Mixed Martial Arts
On August 21, 2009, Jason David Frank officially announced his signing with SuckerPunch Entertainment, a sports management company specializing in MMA.
He made his debut in MMA for the United States Amateur Combat Association. It was at the “Lonestar Beatdown: Houston” event on January 30, 2010 at Houston Arena Theatre.
Frank defeated Jonathan, also known as “the Mack Truck,” in the first round by submission.
His second fight was against Chris Rose at Lonestar Beatdown: Dallas on February 19 in Austin, Texas. He feated Chris in the first round with a TKO.
Career in Power Rangers Franchise
Joining The Cast of Power Rangers
Jason David Frank joined the cast of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, playing the character of Tommy Oliver, the Green Ranger in the show.
Initially, his character was set to appear in a total of 14 episodes, but his character became famous among fans of the show.
Due to his character’s popularity, his role was extended, and his character was brought back as White Ranger, the new team leader of Power Rangers.
Leaving V.R. Troopers
Before being brought back, he was supposed to do a lead character, Adam Steele, in V.R. Troopers, a superhero adventure series.
Frank even shot the series’ pilot episode right before he was called back to the Power Rangers franchise.
Earlier, Brad Hawkin’s character would replace Tommy Oliver and become the White Ranger in the series.
However, Frank’s character, Tommy Oliver, gained so much popularity showrunners decided to bring back Tommy Oliver.
So then, Brad Hawkins took over the Adam Steel character in V.R. Troopers, replacing Jason. Adam Steel was changed to Ryan Steel in the show.
Transitioning His Character To Red Zeo Ranger
After the successful run of three seasons, showrunners and the Power Rangers franchise decided to transition the show to fit into their larger universe.
The show transitioned into Power Rangers Zeo to accommodate the annual change of their Super Sentai series.
Frank David’s character, Tommy Oliver, changed into Red Zeo Ranger from White Ranger in the fourth season after this transition. His character, the Red Zeo Ranger, is also known as Zeo Ranger V.
Leaving The Power Rangers
Next year, his character becomes the first Red Turbo Ranger in Power Rangers Turbo.
In 1997, Jason David Frank and other cast members like Nakia Burrise, Johnny Young Bosch, and Catherine Sutherland decided to leave the show.
They left the show during the mid-season and were replaced by the showrunners.
Returning To The Franchise
Frank left the show in 1997. However, returned to the Power Rangers franchise in 2002 for a 10th anniversary episode titled “Forever Red” in the show Power Rangers Wild Force.
He rejoined the show as Red Zeo Ranger with a reunion of ten former Red Rangers with Austin St. John’s Red Ranger.
Frank again reprised his role in Power Rangers Dino Thunder in 2004 as Black Dino Ranger. The actor shared that he reprised his role as a favor to Douglas Sloan.
Special Appearances
Jason further appeared in the show Power Rangers Super Megaforce season finale as Green Ranger.
He also did a cameo in the 2017-released film Power Rangers. The legendary Power Ranger actor played an Angel Grove citizen along with Mighty Morphin Power Rangers actress Amy Jo Johnson.
In 2018, Jason made a final cameo as Tommy Oliver in the 10th episode of Power Rangers Super Ninja Steel for Power Ranger’s 25th Anniversary.
Other Career Opportunities
Jason David Frank became part of a film project called Legend of the White Dragon that brought many Power Rangers actors into this unique and fresh superhero story outside the Power Rangers universe.
On November 7, 2013, Jason participated in a fight as Green Ranger in a web show, Bat in the Sun: Super Power Beatdown, facing off against a character from the Mortal Kombat franchise named Scorpion.
He fought Ryu from the Street Fighter game franchise as Green Ranger again on May 5, 2015.
