Mighty Morphin Power Rangers turns 30 - the mental health battles and tragic accidents of its original cast

Inspiring children to become spandex-wearing crime fighters was easy busy in the 1990s. All you had to do was sit your son or daughter in front of the TV while Mighty Morphin Power Rangers was on, and you’d have your own wannabe teenage hero on your hands.

This year will mark the 30th anniversary of the first Power Ranger series  - Mighty Morphin - which for many remains the best and most iconic instalment of the franchise.

Subsequent shows have brought in new cast members, but it’s the originals Tommy, Kimberley, Billy and Zack that have lived longest in the memory.

30th-anniversary celebrations have been marked with the release of a Netflix reboot earlier this year and with a new special edition comic book last month.

NationalWorld takes a look back at where the original cast is now to celebrate the landmark year.

Jason David Frank

One of Powers Rangers' saddest stories.

Jason David Frank played the role of Green, and later White, Ranger ‘Tommy’ in all three seasons of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.

Frank was originally set to appear in just a few episodes as the Green Ranger but was ultimately brought back to portray the White Ranger.

He also returned to his role in other Power Rangers shows including Power Rangers Zeo, Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie and Power Rangers Dino Thunder. He has also acted in shows away from Power Rangers like Family Matters, Sweet Valley High and Undressed.

Frank is also known for his martial arts skills - including being inducted into the World Karate Union Hall of Fame and making his MMA debut in 2010.

One of Frank's daughters - Shayla - sadly died in 2021 and a year later in November 2022, Frank died by suicide at the age of 49.

Amy Jo Johnson

The original Pink Ranger was played by Amy Jo Johnson. Her character's name was Kimberley Hart and before leaving Power Rangers in 1995, she appeared in nearly all three seasons of Mighty Morphin.

In 1998, Johnson joined the cast of Felicity, playing Julie Emrick for four seasons. She also appeared on shows like Saved by the Bell: The New Class, ER and Spin City. 

After Power Rangers, Johnson pursued a music career and released three albums: The Trans-American Treatment, Imperfect and Never Broken.

In 2008, Johnson and her then-fiancé, businessman Olivier Giner, welcomed a daughter Francesca Christine. The couple tied the knot the following year and settled down in Toronto, however the relationship ended in divorce in 2017. 

Johnson has remained close to her Power Ranger co-stars over the years and appears at conventions in front of dedicated fans — so eyebrows were raised when her name was missing from the 30th anniversary Netflix special announcement

Austin St. John

Portraying Jason Lee Scott, Austin St. John made his mark as the Red Ranger during two seasons of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. 

More recently in 2014, he said he left the show in 1994 because he was unfairly compensated and the studio rejected his request to negotiate for higher pay.

Although he walked away from the series, St. John later returned to the franchise in Power Rangers Zeo and Power Rangers Wild Force.

His career has arguably been the most varied from the show though. He spent his early 20s travelling the world and teaching martial arts, gaining a degree in sports science, and working as a paramedic in the Middle East. The opportunity to appear at fan conventions lured him back to Power Rangers

His voice was used in the 2019 video game Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid and he also featured in an episode of Power Rangers Beast Morphers in 2020.

The Power Rangers alum, who is now a dad of three, has his own merch store. In 2022, he published a post-apocalyptic comic book series called Redempt1on, inspired by his time in the Middle East.

In May 2022, he was arrested over allegations of Covid-related wire fraud. 

A federal indictment stated that he was one of 18 people who attempted to defraud the Small Business Administration's Paycheck Protection Program. It's alleged that in total, the 18 defendants received more than $3.5 million across 16 separate small business loans. 

St. John is awaiting trial.

David Yost

The original Blue Ranger was none other than David Yost who played the role on both Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and Power Rangers Zeo. 

His career after Power Rangers focussed more on behind-the-scenes work. He has produced and served as a location manager for shows like Temptation Island and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. 

At one point, he worked in licensing at the anime production company Geneon Entertainment, where he sold shows to other major networks.

In a 2010 interview at Anime Festival Orlando, Yost publicly came out as gay.

He bravely shared the suicidal thoughts he had while working on Power Rangers and his sexuality was brought into question. He alleges slurs were used against him that contributed to him ultimately leaving the show

Despite this, Yost has remained in contact with the Power Rangers family. He has often appeared at conventions to meet fans of the show and even started a clothing line based on his character. 

In 2021, he returned to play Warlord Vex in the fan series Power Rangers: Rise of the Ninja and made a cameo in Power Rangers Dino Fury as his original character, Billy Cranston. 

He is also lined up to reprise his role in the upcoming Power Rangers Once & Forever.

Walter Emanuel Jones

Walter Emanuel Jones is another original cast member who walked away following a pay dispute. He played the role of Zack Taylor/ Black Ranger for two seasons before voicing characters in other Power Rangers projects including Power Rangers Wild Force

Outside of the franchise, Jones has appeared in films and TV shows including teen drama Malibu Shores, and he went on to star in the Nickelodeon series Space Cases. 

As well as voice acting in Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2, Jons has had guest spots on shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Moesha and NYPD Blue.

Like some of his old co-stars, Jones will be reprising his role as Zack in Power Rangers Once & Forever.

Thuy Trang

Thuy Trang was the first Yellow Ranger - Trini Kwan - on Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. 

She left after the first season due to a contract dispute and afterwards, she worked with Trang and St. John on martial arts videos.

Trang also had a small role in the film Spy Hard and appeared in The Crow: City of Angels.

On September 3, 2001, Trang was in a car driving from San Jose, California, to LA with two friends, including model Angela Rockwood, when the driver lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a mountainside. 

Trang suffered internal injuries and died in a helicopter while en route to the hospital. She was 27 years old. 

A month later, an episode of Power Rangers Time Force was dedicated to her memory.

Subsequent actors who replaced the original stars of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers included Catherine Sutherland (Pink Ranger), Johnny Yong Bosch (Black Ranger), Karen Ashley (Yellow Ranger), and Steve Cardenas (Red Ranger).