Jason David Frank Fight Scene From Final Movie Role ... Watch The Epic Showdown!

ENTER THE WHITE DRAGON
Bat in the Sun

Jason David Frank shows off his mixed martial arts skills in his last movie role ... and we got exclusive video of him kicking ass in what turned out to be the late actor's final gig.

JDF is the star of the upcoming action flick "Legend of The White Dragon" ... playing a fugitive trying to clear his name in the city he once fought to protect.

The late 'Power Rangers' star goes from the White Ranger to the White Dragon. The movie will be released this fall, lining up with what would have been Jason's 50th birthday.

In this preview clip, obtained by TMZ, Jason's character squares off with Mark Dacascos, another famous mixed martial artist known for his work in kung fu movies.

TMZ broke the story ... Jason died by suicide back in November, with a close friend telling us Frank was struggling with mental health issues and battling depression.

INVESTIGATING FLIGHT 23

Producer Sean Schoenke tells TMZ ... “Despite the tremendous loss, the production team has worked tirelessly to complete the film and ensure that it meets the high standards that Jason set for himself. The result is a powerful and moving tribute to his talent and dedication.”

In addition to acting in 'White Dragon,' Jason was also one of the producers ... and his daughter, Jenna Rae Frank, has a supporting role.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

'Power Rangers' Jason David Frank Dead by Suicide at 49

UPDATE

10:07 AM PT -- Walter Jones, who played the black ranger in 'MMPR,' tells TMZ ... "He was an inspiration to so many people. His presence will be dearly missed. It’s so sad to lose another member of our Ranger family."

UPDATE

He adds, "Jason was one of the biggest pranksters on the show. He had a wild sense of humor. We had our shares of ups and downs but I stayed consistent about being an ear if he needed one. My prayers go out to his family and all that will miss him."

Jason David Frank -- one of the original "Power Rangers" -- has died ... TMZ has learned.

The actor and mixed martial artist died in Texas, according to his rep Justine Hunt. Sources with direct knowledge tell us his death was the result of suicide.

JDF is best known as Tommy Oliver from the original run of the "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" franchise, dating back to the kids series' debut in 1993 ... when he was introduced as one of six crime/monster-fighting superheroes, masked head to toe with kung-fu skills.

Fans will remember ... he started out as the Green Ranger in Season 1, introduced at first as an enemy of the Power Rangers -- only to do a 180 and become good. After his powers start to deteriorate, however, he's turned into the White Ranger ... and tapped as the new leader of the group. Frank starred as one of the leads for 3 seasons, totaling 123 episodes.

Frank went on to reprise his role as Tommy in several adaptions of 'Power Rangers' -- including 'Wild Force,' 'Turbo,' 'Zeo,' 'Dino Thunder,' 'Megaforce,' 'Ninja Steel,' 'HyperForce,' and more. He's been a Red Ranger, a Black Ranger and a Green Ranger anew. JDF is a fan favorite Power Ranger ... which is why he's returned to the franchise time and again.

His onscreen fighting abilities translated into the real world ... Frank was a professionally trained MMA brawler, who was well-versed in everything from Taekwondo, Muay Thai, Judo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and others. He fought professionally for a time from 2008 to 2010.

He's survived by his four children.

Jason's rep Justine tells TMZ  ... "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. He loved his family, friends and fans very much. He will truly be missed."

Frank was 49.

RIP

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org

Originally Published -- 8:57 AM PT

'Power Rangers' Star They Made My Power Axe Real ... Lemme Get One!

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The original Black Ranger from "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" can't believe someone made his TV weapon into a real-life killing instrument ... and now he wants his own.

We got Walter Jones Monday at LAX, where our photog asked what he thought about the show "Man at Arms" ... recreating his character's Power Axe (which doubled for a gun on TV).

Walter's all about it, but not completely surprised it got done. It is 2017, after all -- the tech these days is pretty wild. As he puts it ... making an axe-blaster is high on the doable list.

