Power Rangers and other Toku Cast and Crew who died

Robert V. Barron 

December 26, 1932 – December 1, 2000; 67 years old

Cause of death: unknown  - Was an ADR writer for Mighty Morphin Power Rangers episodes from “Day of the Dumpster” to “Doomsday – part II”.   He was Abraham Lincoln in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure.

Roger Olkowski 

April 12, 1952 – June 18, 2001; 49 years old

Cause of death: brain cancer  - Was the 2nd Unit Director of Photography for Power Rangers Zeo episodes “A Zeo Beginning (both parts), “The Shooting Star”, and “Target Rangers”.  - Was also the camera operator for Power Rangers in Space episodes “A Line in the Sand” and both parts of “Countdown to Destruction”.  

 Lawrence L. Simeone 

April 30, 1953 – February 3, 2002; 48 years old

Cause of death: complications following open heart surgery  - Directed Power Rangers Turbo episodes “The Curve Ball” and “Carlos and the Count”.   


Hal England 
(October 2, 1932 – November 6, 2003; 71 years old)  Cause of death: heart attack  - Played Earl in the Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue episode “A Test of Trust”.     

George “Buck” Flower 

October 28, 1937 – June 18, 2004; 66 years old

Cause of death: cancer  - Played a civilian in the Power Rangers in Space episode “Countdown to Destruction – part 2”.  - Played a homeless man in the Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue episode “The Great Egg Caper”.  - Played a bartender in the Power Rangers Time Force episode “Movie Madness pt. 2”. He was in Back to the Future as the neighborhood bud. 

Kerry James Casey
November 9, 1954 – November 25, 2015; 61 years old)\

Cause of death: cancer

- Suit actor for Goldar in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie.

Gary Glasberg 

July 15, 1966 – September 27, 2016; 50 years old 

Cause of death: unknown (died in sleep) - Wrote the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers episodes “Big Sisters” (w/Shuki Levy), “Green with Evil – part I: Out of Control” (w/Stewart St. John), “Green with Evil – part V: Breaking the Spell” (w/Shuki Levy), and “The Green Candle – part II” (w/Stewart St. John)”.

Allison Ivy Shearmur (née Brecker)
October 23, 1963 – January 19, 2018; 54 years old

Cause of death: lung cancer

- Executive producer for Power Rangers (the movie).

Other AmeriToku actors who have passed on

Here is a list of actors from other American Tokusatsu (AmeriToku) who have passed on. Special thanks to Khal F.

Gardner Winston Baldwin
March 22, 1951 – September 7, 2011; 60 years old

Cause of death: heart attack

- Played Karl Ziktor and voiced Grimlord in VR Troopers.

- Voiced monster Mandible in the Masked Rider episode “Pet Nappers”.

Richard L. Rabago 

August 14, 1943 – May 18, 2012; 68 years old

Cause of death: unknown

- Played Tao Chong in VR Troopers.

- Played Master Lee in the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers episode “Plague of the Mantis”.

John Finbar Cassin (a.k.a. Barry Cassin)
November 23, 1924 – January 14, 2017; 92 years old
Cause of death: unknown - Played Cathbad in Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog.

Vivian Lee Smallwood 
June 18, 1933 – July 22, 2017; 84 years old
Cause of death: natural causes - Played Nano Williams in Big Bad BeetleBorgs and BeetleBorgs Metallix.

Peadar Lamb 
1930 – September 1, 2017; 86-87 years old
 Cause of death: unknown (died in sleep)
Played King Fin Varra in Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog.

\Verne Jay Troyer 

January 1, 1969 – April 21, 2018; 49 years old

Cause of death: suicide by alcohol

- Played Ferbus in Masked Rider.

Joseph Pilato (a.k.a. Joey Pal) 

March 16, 1949 – March 24, 2019; 70 years old

Cause of death: unknown (died in sleep)

- Voiced Vexor in Big Bad BeetleBorgs.
- Best known for his performance as Captain Rhodes in the 1985 film Day of the Dead.  

