LOS ANGELES, United States (Reuters) — Haim Saban, the creator and producer of the “Power Rangers” TV, film and toy franchise, was honored with the 2,605th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Wednesday (March 22) for his achievements in television.
“He is, he’s scary, he taught me how to be scary, but he is the most loyal person, he is so classy, genuinely I hope I grow up to be like you,” TV personality Simon Cowell told the audience at the event.
The series that debuted on American television in 1993 as “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” is now in its 24th season, making it one of the longest running children’s action series in television history. It’s also spawned three theatrical films, with the latest, “Saban’s Power Rangers” set to open in theaters on March 24.
“Saban’s Power Rangers” features the main characters from the original TV series of five California high school students forming a team to stop an alien threat, but now includes two new superheroes, one gay and the other autistic.
“Because the world is not only made up of straight white people who are very smart,” Saban told Reuters at the star ceremony. “The world is a very diversified world that we live in and there are autistic kids out there and guess what? An autistic kid can also be a superhero. So, if you’re autistic, don’t hide it, don’t worry about it, you can be a superhero.”
Saban, a billionaire, is a native of Alexandria, Egypt. He immigrated to Israel when he was 12 years old, attending school and serving in the Israeli Defense Forces before building a tour promotion business.
After living in France for several years where he established a record company, Saban moved to Los Angeles in 1983, starting a chain of recording studios and forming Saban Productions, which would be renamed in 1988 as Saban Entertainment, an international television, production, distribution and merchandising company.
The company produced a string of successful animated television series for children, many based on Marvel Comics characters. Saban at one time held a controlling stake in German media behemoth ProSiebenSat.1. In 2007, his company acquired Spanish language broadcast network Univision.
“Saban’s Power Rangers” opens in theaters on March 24.