We also ask what his weapon of choice would be in a real battle ... let's just say Walt's old school.

Green 'Power Ranger' Jumping Out of a Plane to Celebrate 'MMPR' 20th Anniversary

Get ready to feel old ... cause 20 years ago today the "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" premiered on TV -- and one ex-teenager with attitude is commemorating the day by free falling from 14,000 feet in the air.

Jason David Frank a.k.a. the Green and White Ranger tells us he felt like celebrating twenty years of "MMPR" by going to Skydive Spaceland in Houston today to jump out of a plane.

Frank says the aircraft opens from the back, military style, so he can get a running start before plummeting to the ground at 120 mph.

The 39-year old actor says he can't believe "Power Rangers" debuted 20 years ago ... and assures "MMPR" fans that his return to the show next season will be awesome ... adding, "I can't wait to continue living the legacy of the Green Ranger."

JDF's been jump crazy lately ... he also skydived out of a perfectly good helicopter earlier this week. Check out the footage... it's insane!

Green Power Ranger Beatdown by ... Liberace??

Great news ... the Power Rangers just added the Green ranger to their reunion guest list! What's not so great -- especially for Mr. Green -- everyone seems more interested in who Liberace was banging!

Check out TMZ on TV -- click here to see your local listings!

Green Power Ranger ACCEPTS REUNION INVITE I'd Do This For FREE!!!

Green Ranger is COMING BACK -- telling TMZ he's 100% IN for the upcoming "Power Rangers" reunion ... despite the fact some of his co-stars are boycotting.

We spoke to Jason David Frank -- aka Tommy the Green (then White) Ranger -- who tells us he's not only "confirmed" to appear in "Power Rangers: MegaForce" ... he's already on location in New Zealand.

As we previously reported ... Blue, Black and Yellow (#2) have sworn off the reunion, claiming producers were jerks who offered crappy contracts to resurrect their characters.

But Jason -- who's now a pro MMA fighter -- says it shouldn't be about the money, it's all about the fans -- telling us, "I told my fans I'd do [the Power Rangers reunion] for a dollar."

Tommy also drops a MAJOR bombshell about his character -- it's gonna blow your minds!!

BONUS -- WANNA WATCH GREEN DO KARATE IN SOME WEIRD, DARK BACK ALLEY???

Hell yeah you do. Check out the clip ...

Yellow Power Ranger 'Reunion' Show Offer Was Insulting & Lame

The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers reunion was BOTCHED … producers offered insulting money for a lame cameo and were impersonal JERKS about the whole thing … so says Karan Ashley, the 2nd yellow ranger -- who’s also declining to attend.

Ashley ranted for 45 minutes Thursday on the audio blog Uncensored Radio about how poorly the 20-year reunion effort was handled. Her chief beef ... participating would burn 5 days from her schedule ... but she claims producers only offered to pay for 2.

“I’m not trying to help someone make another billion dollars,” she says, “and you’re not even going to pay me for my time? It’s disrespectful. It’s just wrong.”

As TMZ previously reported … original Blue Power Ranger David Yost says he declined because producers harassed him for being gay … and original Black Power Ranger Walter Jones followed suit in support of his friend.

Ashley says a couple of those producers are still there ... and their outreach was pathetic. Instead of inviting all 10 ranger actors personally, she says, producers sent a typo-infested mass email -- offering nothing more than a cameo -- then didn’t respond for WEEKS to those who expressed interest.

What’s WORSE … Ashley says producers later UNINVITED certain cast members who were excited to take part, citing “budgetary reasons.”

We reached out to the Power Rangers people -- so far, no word back.

Black Power Ranger BOYCOTTING Reunion In Support of Blue Buddy

The Power Rangers reunion gets less mighty by the day ... now it's the BLACK Power Ranger who says he won't go-go ... in part out of respect for the Blue Ranger's beef with producers.