Power Rangers actors who have passed away

UPDATED 3/26/20 Thanks to Khal F for the help!

Robert Lawrence Manahan 

August 23, 1956 – June 30, 2000

Cause of death: heart aneurysm

He voiced Zordon from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers to Power Rangers in Space. The Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue episode “The Fifth Crystal” was dedicated to his memory. He was 43. 

Thuy Trang

December 14, 1973 - September 3, 2001
She was born Saigon, South Vietnam. She graduated from Banning High School and earned a scholarship to study civil engineering at the University of California, Irvine. Trang died in a car accident at the age of 27 on September 3, 2001. She was 27.

Erik Frank
October 14, 1971 - April 16, 2001
Jason David Frank's (Tommy) older brother died of an unspecified illness around the same time Thuy Trang died, five months apart but Jason couldn't go to Thuy's funeral. He played Tommy's brother David Trueheart, in several episodes of Power Rangers Zeo. He was 29.

Jacob Becker (a.k.a. Jack Banning) 

August 21, 1931 – July 10, 2005

Cause of death: complications from pneumonia

He played Professor Elliot Phenomenus in Power Rangers in Space and in Power Rangers Lost Galaxy. He was 73.

Robert DeWayne Pappenbrook 

(September 18, 1955 – March 17, 2006; 50 years old)

Cause of death: chronic lung complications

- Voiced Rito Revolto in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and Power Rangers Zeo. 

- Voiced monsters Saliguana and Snizard in “The Wedding – part III”.

- Voiced monsters Sting King, Lunartick, and a plant monster in Power Rangers in Space.

- Voiced Deviot, and monster Radster in Power Rangers Lost Galaxy.

- Voiced monsters Fireor and Thunderclaw in Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue.

- Voiced monsters Univolt and Artillacon in Power Rangers Time Force.

- Voiced monster Bell Org in Power Rangers Wild Force, and also played Mike/store clerk on-screen.

- Voiced monsters Spitbot, Footbot, a van monster, and Serpentoid in VR Troopers.

- Voiced monsters Edentada, Cyborgator, and Bruticon in Masked Rider.

- Voiced Shadow Borg and monsters Amp Head, Hammerhands, and Borgslayer in Big Bad BeetleBorgs.

- Voiced Scorpix, and monster Aqualung in BeetleBorgs Metallix.

Machiko Soga
March 18, 1938 - May 7, 2006

The legendary Machiko Soga, best known to Americans as Rita Repulsa, she played Queen Hedrian in Denshi Sentai Denziman and Taiyou Sentai Sun Vulcan, witch Bandora in Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger, Queen Pandora in Jikuu Senshi Spielban, Raraba in Episode 30 of Maskman, and Magiel the Queen of the Sky Saints in Mahou Sentai Magiranger. She was fighting pancreatic cancer for almost two years. She was 68.

Edward Laurence Heimberger 
February 20, 1951 – September 22, 2006

He played Albert Collins (Wes' dad) in Power Rangers Time Force. He was 55 years old and died of lung cancer. His real name was Edward Laurence Albert.

Richard Genelle
October 12, 1961 - December 30, 2008
He played Ernie from 1993-1997, Genelle died following a heart attack in 2008. He was 47.

Franklin Fernando “Grey Wolf” Salsedo May 20, 1929 – July 3, 2009; 80 years old

Cause of death: unknown

- Played Sam True-of-Heart in the Mighty Morphin Alien Rangers episode “Sowing the Seas of Evil”.

- Played Sam Trueheart in Power Rangers Zeo episodes “Inner Spirit”, “Challenges”, “Found and Lost”, and “Brother, Can You Spare an Arrowhead?”.

Peta Rutter
1959 – July 20, 2010
She passed away in July 2010, after being diagnosed with a brain tumor. She portrayed the mentor Udonna/White Mystic Ranger.

