DALLAS — Actor and MMA fighter Jason David Frank, best known for his role in the “Power Rangers” franchise, died Sunday. He was 49.
Frank’s agent, Brian Butler-Au of Sucker Punch Entertainment, confirmed the death on Instagram. TMZ reported Frank died by suicide in Texas, citing sources with direct knowledge.
Frank played Tommy Oliver (the Green Ranger and White Ranger) on the original “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” television series from 1993 to 1996, a popular kids' show featuring six teenage superheroes with martial arts skills. He also starred in “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie” in 1995 and other various “Power Rangers” spinoff series throughout the 1990s and into the 2000s.
Frank was an eighth-degree black belt in karate and also had knowledge of many other styles of martial arts including taekwondo, judo, Brazilian jiujitsu and more.
He participated in MMA competitions in 2010, when he fought a handful of times. Frank won four amateur contests and competed in just one pro fight. Four of those fights were in Texas: two in Houston, one in Arlington and one in McAllen.
Frank lived in Humble, a city in the metro area of Houston. He also owned a martial arts studio there called Rising Sun Karate where he was an instructor of Toso Kune Do, his own system of martial arts, according to the business website.
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