As TMZ previously reported ... Blue Power Ranger David Yost declined an invitation to reunite the original cast, saying the producers harassed him for being gay when he was on the show from 1993-1996.

Now original Black Power Ranger Walter Jones tells TMZ he was treated pretty badly, too ... and he's following his friend's lead.

"I'm very sorry to disappoint the fans as I would have loved to be a part of it," Jones tells TMZ. "David, who I still keep in touch with regularly, is a very great guy and it would have been fun to work together again on something we helped originate."

But sources close to the situation tell TMZ the alleged abuse isn't the only factor ... that both Yost and Jones are holding out in part because the show isn't offering enough money to make up for the way producers treated them.

For those keeping score at home, the reunion of the original cast is dwindling fast ...

Green Ranger: IN ... Jason David Frank ... aspiring MMA fighter confirmed he'll attend.
Red Ranger: MAYBE? ... Austin St. John ... went on to be an EMT/firefighter in WDC.
Pink Ranger: MAYBE? ... Amy Jo Johnson ... still a working actress.
Blue Ranger: OUT ... David Yost ... says producers were homophobic bullies.
Black Ranger: OUT ... Walter Jones ... says he was abused ... and is supporting Yost.
Yellow Ranger: OUT ... Thuy Trang ... died in a car accident in 2001.

Blue Power Ranger REFUSES REUNION SHOW I Won't Forgive 'Abusive' Producers

Go Go ... SCREW YOURSELVES -- that's the message the Blue Power Ranger sent to producers who asked him to participate in a reunion episode, claiming he's still pissed about the homophobic "abuse" he endured back in the day.

David Yost -- an openly gay actor who was on the show from 1993 to 1996 -- says he was contacted to appear on an episode of "Power Rangers Megaforce" ... along with other members of the original cast.

But Yost kicked the offer to the curb like it was a member of the Putty Patrol -- explaining on Twitter that he's "Done with abusive relationships."

As TMZ previously reported, Yost had major beef with "Rangers" brass back in the day, claiming he quit the show after years of negative abuse. Specifically he says producers called him the F-word.

The company behind "Rangers" never officially responded to Yost's allegations -- but one producer told us Yost had always been a "pain in the ass" on the set.

Morphin' Producer -- Blue Ranger Was 'Pain in the Ass'

A guy who co-produced 450 episodes of "Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers" claims he's positive the Blue Ranger didn't leave the show over homophobia on the set -- insisting the departure was all about money ... but the thing he remembers most was that Blue was a "pain in the ass."

As we previously reported, former Blue Ranger David Yost just revealed he is gay -- and claimed he was forced to quit MMPR back in the day because he "was called 'f*ggot' one too many times" by staffers.

But producer Scott Page-Pagter explains, "[Yost] and two of the other actors were all getting a bonus on top of their salary. When the other two left the show, production wanted to stop giving him the bonus, and that’s ultimately what led to his departure from the show.”

As for the allegations of homophobia, Page-Pagter told us, “I don’t know why he’s saying this, but he was the only one no one got along with ... he was a pain in the ass.”

Saban Entertainment -- the company behind the show -- had no official comment.

Blue Power Ranger: I Quit Show Over Gay Insults

The guy who played the Blue Ranger on the "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" series has just revealed that he's gay -- and dropped a huge bombshell ... that he quit the show because he was harassed over his sexuality.

Actor David Yost -- who played the B.R. from 1993 to 1996 -- just gave an interview to "No Pink Spandex" -- and explained, "I was called 'f*ggot' one too many times [by the show's] creators, producers, writers, directors."

Yost added, "I know that my co-stars were called in a couple of times to different producers' offices and questioned about my sexuality, which is kind of a humiliating experience to find that out."

Yost claims it got so bad on the show that he became "worried that I might take my own life."

Instead, Yost took a break from Hollywood ... and only recently decided to start acting again.

Calls to Saban Entertainment -- which produced Power Rangers -- have not been returned.

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