Robert Douglas von Fliss
June 28, 1925 – November 22, 2010; 85 years old

Cause of death: unknown

- Played Santa Claus in the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers episode “I’m Dreaming of a White Ranger”, the VR Troopers episode “Santa’s Secret Trooper”, the Masked Rider episode “Ferbus’ First Christmas”, and the Big Bad BeetleBorgs episode “Christmas Bells and Phasm’s Spells”.

Richard L. Rabago 

August 14, 1943 – May 18, 2012; 68 years old

Cause of death: unknown

- Played Tao Chong in VR Troopers.

- Played Master Lee in the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers episode “Plague of the Mantis”.

Mauricio Damian Mendoza 

July 26, 1974 – August 13, 2013; 39 years old

Cause of death: unknown

- Played Richie in the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers episodes “The Beetle Invasion”, “Welcome to Venus Island”, “The Song of Guitardo”, “Green No More – part I”, “Green No More – part II”, “Missing Green”, “Orchestral Maneuvers in the Park”, “Beauty and the Beast”, “White Light – part I”, “White Light – part II”, “Two for One”, and “Opposites Attract”.

Jonathan Martin Simanton 

September 4, 1970 – February 17, 2015; 44 years old

Cause of death: unknown

- Played Lerigot of Lairia in Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie and possibly in the Power Rangers Turbo episodes “Shift into Turbo – part II” and “Shift into Turbo – part III”.

Winston Dean Richard November 12, 1940 – April 25, 2016; 75 years old

Cause of death: unknown

- Was the supervising producer for Mighty Morphin Power Rangers episodes from “Day of the Dumpster” to “Doomsday – part II”.

- Played Zordon of Eltar in Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie.

- Wrote the VR Troopers episode “Good Trooper, Bad Trooper”.

Ralph Votrian
May 16, 1934 – April 13, 2017; 82 years old

Cause of death: unknown

- Played King Lexian in Masked Rider, and in the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers episode “A Friend in Need – part III”.

Grant McFarland
1947 – November 20, 2018; 71 years old

Cause of death: unknown

- Played Sensei Kanoi Watanabe and Kiya Watanabe/Lothor in Power Rangers Ninja Storm.

- Played Daisuke in the Power Rangers Samurai episode “The Tengen Gate”.

Pua Magasiva 
 August 10, 1980 – May 11, 2019
He was a New Zealand actor of Samoan descent, best known for his roles as Shane Clarke, the Red Ranger from Power Rangers Ninja Storm. He passed away in 2019. He was 38. For more information, see here.

Alistair Browning
February 8, 1954 – June 2, 2019; 65 years old

Cause of death: cancer

- Played Jake Brooks in the Power Rangers Ninja Storm episode “Sensei Switcheroo”.

- Voiced Pollinator in the Power Rangers Dino Thunder episode “Back in Black”.

- Voiced Green Monster in the Power Rangers S.P.D. episode “Wormhole”.

- Voiced Zenowing/Silver Dino Charge Ranger in Power Rangers Dino Super Charge.

Justin Cody Slaton (a.k.a. Cody Slaton)
July 9, 1983 – July 24, 2019; 36 years old

Cause of death: unknown

- Played Young Bulk in the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers two-parter “Rangers Back in Time” and in Mighty Morphin Alien Rangers. A Bakersfield-area public safety dispatcher died Wednesday in his home, according to the California Highway Patrol. The CHP says the death of Justin Cody Slaton, 36, was "unexpected." Slaton is survived by his wife Veronica, daughters Chloe, 11, and London, 8, and son Maverick, 6.

Robert Axelrod
 May 29, 1949 – September 7, 2019
Robert Axelrod also credited as Axel Roberts and Myron Mensah, was an American actor. Axelrod died in Los Angeles on September 7, 2019 at the age of 70. He had been suffering from problems caused by spinal surgery. He was survived by his sister. He is best known as Lord Zedd but also voiced Finster and other monsters.

Age Differences between Cast Version 2 (2020)

I will note the age differences between the Power Rangers in each cast. Most actors are between the ages of 18 and 28, some have been in their thirties. And the original cast are entering their forties. Most cast members only have 2 to 5 years in difference within the cast.