Frank was featured in a web series, Ninjak vs. the Valiant Universe, in 2018, playing the character of Bloodshot. The show was based on Valiant Universe and received positive reviews from critics with much appreciation from fans.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 1995 | Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie |
| 1997 | Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie |
| 2003 | Paris |
| 2007 | The Junior Defenders |
| 2007 | Fall Guy: The John Stewart Story |
| 2010 | The Blue Sun |
| 2011 | Crammed 2: Hoaching |
| 2011 | One Warrior |
| 2017 | Power Rangers |
| 2018 | Power Rangers: Legacy Wars-Street Fighter Showdown |
| 2018 | Making Fun: The Story of Funko |
| 2023 | Might Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always |
| 2024 | Legend of the White Dragon |
TV
| Year | Title | Character |
|---|---|---|
| 1993-1996 | Mighty Morphin Power Rangers | Tommy Oliver - White Ranger/Green Ranger |
| 1994 | Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Alpha’s Magical Christmas | Tommy Oliver |
| VR Troopers | ||
| 1996 | Power Rangers Zeo | Tommy Oliver- Zeo Red Ranger |
| Family Matters | Skull | |
| Sweet Valley High | A.J | |
| 1997 | Power Rangers Turbo | |
| 1999 | Power Rangers: The Lost Episode | |
| 2000 | Undressed | Carl |
| 2002 | Power Rangers Wild Force | |
| 2004 | Power Rangers Dino Thunder | Dr. Tommy Oliver - Black Dino Ranger |
| 2010 | Mighty Morphin Power Rangers : Reversioned | Tommy Oliver |
| 2014 | Power Rangers Super Megaforce | Dr. Tommy Oliver - Green Ranger/White Ranger |
| 2014-2022 | My Morphing Life | Himself |
| 2017-2018 | Transformers: Titans Return | Emissary ( voice role) |
| 2018 | Ninjak vs. the Valiant Universe | Ray Garrison - Bloodshot |
| Power Rangers Hyperforce | Dr Tommy Oliver- Black Dino Ranger | Lod Drakkon | |
| Power Rangers Super Ninja Steel | Dr. Tommy Oliver- Green Ranger, Black Dino Ranger, Robert Tommy, Zeo Ranger V Red | |
| 2019 | We Bare Bears | Silver Bear (voice role) |
Personal Life
Jason’s brother Erik Frank died in April 2001 at the age of 29 due to an unrevealed illness. Erik’s death pushed him to attend a Christian church.
He even got a tattoo on his arm that says, “Jesus Didn’t Tap.” He explained how Jesus never tapped out, quit, or gave up, referencing Christ’s ultimate sacrifice on the cross for humanity.
Jason David Frank got married in 1994 to his first wife, Shawna, and they have three children together. He got divorced from his first wife in 2001.
Then, he married again in 2003 to his second wife, Tammie, with whom he had a daughter. However, in 2022, they were going through some ups and downs in their relationship, and Tammie filed for divorce as well.
However, after Jason’s demise, Tammie also shared that they were trying to solve their problems.
Jason David Frank Death
Frank was found dead in his Houston, Texas, hotel room on November 19, 2022. The cause of his death was suicide.
At that time, his second wife, Tammie, was also staying with him in the hotel and explained that Jason was going through depression and other mental health issues as well.
Upon his unfortunate death, several co-stars of him posted tributes on social media to Frank, including Austin St.John, Walter Emanuel Jones, Amy Jo Johnson, Steve Cardenas, and David Yost.
Jason David Frank Net Worth
Most of the Jason David Frank net worth comes from his acting career since he had a brief career as a martial artist.
He was best known for his Power Rangers character, Tom Oliver, and was part of the franchise for over a decade.
The actor gained popularity worldwide for playing Green Power Ranger in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.
A small yet significant part of his net worth comes from his martial arts career, apart from his voice acting and other ventures as well.
David Jason Frank net worth is up to approximately $500,000.
| Year | Net worth |
|---|---|
| Jason David Frank net worth 2023 | $500,000 |
| Jason David Frank net worth 2022 | $450,000 |
| Jason David Frank net worth 2021 | $400,000 |
| Jason David Frank net worth 2020 | $290,000 |
| Jason David Frank net worth 2019 | $180,000 |
Awards
Jason was the 7th-degree black belt holder, winning several accolades, titles, and certifications in martial arts and mixed martial arts.
In 2003, he received the Master of the Year Award from the World Karate Union Hall of Fame. Jason also won the Arnold Schwarzenegger Classics Master Appreciation Award in the year 2005.
He won the black Belt Hall of Fame’s Most Successful Industry Leader title in 2007.
For a few months, Jason also held a Guinness World Record for breaking a maximum number of pine boards during freefall.
His role as Green Power Ranger in the famous franchise Power Rangers got him into the Power Rangers Hall of Fame.
Final thoughts
Jason David Frank is a well-known actor famous for playing Green Ranger in the Power Rangers franchise.
He had a background in martial arts and mixed martial arts, including a brief career as a fighter before his debut in the entertainment industry.
Jason David Frank net worth is around $500,000, and most of his earnings are from his acting career.
FAQ
1. What Is Jason David Frank Net Worth?
Jason David Net worth is approximately $500,000, which is around half a million dollars.
2. What is Jason David Frank Best Known For?
Jason David Frank is best known for his role as Tommy Oliver as, Green Power Ranger in Power Ranger series.
3. How Old was Jason David Frank When He Died?
Power Ranger famed actor Jason David Frank was 49 when he died due to suicide.