When MMPR was shot in 1993, Amy Jo Johnson (Kim) was 22; Austin St. John (Jason) was 17; Thuy Trang (Trini) was 19; Walter Jones (Zack) was 25 or 26; and David Yost (Billy) was the eldest at 24. When Jason David Frank (Tommy) joined the cast, he was 20. David Yost had a 7 year difference from Austin St. John, the youngest. Paul Schrier was 23, he is a year younger than David. Jason Narvy was 19, 2 years older than Austin. According to NoPinkSpandex, Walter Jones lied about his age and is older than David. 

In season 2 when Johnny Yong Bosch (Adam) joined the cast, he was 18; Steve Cardenas (Rocky) was 20; and Karan Ashley (Aisha) was 19. David (25) and Johnny had a six year age difference. Amy Jo was 24; David was 25 and Jason was 21. By Season 3, Jason was 22; David was 26; Steve was 21; Johnny was 19 and Karan was 20 and Catherine Sutherland (Kat) was 21 when she joined the cast. Steve is 5 months older than Catherine.

Aquitar (Alien) Rangers: Karim Prince (Cestro) was born in 1974 and was 21 in 1995. Alan Palmer (Corcus) looks to be in his 40's now, so I suppose he was in his late 20's during this time. Same goes for David Bacon (Aurico). I am not sure about Rajia Baroudi (Delphine) or Tideus' actor Jim Gray.

By Zeo, Jason was 22, David was 27, Steve was 22, Johnny was 20, Catherine was 21 and Nakia Burrise (Tanya) was 21. David Yost has a six year difference with Nakia. When Austin St. John (Jason) was added, he was 21. Catherine is 11 months older than Austin. I don't know how old the triplets that played Trey are.

 Blake Foster (Justin) was 11, he was born in 1985 and he is now 26. Jason was 22 and later 23, Jason is about 12 years older than Blake. Johnny is 9 years older and Catherine and Nakia are about 11 years older. Hilary Shepard Turner (Divatox) was born in 1961, at the time she was 35, she was 12 years older than Jason David Frank and 24 years older than Blake. Carol Hoyt (Dimitria/Divatox) was 34 at the time. As for the new cast, Patricia Ja Lee (Cassie) was 22; Selwyn Ward (TJ) was 20; Roger Velasco (Carlos) was 20; and Tracy Lynn Cruz (Ashley) was 21. The eldest was Patricia and she is around 10 years older than Blake.

For Space, Christopher Lee (Andros) was 20, Patricia was 23, Selwyn was 21, Roger was 21 and Tracy was 22, Justin Nimmo (Justin) was 24 and Melody Perkins (Astronema) was 24. Justin Nimmo is 4 years older than Christopher. Melody is 8 months older than Justin Nimmo. Jason David Frank is 5 years older than Christopher Lee. Selwyn was a year older than Christopher. Paul Schrier was 28 and Jason Narvy was 24, 2 months younger than Melody.

 

In Lost Galaxy, Archie Kao (Kai) was 29, he is 10 months younger than David Yost. Reggie Rolle (Damon) was 23; Danny Salvin was 26; Cerina Vincent (Maya) was 20; Russell Lawrence (Mike) was 21; Varlie Vernon (Kendrix) was 23; Melody Perkins (Karone) was 25. Archie was the oldest and Cerine was the youngest. Danny is 6 years older Christopher Lee. Amy Miller (Trakeena), who married Reggie Rolle and I can't find her age.

 

In Lightspeed Rescue, Sean Cw Johnson (Carter) was 22; Michael Chaturantabut was 25; Alison Macinnis (Dana) was 20; Keith Robinson (Joel) was 24; Sasha Craig (Kelsey) was 18, Monica Louwerens (Angela) was 26; Ron Rogge (Captain Mitchell)  was 32--a year older than David Yost. Ron was only 12 years older than Dana and Rhett. Rhett Fisher (Ryan) was 20, 2 months younger than Alison.

Jason Faunt (Wes) was 27--five years older than Sean Johnson; Michael Copon (Lucas) was 19; Erin Cahill (Jen) was 21; Deborah Phillips (Katie) was 23; Kevin Kleinberg (Trip) was 18; Dan Southworth (Eric) was 27; Dan is 2 months older than Jason. Edward Albert played Mr. Collins and was 50 at the time, making him 23 years older than Jason Faunt. He passed away in 2006 at the age of 55 due to Lung Cancer. Vernon Wells (Ransik) was around 55 and I don't know how old Kate Sheldon (Nadira) is. So, Kevin was the youngest of the Rangers and Dan was the eldest, with a 9 year difference, more than David Yost and Austin St. John's age differences.

 

Wild Force: Ricardo Medina (Cole) was 25; Alyson Sulivan (Taylor) was 25--4 months older than Ricardo; Phillip Jeanmarie (Max) was 24; Jessica Ray (Alyssa) was 20; Jack Guzman (Danny) was 24; Philip Andrew (Merrick) was 24. Jessica Ray was the youngest and has a 5 year difference from Ricardo and Alyson. Ilia Volok (Master Org) was 37 and I don't know how old Ann Marie Crouch (Shayla) is.

 

Ninja Storm: Pua Magasiva (Shane) was 23; Sally Martin (Tori) was 18; Glenn McMillan (Dustin) was 19; Jason Chan (Cam) was 32---a year younger than Amy Jo Johnson; Jorgito Vargas Jr. (Blake) was 26 and Adam Tuominen (Hunter) was 23; Katrina Devine (Marah) was 23 and Katrina Browne (Kapri) was 28.

 Dino Thunder: Emma Lahana (Kira) was 20; James Napier (Connor) was 22; Kevin Duhany (Ethan) was 20;  Jeffrey Parazzo  (Trent)was 26; Jason David Frank was 31--a year younger than Cam. Jason, being the oldest, is 11 years older than Kevin and Emma, the youngest.

SPD: Brandon Jay McLaren (Jack) was 24; Chris Violette (Sky) was 24; Matt Austin (Bridge) was 27; Monica May (Z) was 21; Alycia P. (Syd) was 22; Michelle Langstone (Kat) was 26--a year younger than Matt Austin.  John Tui (Doggie) was 30.  John Tui had a 9 year difference between him and Monica.

Mystic Force: Firass Dirani (Nick) was 22; Angie Diaz (Vida) was 18; Richard Brancatisano (Xander) was 23; Melanie Vallejo (Madison) was 27; Nic Sampson (Chip) was 20; Antonia Prebble (Clare) was 22; Geoff Dolan (Leanbow) was 42. Of the main five, Angie was the youngest, having a 9 year difference with Melanie, who played her sister. Peta Rutter (Udonna) was 47, making her 25 years older than Firass and Geoff was 20 years older than Firass. Peta died in 2010 at age 51. John Tui (Daggeron) was 31.

 

PROO: James Maclurcan (Mac) was 22; Caitlin Murphy (Ronnie) was 21; Samuell Benta (Will) was 21; Rhoda Montemayor (Rose) was 28; Gareth Yuen (Dax) was 29; Dwayne Cameron was 26 (Tyzonn) and Ria Vandervis (Miratrix) was 23. Rod Lousich (Andrew) was 40--18 years older than James.

Jason Smith (Casey) was 24; Anna Hutchison (Lilly) was 22; Aljin Abella (Theo) was 23; David de Lautour (Robert James) was 26; Bede Skinner (Jarrod) was 32;  Holly Shanahan (Camile) was 27; Nikolai Nikolaeff  (Dom)was 27---a month younger than Holly. Bede was the eldest, 6 years older than David. Anna being the youngest, was 4 years younger than David and 10 years younger than Bede. Jungle Fury.

RPM: Eka Darville (Scott) was 20; Ari Boyland (Flynn) was 22; Rose McIver (Summer) was 22; Dan Ewing (Dillon) was 24; Olivia Tennet (Dr. K) was 18; Adelaide Kane (Tenaya) was 19; Milo Cawthorne (Ziggy) was 20 and I don't know old the others were. Dan was the eldest and Olivia was the youngest, 6 year difference.

Samurai: Alex Heartman (Jayden) was 20; Erika Fong (Mia) was around 24 years of age; Hector David Jr. (Mike) was 22; Najee De-Tiege (Kevin) was 25; Brittany Anne Pirtle (Emily) was 22 in December. Ricardo Medina (Deker) being born in 1977, he was 34 at the time. Paul Schrier, born in 1970 was 41. Felix Ryan (Spike) was 21. I don't know how old Steven Skylar (Antonio) was 23. Kimberly Crossman (Lauren) was 21. The youngest is Felix and Paul is 20 years older. Ricardo is 13 years older than Alex. OMG, Paul could be Alex and Felix's dad! Not Najee's dad, because that would be 15 year difference, well, who knows. Alex was born in February of 1990 and Felix in July, making Felix 5 months younger.

Megaoforce: Andrew Gray was born in 1987 and was 26 in 2013. Ciara Hanna was born in 1991 and was 22 in 2013. John Mark Loudermilk was also 22, five months younger than Ciara. Azim Rizk was born in 1990 and was 23 in 2013. Christina Masterson was 24 at the time. Cameron Jebo was 25, born in 1989. Andrew is the oldest and John is the youngest, they have a 4 year age difference. 

Dino Charge: Brennan Mejia was born in 1990 and was 25 in 2015. Camile Hyde was born in 1993 and was 22 in 2015. Claire and Camile are as old as the franchise. Yoshua Sudarso was born in 1989 and was 26 in 2015.  James Davies was born in 1989 and was 26 as well. James is a month older than Yoshi. Michael Taber was born in 1994 and was 21 in 2015. Davi Santos was born in 1991 and was 25 in 2015. Claire Blackwelder was also born in 1993 like Camile and was 22 as well, making it funny her character is supposed to be older. Jarred Blakiston (Prince Phillip) was born in 1991 and was 24 at the time. Ryan Carter (Heckyl) was born in 1992 and was 23 at the time of filming in 2015.  Arthur Ranford (Albert) was born in 1948, making him the oldest Power Ranger actor at the time at age 67. 

Of the main seven, the oldest is James Davies and the youngest Michael Taber, being 5 years apart. Arthur Ranford is 41 years older than James and 46 years older than Michael Taber. Ryan Carter who plays villain Heckyl is 3 years younger than James Davies and 2 years older than Michael. Jarred is about the same age as Davi Santos just like Camile and Claire are only a few months apart. I can't find an age on Reuben Turner (James) but he can't be that much older than Brennan. According to Rangerwiki (http://powerrangers.wikia.com/wiki/James_Navarro), Reuben was 28 at the time of shooting, making him only three years older than Brennan and about 2 years older than James Davies and 39 years younger than Arthur Ranford.

Ninja Steel: Christi (Sarah) was 24, Will Shewfelt (Brody) was 22, Peter Sudarso (Preston) was 27, Zoe Robins (Hayley) was 25, Nico Greetham (Calvin) was 22, and Jordi Webber (Levi) was 23. Will is younger than Nico by 2 months. Will and Jordi are only a year apart. Kelson Henderson (Mack) was in his 40s. 

Beast Morphers: Abraham Rodriguez (Nate) was 19 when they started, Colby Strong (Blaze) was 25, Liana Ramierez (Roxy) was 21, Rorrie Travis (Devon) was 24, Jazz Baduwalia (Ravi) was 20 or 21, and Jacqueline Scislowski (Zoey) was 19. Kristina Ho (Betty) was 25 and Cosmo Flores (Ben) was 22. Teulia Blakely (Commander Shaw) was 44 and is 24 years old than Jazz.